LITERATURE
THE ROYAL HOTEL IS 150!
This drawing by Pippa Rees of the Smith Street facade of the Royal
was made from a photograph taken in the late 1890's
Durban's finest hotel, the five-star The Royal, celebrates its 150th anniversary this year.
The Royal was also Durban's first hostelry, erected as a low-thatched wattle-and-daub building
called the Commercial
Hotel on land bought by a sea captain supplying the British Garrison in the early 1840s.
Some 20 years later the hotel became known as The Royal, following a Royal Appointment
granted by Queen
Victoria's second son, Prince Alfred.
In honour of the hotel's 150th celebration, a superb full-colour hardcover book has been
published. Costing R175
and available at the hotel, it's titled The Royal Hotel - History in the Making. It was written
by Linda Duminy who
was commissioned to research the hotel's history in the early 1980s.
There are splendid reproductions of paintings, drawings and photographs. Long-serving staff
members are
acknowledged such as Thomas Naidu who retired recently as Senior Barman after 50 years, guest liaison
manager R N Pillay who
was head porter for over 30 years and Douglas Dladla who has been doorman since 1992.
The book fittingly closes with coverage of Queen Elizabeth II's visit to the Royal where she
occupied the penthouse
suite briefly before attending a luncheon.
LITERATURE 11
MUSE AND MUSIC
The Centre for Creative Arts at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre will host Muse and
Music, Dutch and Flemish
Writers on the Road as part of Poetry International on April 6 and 8 at 20h00.
Poetry International was established in Rotterdam in 1970 and organises an
annual poetry festival
in the harbour city where thousands of poets from all over the world have read their poetry.
Nearly 20 poets from South Africa have made appearances beginning with Dennis Brutus in
1970. Breyten
Breytenbach, who has read his work over eight years at Poetry International, is the originator
of the visit to
Durban.
DIRECTOR
The director and founder of Poetry International, Martin Mooij, will
accompany the group of eight
Dutch and Flemish poets who will read their work together with local poets Mazisi Kunene, Sally-Ann Murray,
Dikobe wa Mogale
Ben Martins and others.
The well-known band Urban Creep will provide music on both evenings.
This is a project of the Dutch Language Union and Poetry International (Rotterdam) under the
auspices of the Dutch
Government.
Admission is free. Enquiries: Tel. 81-4544 or 260-3134.
CREATIVE WRITING
Creative Writing Workshops will be held on a fortnightly basis at 18h00 at the Howard College
Theatre on the
campus of the University of Natal.
Apr 18: Imendo: Exploits into the creative world - exploring facets of creative
writing through
African philosophical thought by Masize Kunene.
Forthcoming themes include: Poetry and History, Poetry and Healing, Gender and
Poetry and
Publishing Poetry.
The cost is R60 for the full course.
For information contact Mr V Reddy on 260-3382.
SPOOKHOUSE WRITERS
Spookhouse Writers Circle meets on the second Wednesday of the month (April 10) and aims at
providing a platform
for poets, playwrights, prose writers and lyricists. Apart from an 'open time' where anyone may read or
perform anything, there
will be a featured artist.
Coffee and cake will be served, the cost is R10 a head and the evening starts at 19h45. Please
phone Giselle on 44-
5871 for details.
Campsdrift market
Howick Falls Craft Market
Maritzburg Market