Abstract
English Summary This is the third Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees (Little Karoo National Arts Festival) to be held in Oudtshoorn, and its remarkable growth continues: 35% larger than in 1996, with 13 official sponsors, 80 mainstream productions, 134 on the fringe, and about 30 000 people attending (excluding day visitors). Performances ranged from drama, cabaret, dance and related forms to poetry readings, music, art and crafts. This year an attempt was made to broaden the representation even more, though the focus remains the arts and Afrikaans. The event had its share of controversy (e.g. Johan Scott's painting “Vernacular: Love your mother tongue”, queries about “standards” of production, and the notorious incident involving guest star Miriam Makeba and a number of beer-can hurling louts). However, by and large once more a dynamic and exciting festival. Theatrical highlights on the main festival included CAPAB's production of Reza de Wet's award-winning Drie Susters Twee [Three Sisters Two], André P. Brink's Die Jogger, Cas van Rensburg's Om Hendrik weg te bring and A1 by the visiting Dutch company Dogtroep. On the fringe Chris Vorster's popular satirical farce James Blond: Africa Avontuur won De Kat's Herrie-award for best fringe production, while Wikus du Toit won the Slurpie award (for best newcomer) with his work Ses [Six]. The box-office success at the festival was Jana Cilliers in Opdrag: Ingrid Jonker (text by Ryk Hattingh), while poet Gert Vlok Net's simple and moving look at his own past, entitled Om Beaufort Wes se beautiful woorde te verlaat [To leave the beautiful words of Beaufort West] could be called the real surprise hit of the festival. The true star of the festival was, once again, the language and literature of Afrikaans: its range, power and beauty was on full display, performed and presented by the cream of the country's artists.
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