SPONSORED | Innibos Arts Festival brings top dance, poetry, music and theatre to the stage
The Innibos Lowveld National Arts Festival, which runs from June 27 to 30 in Mbombel,a will see a host of exciting theatre and dance productions on show this year.
Profound yet humorous theatre productions, a multimedia dance production and poetry by local and talented poets are on the Innibos Festival’s menu this year.
Do not forget the tribute to all the best-loved boys bands from yesteryear.
The Innibos Lowveld National Arts Festival runs from June 27 to 30 in Mbombela.
A Street Taxi Named Desiree is a satirical play that lays bare the intrigues of the local taxi culture. It is fast-paced, well choreographed and physical theatre at its best, and depicts situations that are all too familiar to South African commuters. Playing off the title of the well-known classic theatre text by Tennessee Williams, A Streetcar Named Desire, it will not leave the audience untouched. Tears will more than likely flow. Perhaps from laughter, probably from pure joy and maybe even due to some deep introspection
Produced by Obett Motaung with artists Pule Buys, Lucky Mqoboli and Sibusiso Mkhize. Thursday June 27, 15:00; Friday June 28, 13:00; Saturday June 29, 16:00 at Laerskool Laeveld. Tickets cost R160.
Noah is a multi-media dance work exploring the notions of loss, love and letting go, based on the Biblical chronicle. Rather than take a conventional narrative flavour, however, this work looks at the tale from those left behind within the water.
With a stage lit solely by gentle solar jars and the mesmerising imagery of an underwater world, the live performers seamlessly interact with this watery realm. As the projected film merges with the live performance space, and the dancers’ shadows blend with the projected world, the boundaries between reality and illusion blur.
This unique production transcends traditional storytelling by exploring the narrative of Noah from within the water itself, and from the perspective of those left behind in the aftermath. It’s a captivating fusion of dance and videography, expertly focused on the essential elements, inviting audiences to contemplate a moment of simultaneous reflection on the past and future.
This production by the Forgotton Angle Theatre Collaborative from eMakhazeni (formerly Waterval Boven) stars PJ Sabbagha, Nicholas Aphane, Smangaliso Ngwenya and Sandisiwe Masina. Showtimes are Friday June 28 and Saturday June 30, at 13:00 at Laerskool Laeveld, and tickets cost R160.
Boys R Back – The Ultimate Boy Band Show will transport you back to the golden era of boybands. It is a nostalgic musical journey to pay homage to the bands that defined various generations.
Prepare to relive the magic of Westlife’s harmonious ballads, the infectious energy of the Backstreet Boys, the soulful tunes of Boyzone, the chart-topping hits of One Direction, the catchy melodies of Hanson, the synchronised moves of NSYNC, the youthful charm of Eden and the playful tunes of Hi-5, to name a few.
Showtimes are Friday June 28, 10:00 and Saturday June 29, 15:00, at the Hoërskool Nelspruit Auditorium. Tickets cost R200.
A dual with words could describe the Poetry Slam, a collaboration by the participating poets of the Words in my Mouth in Mbombela. In the first session, the poets’ duets will be delivered in various languages. Listen to poems in English, Siswati and Afrikaans. The second session is an all-women Poetry Slam with participating local poets as well as talents who hail from the Kingdom of eSwatini and the USA, including Nontokozo Nkosi, Blacq Rose, Nomcebo Maluka, Nkateko Nkosi and Beezae Mamba. The raw energy of the spoken poems will move you to tears, laughter, anger and every conceivable emotion. Saturday June 29 from 13:30 to 15:30 and 16:30 to 19:30 at the Royal Lodge Jabulan. The cover charge is R50.
Visit Innibos.co.za for Innibos’s full programme. All tickets are available from Ticketpro (ticketpros.co.za).
