Artscape Theatre Centre remains committed to the promotion of arts and culture within the City of Cape Town and the arts diaspora at large, the annual, much-loved institution of Shakespeare at Maynardville being no exception. Thus we are proud to continue our partnership with its new producers, LiquidMatch Productions and the Maynardville Open-Air Theatre Trust, together with its creative partners, who will not only present the annual Shakespeare play at the Maynardville Open-Air Theatre in Wynberg as a stand-alone, but will complement it with a brand new festival of music, dance and more – with a classical spin and some contemporary spice. Artscape will offer technical support as part of its commitment to sustain Maynardville as one of the City’s cultural hubs.
The Maynardville Open-Air Festival will open on the 18 January 2018, with Symphonic Shakespeare by the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra. This is followed by a season of ballet from Cape Town City Ballet with performances of The Firebird and Les Sylphides, a comedy season run by the Cape Town Comedy Club, and the annual Shakespeare, mounted by The Pink Couch and Explosive Productions, finishing the season. The full programme will be announced soon but will include more variety from Cape Town’s top performing artists in a beautiful outdoor setting.
The 2018 choice for the Shakespeare pays homage to the very beginnings of Maynardville Open-Air Theatre in 1956. Then under the patronage and directorship of Cecilia Sonnenberg and René Ahrenson, the first-ever play was Taming of the Shrew. In 2018, The Taming of the Shrew returns with an all-female cast directed by Tara Notcutt.
Says producer LiquidMatch’s Brian Heydenrych, “It is fitting that the powerful vision of Cecilia and René continues this year with a bold, new Festival for Cape Town. The programme will capture the classics but also reimagine them and introduce new audiences to the works in a relaxed and magical setting. There is nothing quite like watching a riveting performance under the stars.”
The Festival is supported by Diemersfontein Wines and whilst it will no longer be an Artscape production, the Theatre Centre remains affiliated to the Festival in providing expertise and support to the Maynardville Open-Air Theatre Trust and LiquidMatch Productions in producing a Festival for the Future.
