From Tuesday 22 July to Saturday 26 July the Stellenbosch University Drama Department hosted the annual Première Festival, providing students of the dramatic arts with a platform to create stage productions in any style, and an opportunity to showcase their talents. This year’s contestants did not disappoint. From physical theatre to comedy, the Première Festival once again showed what happens when passion and talent come together on stage.
The top three productions, Akrasia, Kenan ennie Klopse and Yellowtail, made it through to the final round at the Curtain Call on 26 July.
Akrasia, a dark comedy starring Heinrich Wentzel and Ancois Bodenstein, directed by Kristen Fichardt and Shannon Hendry, brought forth a twisted story about an artist keeping his strange relationship with his mother alive through his art, and the girl he falls for that’s eerily connected to it all. Akrasia is creepily hilarious and hard to watch in the best possible way.
Yellowtail, although conceptually heavy in its execution, which is especially challenging when it comes to physical theatre, displayed incredible dancing talent paired with gorgeous lighting and a live saxophone.
Unam Sota won the award for best actor and Zara West claimed best actress, with Shannon Handry winning best supporting actress and Lukhona Mkunyana taking the award for best supporting actor. Kenan ennie Klopse, starring Jasmine Maduna, Wyatt Afrika and Alyssa Jacobs, directed by Jeanne-Marié Koekemoer and Alyssa Jacobs, won best production. Writer and choreographer Alyssa Jacobs integrated the movement of physical theatre with vibrant dialogue to tell the story of Kenan, a young man finding his place in the world while facing a difficult choice between performing in the Kaapse Klopse and leaving South Africa for a prestigious writing programme. Jasmine Maduna says she hopes the audience learned from Kenan ennie Klopse “to be proud of your culture and that you don’t necessarily have to choose the path […] chosen for you. You can still honour your traditions […] while following your dreams.”
Maduna says that movement was incorporated even during dialogue scenes, so the dynamic nature of the play demanded fitness and breath control. She felt that the wide range of genres at the festival encouraged her to challenge herself and that it helps actors grow in their craft.
Kenan ennie Klopse will be showing at Woordfees this year.
By Emma Olivier
