THE cultivation of alliances between the National Arts Festival (NAF) and a host of international festivals over the years has resulted in some of the best works from abroad showcasing on the NAF stage.
This year festinos were really spoilt for choice with a number of award-winning overseas pro- ductions staging at the NAF.
One of these is Spitfire Theatre Company’s The Voice of Anne Frank, which comes to the NAF in association with the World Fringe Alliance, Prague Fringe Festival and the embassy of the Czech Republic.
Communities the world over have heard of Anne Frank’s story, but we’ve never heard her voice. This beautifully written piece (Petr Bohác, Mirenka Cechová) trans- forms Anne Frank into more than someone we know of through historical texts – you get to know the young girl behind the story.
Anne (played by Mirenka Cechová) is a 13-year-old girl. Like all teenagers, she has issues with her sister and mother – as is evident in the typical family tiffs between the three, with Anne viewing her sister as the “perfect” one and often declaring her hate for her mother (although this is your typical teenage rant).
We also see this young girl having to evolve due to her family’s circum- stances at the time.
Her fears, her frustration with having to be a prisoner in her home, her fantasies of one day having enough spending money to buy whatever she wants – like under- wear, clothes, jewellery and hats. And her dreams of dancing at a ball, clad in her finest. Through this kind of writing we get to know Anne Frank, beyond the historical figure.
The piece is performed through a series of monologues with cello improvisation by Nancy J Snider. Choreography, by Mirenka Cechová, provides an interesting element of dance and physical theatre. A well-deserved standing ovation.
Another great offering from internationals at this year’s fest is Bye Bye World!, brought to the festival in association with the Amsterdam Fringe Festival and Royal Netherlands Embassy.
Is it possible that you could just disappear is the question asked as the audience journeys through the lives of two ordinary women.
One is a reserved cellist, who doesn’t have any friends. She has no love interest – with every attempt having failed dismally, she exists in solitude.
The other is quite the opposite. Having a host of friends, she’s been in a steady relationship for 10 years. She is a ray of sunshine and every- body’s favourite person.
But as she approaches her 32nd birthday, she starts to feel that even with all of this, she’s slowly being swallowed up.
They are two complete strangers, worlds apart, yet they have this personal meltdown in common and are both seeking to start over. But can one just disappear?
A beautifully penned script that is beautifully performed by Anne Gehring and Vera Ketelaars. These actresses portray their characters with such truthfulness that it’s very easy to relate.