Suidoosterfees 2013 celebrates Cape lifestyle

This year's fetival of highlights boasts a first Afrikaans Fugard: Die Laaste Karretjiegraf is a story of the Karretjiemense; a tribute to the legacy of South Africa's earliest inhabitants. A way of life that has been lost is recorded for posterity.

There is a brilliant stage adaptation of a Brink novel: Bidsprinkaan is directed by Janice Honeyman, with Elton Landrew as Kupido Kakkerlak, the Khoikhoi convert who went on to become a missionary.

Adam Small's Orange Earth is intensely personal and close to home. Small's formative years were on the farm Goree close to Robertson and his earliest memories were of this area; of the simplicity of the people, of the poverty and, above all, the orange earth.

Steve Hofmeyr's Vier briewe vir Jan Ellis, a bestselling short novel, comes to life on the stage, with the multi award-winning Christo Davids in his first solo role.

The unique drama AF is the moving story of a boy who lives as an outsider due to his schizophrenia. This dizzying journey poses the question: What exactly is nomal?

Breyten Breytenbach's paintings

Let your eyes feast on an exceptional exhibition of Breyten Breytenbach's paintings: works on paper, canvass and objects like books and stones divided into 10 finger sketches. In a jolly festival concert 10 of the Suidoosterfees darlings perform together to celebrate the first 10 years.

Experience the BoKaap Meander and savour a taste of Cape cultural history; of the daily traditions of this community. Undertake a two-hour tour through the colourful architecture, food, art and melodious music. Rub shoulders with the inhabitants of the BoKaap: Cape Malay food writers, artists, artisans and home-based entrepreneurs.

Treat your tired ears to international sensations like Denise Jannah and Wolf Martini and local bestselling artists like Zahara. David Kramer's Stokoud en Splinternuut celebrates a lifetime as a songwriter. He performs with guitar and harmonica, accompanied by Schalk Joubert on bass. Eoan Group, whose opera productions wowed South African audiences for more than 20 years, is honoured. A huge choir competition features a host of farm choirs. In an intimate musical This Is My Life, Idols winner Kain Kortje tells her own story to Alistair Izobell.

After opening at the Suidoosterfees, Sandra Prinsloo's Naaimasjien swept through the country, with more than 200 performances to packed halls. Now the Suidoosterfees brings it back. It won four major South African drama awards and was a success at the Edinburgh festival last year. Experience it again or watch The Sewing Machine in English.

Tickets are avilable from Computicket. For more information, go to www.suidoosterfees.co.za.