Three hit productions from the National Arts Festival, Grahamstown, at the Baxter

Now in its final week at the Baxter Golden Arrow Studio Doug Wright's 2004 Pulitzer prize-winning drama about the will to survive, I Am My Own Wife has had a sell-out six-week run with an extra performance scheduled for this Saturday afternoon, August 15, at 3pm.

The production, which made its South African debut at the festival before transferring to the Baxter, has twice been extended due to its popularity. Janice Honeyman directs Jeremy Crutchley who has wowed audiences and critics by playing close to 40 different characters as he slips into the heart and mind of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, a German transvestite caught up in the great European dramas of the 20th century and the subject of author Doug Wright's fascination.

Die Burger gave it five stars, The Cape Times recommended it highly, saying “… superb, gripping, absorbing”, the online Arts Review enthused “… nothing short of brilliant …” and the Weekend Post called it “A must see,” while the Sunday Independent said, “this is superb theatre” and The Writing Studio proclaimed, “This is theatre at full force and at its most exciting.” The Next 48 Hours went further describing Jeremy's performance as “… one of the year's best performances” and The Weekender saying, “… one of the country's finest actors” with the Cape Argus adding “Crutchley enthralls,” and Cue felt that it was “nothing short of dazzling”.

Tickets for the additional matinee performance of I Am My Own Wife this Saturday, August 15, at 3pm, are R85 throughout.

This year's instalment in the highly popular Raiders series by Theatre for Africa, A Midsummer Night's Raiders, starring the award-winning father and son duo Nicholas and Luke Ellenbogen, comes to the Baxter Golden Arrow Studio from August 19 to September 5, at 7.30pm nightly.

For 20 years Raiders has remained the top show on the Fringe at the Grahamstown Festival, delighting audiences with its energetic and hilarious brand of humour. This year was no exception when it became the highest overall grossing show on the fringe for 2009.

The latest offering certainly did not disappoint festival goers. They faithfully flocked for their annual dose of madcap antics and uproarious activity taking place on stage while stars are being born at every performance ensuring a different and hilarious outcome every night.

Gillian McAsh from The Herald said “Raiders comedy still a delight…still filled with crazy puns, imaginative props and heaps of audience participation,” while Karen Bradshaw from Cue said,” Nicholas Ellenbogen has crafted such a unique concept in theatrical entertainment that, despite this being the 20th episode in the Raiders series the intense anticipation of the audience is ever present.”

Trust the Ellenbogens, who once again team up with director Andrew Brent, to mix history up completely to the delight of audiences who help them through the action which they create along the way with their usual flair and twist of facts.
Nicholas plays the Virgin Queen Elizabeth I of England who has the hots for the Bard himself, William Shakespeare, played by Luke. She is a very jealous queen so she will do whatever it takes to get her man. She commissions him to write the first play in English history to have a female in the lead role. The Queen herself treads the boards in his great play Queen Lear.

A Midsummer Night's Raiders previews on Wednesday, August 19, opens August 20 and runs until September 5, in the Baxter Golden Arrow Studio, at 7.30pm nightly.

Comedy dominated the list of biggest selling productions, with David Newton's shows Politically Incorrect and Laugh” is what a post-festival report summary said of the popular stand-up comedian who takes to the Baxter Concert Hall stage for three performances only, with his Best of the Fest from August 20 to 22, at 8.15pm.

Apart from his two own one-man shows, this year Newton also premiered with his latest scorcher, Dekaf, which he produced, directed and co-wrote for actor and up-and-coming comedian Sivuyile ‘Siv' Ngesi. For Best of the Fest Newton has extracted highlights of the three different shows to create this jaw-achingly hilarious combination at the Baxter with Siv as the opening act. Cue described him as, "A brave new face in stand-up, Siv Ngesi delivers a brilliant new dish! Top quality laughs ... makes me proud to be a South African."

As the most successful comedian at the festival, he has certainly established himself as one of South Africa's fastest rising comedy superstars with his razor-sharp wit and his ability to provoke his audiences and make them laugh uncontrollably at everyday subjects. "Newton strikes again! Awesome stand-up! If you need an ab workout, this is the show for you! Nothing quite beats the feeling of laughing till your stomach hurts!" is what Cue had to say.

With three performances only David Newton - Best of the Fest runs from August 20 to 23 at 8.15 in the Concert Hall.

Booking for I Am My Own Wife, A Midsummer Night's Raiders and David Newton - Best of the Fest is through Computicket on 083 915 8000, online at www.computicket.co.za or at any Shoprite Checkers outlet countrywide. For discounted block, schools or corporate bookings, charities and fundraisers, contact Yandiswa on 021 680 3991, Sharon on 021 680 3962 or Taryn on 021 680 3993 during office hours.