Nelson Mandela Bay will come alive this week when the Mandela Bay Arts Festival opens on Friday 16 February 2024. The Festival puts local and internationally acclaimed artists under the spotlight for ten days until 25 February. Shows will be staged across several venues, including the Mendi Arts Centre, The Athenaeum, The One Room Music & Comedy Club, The Savoy Theatre and The Black Box Theatre with an assortment of performances that will leave audiences spoilt for choice. Art will also be on display at the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Art Museum, and pop-up craft shops can be found at the Mendi Arts Centre and The Athenaeum.
Khanyisa Bunu will share the stage with Mandisi Dyantyis and Skank and the Roots this weekend in a sold out show at Roof Garden Bar.
Shows to look forward to in the opening days of the Festival include, comedy with Happy Hour: Season 2 and punk fusion band Undead Generation. Britain’s Got Talent’s local heroes, magicians Li Lau and Brendon Peel will unveil an intriguing new work Double Bluff: An Extreme Magic Show and LoveSeed will turn ashes into beauty through her musical journey Ibali Lam.
Described as “absolutely mesmerizing…” fire dancer Selah Joy will perform The Story of Fire for audiences at The Athenaeum Outdoor, and the Valentine’s Day mood lives on when The Lovers Circle sees singer and composer Skyscraper performing a concert dedicated to love. For theatre fans, the play A R2 or so examines the enduring resilience and humour of those who live on the margins of life and also on stage is Case Closed, a whodunnit with a chilling twist. Acclaimed Gqeberha musician Edgar Muzah will perform A Gathering of the Tribes which sees Muzah’s musical virtuosity blended with a multidimensional world of vibrant characters, exploring themes of love, resilience, identity, and the triumphs and tribulations of humanity and spoken word poetry.
Embizeni is the tragic tale of a young man’s life shaped by the turmoil of political unrest brought to life on stage by writer and producer – Nompumezo Buzani. Poet Thobeka Kenene raises awareness about black consciousness and feminism through her poetry in Nobenguni Rises. Or take a reggae journey with Afrotronixx and Tazz Marassy as they perform Reggae Rise, Africa Rise.
Gqeberha’s own Mo Mahashe has invited a host of local musicians on stage for a night of great music across R&B, reggae, hip-hop and soul and well-known musician Songo, joins the weekend line up with Songo Presents – Iculo Lakhe (Emini Nasebusuku). From the haunting tones of the Bansuri (Indian bamboo flute) to the expressive versatile rhythm of the Tabla (Indian percussion) Mahesh Narotam & Friends will bring IndoJazz and World Music to the Festival programme and Ndim Ingoma will add the traditions of African folk music into the mix.
The cast of A R2 or so who will perform at the Mandela Bay Arts Festival this weekend. Image Simphiwe Nama
Singqokwana’s Dream Deferred is a historical account of the life of Singqokwana Ernest Malgas, whose emotional testimony broadcast on television in 1996 at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission touched thousands of South Africans and reminded all of us of the horrors of Apartheid. The theatre piece is a shining example of storytelling that reflects the community back to itself for it to see where it comes from and what has come of it.
A Word Exhibition 1988-2022 by Mxolisi Nyezwa is an archival trove of stories about black township life in the ’90s told in posters that range from benignly sad to violent and sometimes humorous.
Skyscraper will perform in The Lovers Circle at the Mandela Bay Arts Festival – Image Simphiwe Nama
A weekend highlight sees top Eastern Cape artists return home for the Mandela Bay Arts Festival. On the 17th February, Mandisi Dyantyis, reggae band Skank and the Roots, and comedian Khanyisa Bunu sold out show Groove and Comedy Concert in the first in a series of three Festival Garden Party events at Roof Garden Bar. The other Festival Garden Party events sees Iyeza hit maker Zain SA and local favourites MissJay, Thembi Mona and Despatch duo King Jade & Baby Joe come together on 23 February for a once-off Bass and Beats Session.
On 24 February, legendary SA performer Simphiwe Dana will be live in concert with Belato and Siya Seya for a Soul & Comedy experience. These additional concerts were made possible with funding from the Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme administered by the National Arts Council.
The Mandela Bay Arts Festival is a project of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality and is produced by the National Arts Festival. Says Cllr Bassie Kamana ( MMC for Sports Recreation Arts and Culture) “Artists define the character of our region and this Festival exemplifies the talent and creativity in our midst. We are excited that, as a City, we have created this platform for them to showcase their talent. The programme was curated through an intensive process of consultation, application, review and selection with a focus on promoting local talent in the Bay. We look forward to the shows ahead and this celebration of the arts.”
The full programme is on the Festival website www.mbaf.co.za. Tickets are already on sale – and can also be booked online from the same website. Tickets can also be bought at the box offices at The Athenaeum and Mendi Arts Centre from 13 February and at the various Festival venues one hour before the show.
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