http://www.outtheboxfestival.com/
In Cape Town, it seems just as one festival ends, another starts; incontrovertible proof of an indomitable creative spirit and a vibrant artists’ community. Moreover, a number of these festivals are breaking new ground and staging works in the very vanguard of the arts.
The Out the Box festival, which consists of an adult, family and film programme, as well as workshops and talks, has moved from September (a month itself filled with art events, such as the unique and only one of its kind in the world, Voorkamer performing arts festival) to March, where it is in good company with the pioneering Infecting the City public arts festival.
Out the Box (OTB) focuses on ‘visual performance’, on collaborative and experimental works that dissolve the boundaries between performance and visual art. Several of the works are site specific. Included in the line-up for the Adult Festival this year are international performance artists and contemporary dancers: Duda Paiva (Netherlands) with Angel; Edna Jaime (Mozambique) with her provocative work (Eu) peca de terra-II; Baba Yaga Theatre (Denmark) with Inua; Benjamin Vandewalle (Belgium) with Skindsideout. From Tel Aviv, Israel, comes The Avital Dvory Visual Theatre Company’s magical realist piece Tranquila, integrating theatre, circus arts, puppetry, clowning and music. The organizers are quick to add that they support “peace through cultural exchange” and “do not host artists as a political statement . . . we are in negotiations with Palestinian puppeteers to attend OTB in 2011”.
Among the local works are Quack!, Acty Tang’s Inscrutable, and Mothertongue Theatre’s The Baggage of Bags, as well as several intriguing new works by emerging theatre makers.
The festival is staged at the Baxter Theatre and in various venues on Hiddingh Campus, Orange Street.
Ticket prices are very reasonable (R35 for family festival shows) and there are various discounts and multi-pass options.
Book early at Computicket.
