KZN's Witness Hilton Arts Festival comes of age

The festival is broadly considered to be KZN's premier arts-and-culture festival and one of the top festivals in the country, which features a programme of cutting-edge drama, comedy, music and music revue, as well as an array of arts and crafts.

The festival attracts a mix of South African performers and artists gleaned from stages around the country, including the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown.

Building on from last year, this year's festival starts with two full days' (12 September for primary; 13 September for high schools) programme of age-specific arts events aimed at schools. Over 1000 learners will experience the thrill of the performing arts. It is a celebration of all that is young, new and vibrant and has been dubbed "Jongosi", which is designed to educate, entertain and allow learners to expand their world view.

Schools wishing to participate, should sign up as soon as possible by going to www.hiltonfestival.co.za.

Programme of theatre and events for young people

There is also a full programme of theatre and events for young people during the main festival weekend.

The drama programme is particularly strong this year. The Witness Flagship production is Solomon and Marion. The Hilton festival is delighted to welcome Dame Janet Suzman who appears opposite Khayalethu Anthony in Lara Foot's multi-award-winning play.

Among the drama highlights are Vigil - Morris Panych's award-winning black comedy, with Graham Hopkins and Vanessa Cooke directed by Christopher Weare. An Unromantic Comedy - a funny, painful and poignant look at contemporary relationships written by Rosalind Butler, directed by Craig Freimond stars Charmaine Weir Smith, Jaci de Villiers and Antony Coleman.

Crazy In Love is devised and performed by Andrew Buckland and Liezl de Kock under the direction of Rob Murray, with design by Jayne Batzofin, and is the tragicomic story of a father-daughter search for his missing bride and her mother. From the same stable is Hoss - Ubom tipping its hat to the great Western movie tradition in a piece that again teams up Andrew Buckland and director Rob Murray.

Doubt, A Parable is a provocative and gripping story of suspicion and suspense, starring Fiona Ramsay, James Alexander, FaniswaYisa and Janna Ramos-Violante with direction by James Cuningham, set design by Vaughn Sadie. CUT and lighting design by Tina Le Roux.

Mike van Graan's latest drama, Rainbow Scars joins the line up; as does One Woman Farce, which features Louise Saint-Claire who has teamed up with writer-director Greg Homann. Homann also directs the hilarious bonsai production of the Pirates of Penzance, featuring five actors and one piano.

The List - Leila Henriques directs South African actress Susan Danford in this award-winning play by Canadian playwright Jennifer Tremblay, produced by The Baxter Theatre.

Hilton will host the debut of Janna Ramos-Violante's new work, Phobic, starring Glen Biederman and Jenna Dunster. The Epicine Butcher and other Stories for Consenting Adults features Jemma Kahn in an award-winning hilarious, profane and utterly original production using the Japanese storytelling art, Kamishibai.

The Witness Hilton Arts Festival in association with The Market Theatre presents The Line. Written and directed by Gina Shmukler; it was nominated in 2013 for five Naledi awards and is a piece of theatre no South African can afford to miss. Set against the backdrop of the xenophobic attacks of May 2008, The Line explores the "fragility of goodness" and engages with both victim and perpetrator.

Also on the line-up is storyteller Gcina Mhlope; Greig Coetzee's poetry programme, Rhymes with Orange; Jacobus van Heerden is Super Chop; the Rise of the Insanity League features Ben Voss, Aaron McIlroy and John van de Ruit; Frank Graham's Springbok Radio retrospective, There Was a Time...; Actors Unemployed present A Guide to the Theatre and the Gothic mystery, The Erl King.

As always, there is a supper theatre murder mystery, this year it is The Strange Case of the North Coast Sugar Baron.

Complementing the theatrical line up is, as always, some great diverse music. Christopher Duigan will be presenting his Music Revival Concert Series this year featuring 10 carefully chosen concerts. There is an extensive programme of revues, cabaret and light music and live music for free on the public stages at the festival.

As well as the performances, there is also Mindscape: a series of lectures, debates, movies and workshops covering a variety of themes. There will also be a story-session event, film auditions and book launches. For arts industry practitioners there is a Hands on! Masks Off! session presented by National Arts Festival Director, Ismail Mahomed.

For more, go to www.hiltonfestival.co.za.