KZN well represented in the Naledi Award nominations

A Voice I Cannot Silence. Picture by Sithasolwazi Kentane (CuePix) 4

Clare Mortimer and Ralph Lawson in A Voice I Cannot Silence at the 2015 National Arts Festival in Grahamstown. The play, directed by Greg Homann, is based on the life, stories and poems of Alan Paton. (Photo: CuePix/Sithasolwazi Kentane)

THE nominees for the Naledi Awards 2016 – which will take place at the Lyric Theatre in Johannesburg on April 19 – have been revealed and according to executive director, Dawn Lindberg, the standard has never been higher.

Several Durbanites are in the running for this year’s awards including KickStArt Theatre Company’s Steven Stead for Sweeney Todd and Little Shop of Horrors, Greg King, Tina le Roux, Neil Stuart Harris, Charon Williams-Ros for Sweeney Todd, Caroline Smart for Hinterland and Clare Mortimer and Menzi Mkhwane for A Voice I Cannot Silence.

Short, Stories, Alive, the Nobulali Productions show, directed by former Durban resident, Neil Coppen, is also nominated; as is former Durban actress Janna Ramos-Violante, who gets a nomination for her work in Doubt. Continue reading

Alan Bennett’s modern classic is on at the Hilton Arts Festival

Janna Ramos-Violante will be directing two shows at the Hilton Arts Festival.

Janna Ramos-Violante will be directing two shows at the Hilton Arts Festival.

ONE of the plays I am most looking forward to watching at this year’s Hilton Arts Festival is Talking Heads, Alan Bennett’s darkly comic, poignant and uplifting modern theatrical classic. It is one of two productions being directed by former Durban actress Janna Ramos-Violante, who has previously delighted festival goers with her plays Mein Soldat and Callum’s Will. Continue reading