The Toyota US Woordfees launched the 2023 festival program full of music, theatre, books, lifestyle, discourse and films on Thursday.
This Boland festival takes place from 7 to 15 October in Stellenbosch, and with the theme “bubble”, promises to give festival-goers the opportunity to blissfully drift away, but also to challenge themselves and explore new perspectives.
“On the one hand, ‘bubble’ refers to playful effervescence and drifting; a floating, dreamy feeling; innocent childhood fun with soap bubbles; and the nice old Dutch word for a party where the silver bubbles in Boland sparkling wine are enjoyed,” says Saartjie Botha, director of the Woordfees, about this year’s theme.
“On the other hand, it is also reminiscent of Stellenbosch and the University of Stellenbosch which, according to some critics and concerned residents, a bubble are living in privileged denial of the realities of greater South Africa. Although a bubble has a fragile membrane, a defenseless border that briefly determines the difference between inside and outside, Stellenbosch’s dividing lines have been drawn historically and financially entrenched.”
Here is a brief overview of what awaits festival-goers at this year’s Woordfees.
The Toyota Music Festival
With 46 performances from stadium-sized to small and intimate, you’ll find everything from picnic concerts at the Van der Stel sports grounds to cabaret, wild performances with jazz, rock, rumba, hip-hip and pop.
Between the four large Van der Stel picnic concerts, there is an affordable ticket for every contemporary taste: Night Shift Vol. 1 (with Fokofpolisiekar, Desmond and the Tutus, Majozi ea), spitting wolf, From full Bosch (with Van Der Aven, Zaan Sonnekus, Gian Groen, Jan Blohm and Die Heuwels Fantasties) and Jol & Jive – WOW turns 20! (with Tribal Echo, Temple Boys, Early B, Mango Groove and Dr Victor & The Rasta Rebels among others).
Other musical presentations on the program include Valiant Swart and Neil Sandilands’ album launches, and concerts by Augusta Zietsman, Amanda Strydom, André Schwartz, Elsabé Zietsman, Luna Paige, Niël Rademan and Tarryn Lamb.
EasyEquities Writers’ Festival
This year, bookworms can choose from 54 book talks in which 90 authors and various opinion leaders will take part. This includes, among others, Bibi Slippers, Eben Venter, Etienne van Heerden, Johann Rossouw, Jonny Steinberg, Marita van der Vyver, Pieter Odendaal, PP Fourie, Rudie van Rensburg, Sihle Khumalo and SJ Naudé. The West Coast writer Sussie Kotzé’s 90th birthday will also be celebrated during the festival.
Scene
On the stage front, theater lovers can look forward to 37 presentations, of which 13 are debut productions. Famous actors such as Antoinette Kellerman, Tinarie van Wyk Loots, Marlo Minnaar, Wilhelm van der Walt, Rolanda Marais, Wessel Pretorius and Cintaine Schutte are on stage, while theater makers such as Philip Rademeyer, Mercy Kannemeyer, Janice Honeyman and Pieter Odendaal’s work are performed .
Highly acclaimed productions such as The mother, Master Class, Miracle, Far in the world Kitty, Dream Faucet Chronicles, Braam and the angel, Midsummer Night’s Dream and Hold Still is also on the show.
Classical music
There are 23 concerts to choose from which offer a rich variety in terms of style, tempo and performed works. From the world-famous Stellenbosch University Choir and a celebration of Rachmaninoff’s 150th birthday with Nina Schumann, Megan-Geoffrey Prins, to an orchestra led by the young conductor Jacobus de Jager. There is also Classical Calabash in which young composers captivate with a unique blend of indigenous African instruments, singing and classical music concepts.
Lifestyle
There are more than 50 offers on the Lifestyle program consisting of a wide variety of fun and interesting things to explore, eat, drink, learn and experience. Festival-goers can go walking, jogging, yoga or riding an e-bike, see gardens, attend cooking demonstrations, experience architecture tours and taste and enjoy everything that the winelands and Stellenbosch’s food culture have to offer.
- Visit the Toyota US word festival website for the full programme.
