Central SA
Vrystaat Arts Festival embracing performers─── MPHO MOHAPI 13:26 Thu, 06 Oct 2022
The Vrystaat Arts Festival is inviting the public to be part of an apartheid-influenced play called ‘Asinamali’.
The Producer and Director of Asinamali, Thapelo Mokgosi, said in an interview with OFM’s Yolanda Maartens, that the storyline of Asinamali reflects on the lives of five black prisoners, and relates to the livelihood in prison during the apartheid regime.
“Asinamali was written by South African legend and award winner legend, Dr Mbongeni Ngema. It was inspired by events that surrounded the 1983 rent strike in the Lamontville Township. Well, of course that was led by the late Mr Msizi Dube. The rallying cry was “asinamali”, which in English translates to “we have no money”.
Mokgosi said the play has been performed numerously and won many awards. He added that the first time it was performed - by five individuals from humble backgrounds - they won a Silver Standard Bank Ovation Award.
He further explained that his intention with the all-female cast was to groom and develop their skills. He said their achievement of winning this award, with no experience of stage performance prior, is an indication that the team was willing to learn.
Mokgosi said the kids were trained at the North West Development Agency in Potchefstroom (JB Marks municipality), free of charge and available to everyone. He stated that the zeal for art in the area was minimal because people who would recruit the public to join their arts development centres would charge money, which led to the North West Development agency having the responsibility of rekindling the passion.
In conclusion, Mokgosi said the journey to art and skills development does not stop here, as they are planning a provincial North West tour, with the objective of giving the young artists exposure.
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OFM News previously reported that The Free State Arts Festival - one festival, many stories - takes place in Bloemfontein from Sunday 2 October to Saturday 8 October 2022. The art market started on Tuesday 4 October and will be open daily from 09.00 to 19.00.
Literature coordinator, Maritsa Barlow, said that this year's theme has a deeper meaning for bookworms because everyone in the world is going through a very difficult time. So it was important for her to have writers who write about deeper, difficult themes to get a platform to talk about them.
