Speak the Mind Poetry Sessions return to Cape Town
After a five-year run in Johannesburg as part of the Joburg Arts Alive Festival, Speak the Mind Poetry Sessions are back in Cape Town from 2 - 5 September 2009 at the Artscape Arena. Performances on 2 and 3 September start at 7.30pm and on 4 and 5 September at 8pm.
“What Are Your Words Worth” is the theme this year and promises another dynamic line-up of poets and performance artists from the Cape, Johannesburg and Nigeria. There is a free panel discussion with members that include Hale, Iain Robinson and Melisizwe Moni as well as associates from diverse word industries such as advertising, film and print.
Live rAGE!
Live rAGE!, a tribute to a living legend opens the sessions on Wednesday, 2 September with a performance tribute to James Matthews, the original dissident poet. A writer, publisher and one of Africa's most gifted cultural activists and intellectuals recently celebrated his 80th birthday. Live rAGE! celebrates his life and honours his contribution to South African literature. The performance is at 7.30pm.Tickets are R100 or R160 with a copy of Age is a Beautiful Phase. Book through Computicket outlets. There is free preview at noon the same day.
On 3 September there's the free panel discussion and on the 4th Speak the Mind presents “Spit Fire” by the Durban-bred MC Creamy Ewok Baggends; graffiti writing head from the WK? crew, Illuminating Shadows, Slam champion, Hip Hop activist and a proudly South African rapper.
International finale
The four-day programme culminates in a finale on Saturday, 5 September with a line-up of artists from South Africa and the African continent that include Sage Has.son, who hails from Nigeria, Napo Masheane, Mak Manaka from Johannesburg and Cape Town-based poets Melisizwe Moni emcee and poet, Dajavu Tafari, Nobuhle Ketelo, Kanyi Mavi, Ronelda Kamfer, Jon-Arthur Lewis and Sjaka September.
Multi-instrumentalists Madala Kunene with his steel-string acoustic guitars and mouth bow presents his original compositions sung in Zulu, English and Fanigalo.
Speak the Mind is an all-inclusive form of urban beat and spoken word escapism You can book through Computicket outlets, Artscape Dial-a-Seat +27 (0) 21 421 7695, Pick'n Pay, Checkers and Shoprite outlets. Or go to www.computicket.com.
