DRAMA

UIT DIE BLOUTE



Take the work of one of South Africa's almost forgotten 'volks'-writers, add two brilliant actors, original contemporary music and an award-winning director and the result is Uit Die Bloute which opens in the Playhouse's Sanlam Loft Theatre on September 17.

Uite Die Bloute

comes to Durban after successful runs at the State Theatre and Johannesburg's Civic Theatre.

Starring Anna-Mart van der Merwe and Gys de Villiers, Uit die Bloute comprises two of Eugene Marais' works: Die Lied van die Reen and 'n Koranna Dwaal- storie, the show has also played the Klein Karoo Kunstefees and Standard Bank National Festival of the Arts.

Abraham and Lizanne Helberg of the group Marimba perform on stage with the actors until September 21.

PLAYWRIGHT FESTIVAL

For the second year running, the theatre group Macbeth & Co presents the Adams Playwrights Festival. This will take place at the Kwasuka Theatre in Greyville from September 18 to 20.

There will be a wide range of produc-tions on offer. Major attractions include the multi-award winning White Men with Weapons written and performed by Greig Coetzee; The Chosen with Catherine Mace directed by Mario Schiess, and Mr Ballistic featuring M-Net comedy presenter John Vlismas, who is also South Africa's representative at the Montreal Comedy Festival.

Other productions are Some Enchanted Evening, Rudy and the Other One's, One Reel Short and Voices from the Brink.

Everything in fact from drama and mime to movement and black comedy.

The festival is also receiving support from The Alliance Fran‡aise, which is fast making itself felt as a strong supporter of local arts and culture.

Tickets R15 at the door. For details contact Wendy on 23-9831 or melissa on 21-4182.

STUDENT DRAMA

The Playhouse Studio will host the 1997 Student Drama Festival from September 26 to 28 under the auspices of the Playhouse Company's Education and Development Department.

Open to all drama training institutions in KZN, the festival aims to bring together the writers, actors and directors said to be making the theatre of the new South Africa happen.

University, technikon and college students from across the province will stage new and established dramatic works of endless variety.

ACTORS CO-OPERATE!

Garth Anderson's The Actors' Co-operative virtually wiped the boards of the FNB Vita regional theatre awards in the Cape last month.

Greig Coetzee's phenomenally successful White Men with Weapons, which he wrote and in which he appears, won best production. It also won best lead actor (Greig), best director (Garth Anderson), best script (Greig) and best lighting design (Skip Wright). Not bad for a one-man show. Congratulations all round!

Next month a sequel to the Actors Co-operative's production of The Minerva Children will run in the Playhouse Sanlam Loft in association with the Playhouse Company and the Department of Arts & Culture.

VITA WINNERS

Winners of the 1996/67 FNB Vita regional Durban theatre awards were mostly from outside the province with Pieter Toerien's Master Class deservedly winning best production and best lead actress (Jana Cilliers) as well as best support actress (Gina Shmukler) and best director (Mark Graham).

Best lighting (Joe Freedman), best set design (Sarah Roberts) and best costume design (Rulan Booth, Sarah Roberts and Thuli Dumakude) went to Umabatha.

James Borthwick secured the award for best lead actor for his performance in Tickle to Fine Leg and the ensemble cast of Asinamali - Mbongeni Ngema, Bhoyi Ngema and Thami Cele - won the award for best supporting actor.

Anthony Akerman won the best script award for his production of Old Boys and in the category of best musical theatre production, the award went to Kat and the Kings.

There were no awards given for most promising performance by a new actor/actress or for the most outstanding performance in a musical theatre.

THE MAGIC PAINTBRUSH

Continuing its run at the Kwasuka Theatre in Greyville is Pieter Scholtz's charming play for young people, The Magic Paintbrush.

Featuring Dennis Schauffer, Angela Dodds and Caroline Palmer, The Magic Paintbrush is the story of a paintbrush with magical powers to bring everything it paints to life but sometimes the results cause delicious chaos and confusion!

The play runs every Saturday afternoon at 14h30.

Book at Computicket or at Kwasuka on 309-2236.