The Shakespeare Schools Festival SA comes with a bang in Gqeberha!
- Oct 2, 2021
- 2 min read
Images by: Londeka Dlamini
The third and final instalment of the 11th Shakespeare Schools Festival (SSFSA) began in Johannesburg on September 8, 2021. For the first time, the Gqeberha event combined with Makhanda was held at the Little Theatre, on the 25th of September 2021!
From the city of Gqeberha, Buyelembo Production performed “As You Like It”, as for CM Vellem Primary School from Makhanda, performed ‘Romeo & Julliet’ from the Shakespeare play.
“Directing my first Shakespeare play was an amazing experience. The first phase of rehearsals was a bit tricky and tough as I had to adapt to the play and add a little bit of IsiXhosa language for my cast to get comfortable with the script.” says Kamva Mabija, director of Buyelembo Production.
“This was an absolute amazing journey, putting the festival together with Nine Magagula. I want to thank the directors who made the plays possible and the young stars who where a part of the plays. Also a big thank you to the Shakespeare Schools Festival South Africa for giving Gqeberha youth theatre groups and schools an opportunity like this to perform on a professional stage. I also encourage more schools and youth theatre drama groups to participate in our next year’s festival! Lastly, a big thank you to everyone who came to see the show.” says M Vuyo Ngetu, Co-coordinating producer of the SSFSA Gqeberha festival.
The SSFSA is Africa’s largest annual Shakespeare youth drama festival that strengthens the link between the Arts and Education. It unites and empowers children from across socio-economic spectrum using the transformational power of theatre and specifically the works of Shakespeare to achieve that goal. To date, the two-to-ten day event has seen the participation of more than 557 schools, over 10,000 youth and 693 educators across the various provinces in the country, and audiences this year have totaled close to 26,000 people.
For the festival, each school is required to prepare and perform an abridged version of the Shakespeare play of their choice, approximately 30-45 minutes in duration. The organizers encourage individuality and innovation, all the while fostering an atmosphere of camaraderie between schools, learners and educators. Staging a Shakespeare play is undoubtedly a challenge for both novices and professional actors, and in light of this, the SSFSA provides guidance and resources throughout the preparation process.
As a creative outlet the SSFSA is an opportunity for young people, both at school and in amateur drama groups, to tap into the performing arts, explore their dramatic capabilities and unlock their acting potential in a stress-free and non-competitive situation.
Visit the festival’s Facebook page for event updates:
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