A special one-off festival honouring the sea as a force, a resource, a pantry, a playground, a boundary, and source of endless inspiration, mystery, relevance and joy, will be staged in Durban tomorrow in the open space alongside the Maritime Museum off Durban’s Esplanade.
Theatre by the Sea will comprise a free programme of street theatre taking in drama, music and dance, all honouring the sea in different ways. Ten groups will participate – seven from KZN and three from the Eastern Cape. The festival comprises a day of performances of around 15 minutes each from 10am onwards.
The day will open at 9am with participants performing a ritual honouring the sea. Thereafter from 9am until 10am there will be a participative community clean-up of the area around the Maritime Museum.
The festival comes out of the notion that Zulu cultural practices suggest twins should not engage with the sea. Vuma and Vumile Madlanga have spent their lives living close to the ocean but having never actually swam, paddled or submerged themselves into the sea water. They set up the festival for art makers to grapple with the various traditions and cultural responses we have with the sea.
“We are celebrating theatre that connects us to nature, spirit and the wisdom of our ancestors. We will have one stage by the ocean to tell stories that heal, dances that remember and music that moves your soul,” says Vumile. “Bring your family. Bring your spirit. Bring your summer joy. This is theatre that breathes with the sea,” concurs Vuma.
Entry is free and all are welcome. Bring refreshments, water to drink, something to sit on, sunhats, sunscreen and shades. Park by the Bat Centre.