"We would like to grow our relationship with The Big Issue. We recognise that their market is similar to ours - they're trying to create a platform for sustainable growth for their vendors much in the same way that we're trying to support our artists and the people we employ through our organisation and the festival,” continues Marneweck.
"With 1000 people expected to attend the festival a day, The Out The Box festival is a great opportunity for us to raise awareness of our brands. It also means 1000 more people a day are likely to buy The Big Issue as our vendors will be selling magazines at the festival. This is an exciting opportunity," says Jamaine Cloete, marketing manager of The Big Issue.
Reportedly the largest of its kind in South Africa, the Out The Box festival has attracted a growing number of local and international performers, and this year will prove to be no different. The festival will kickstart with a street parade of giant puppets, created by the French company Les Grandes Personnes, that will start in Loop Street and end at UCT's Michaelis School of Fine Art in Cape Town.
"But the festival line-up is not just puppetry, but also cutting-edge contemporary South African theatre suitable for the whole family - adults, children and students," says Marneweck.
There are more than 50 adult plays and family shows that will run concurrently at six venues within a 200m radius of the Little Theatre. The adult arm of the festival will culminate with the Active Puppets Showcase - an ensemble of shows presented by young artists training in UNIMA SA's mentorship programme, and the South African première of Brett Bailey's visual performance party House of the Holy Afro.
The adult plays will explore the many facets of visual performance including dance, theatre, live art and comedy. This medley includes Iqonga, an art form that moves beyond the boundaries of conventional theatre and features a series of eight consecutive short pieces of visual theatre in one evening. This will take place on Monday 1 September at the Arena Theatre.
Also for the first time this year there will be a series of films on visual performance entitled 'Moving Things' at The Labia in Orange Street. The artists will be on hand after the show to discuss the making of the films and to showcase the sculptural works featured in the movies.
Top names associated with the festival include Katharina Vogel, Jori Snell and Beth McMahon, Erf 81 Cultural Collective, Remix Dance Company, Pieter Van Zyl, Inzalo dance and theatre company and Sogo theatre, among others.
The Out The Box 2008 family programme brings you quality international acts. Look out for Sylvia Barth from Germany who will perform the classic tale of The Fisherman and his Wife. Back by popular demand, object theatre artist Drew Colby brings his new show Salt from the UK. Also look out for a wide range of interactive workshops, talks and exhibitions.
The whole Out The Box programme can be viewed online at www.unima.za.org. Booklets are available free at the Baxter, the Little Theatre, the Labia, UNIMA SA office (18 Roeland st) or buy The Big Issue from this week and get your free copy with it, as well as ticket discounts. Tickets may be booked at Computicket.
