Children’s theatre festival this weekend

THE 2015 DUT Children’s Theatre Festival profiles award-winning playwright Neil Coppen and will feature four plays all penned by him, to be staged at the Courtyard Theatre at DUT on Friday, 18 September and again from 21 to 23 September.

In 2011 the festival was founded by Prof Debbie Lutge who invited Gisele Turner as the first Children’s Theatre writer to have her works performed by Drama one students.

“Presenting works for children awakens cultural interest in young audiences, who are the future theatre patrons,” considers Prof Debbie Lutge.

The festival featuring two shows a day at 09h30 and 11h30 respectively, will span four days on 18 September and from 21 to 23 September and includes a line-up of delightful children’s plays, Marvellous Mixtures, The Fantastical Tale of Marika Morkels, Tin Bucket Drum and Grandpa Grump and the Magical Junk Shop. The works are all performed by first year Drama one students:

Tin Bucket Drum is a delightful stage play using shadow puppetry. The work revolves around a dictator who tries to silence the community. A baby’s cry shatters the silence at birth. The mother is warned to control the infant but as the infant grows she finally counters the restrictions and brings freedom to Tin Town. Age 10 and up. (Friday 18 and Wednesday 23 September).

Marvellous Mixtures is a play filled with comic irony and shadow puppetry. Two chickens narrate the story of how Matthew’s magic potion makes Ouma “humungous”. Mr Poempoenpip begins to envision a future of plenty and tries it out on the chickens but something goes wrong and the new batch is not exactly the same. Things shrink and finally all goes back to normal. Age 10 and up. (Friday 18 and Tuesday 22 September).

Grandpa Grump and the Magical Junk Shop finds Grandpa dressing as a super hero to track all the items he’s mislaid including his granddaughters gift, a rag doll named Molly. All the toys and junk in Grandpa Grump’s musical shop (with the participation of the audience) help with the treasure hunt and give Grandpa Grump clues to help him finally find the doll. (2003). Age 3 – 8 (Monday, 21 and Wednesday 23 September).

The Fantastical Tale of Marika Morkels is set in a school inspired by secrets and a few tricks. (Age 6 and up) (Friday, 18 and Tuesday 22 September).

They will be at the Courtyard Theatre on Friday, 18, Monday, 21, Tuesday, 22 and Wednesday, 23 September with two shows daily at 9.30 and 11.30 am.

Tickets cost R 25 for children and adults and block booking (10 or more) are R10 per ticket.

The Courtyard Theatre is based at Steve Biko Road, Ritson Campus, with parking at Gate 6. Call Lebohang Sibisi (031) 373 2194 lebohangs@dut.ac.za for bookings.