Epic Afrikaans drama source SCREENAFRICA
A new kykNET production, Donkerland starts screening in August in South Africa on DStv Channel 144. Filmed from March to June, the 13-hour drama series is based on the stage production with the same name written by Hertzog prize winner Deon Opperman.
Since 2008, Opperman has written six drama series for kykNET, namely Kruispad( 2008), Hartland( 2011) and Getroud met Rugby( 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2012). These series were all produced by Bottom Line Entertainment( Pty) Ltd.
The story of Donkerland is set over a period of 158 years from 1838 to 1996. With the changing sociopolitical landscape of the country as its background, Donkerland chronicles the lives of six generations from a settler family as well as the workers’ family on the farm Donkerland in the Weenen district in KwaZulu-Natal.
The series mainly focuses on the complicated relationships between the different generations and the dynamic between the family and the farm workers.
Donkerland
Created in 1997 as theatrical drama, Donkerland was regarded as a milestone in South African literature, especially due to its revisionistic viewpoint of Afrikaner history.
Donkerland stars, among others, Anel Alexander, James Alexander, Neil Bennett Grib, Jacques Bessenger, Mothusi Chebeletsane, Gys de Villiers, Lelia Etsebeth, Gustav Gerdener, Lucius Khulu, Busiswa Mambi, Rolanda Marais, Albert Maritz, Fezile Mpela, Gerard Rudolf, Jana Strydom, Thabo Tshabalala, Marcel van Heerden and Karen Wessels.
The series is directed by Jozua Malherbe and written by Saartjie Botha and Deon Opperman.
Comedy to open women’ s festival
by ZOË MAHOPO source SOWETAN
Laughter fills the room as songbird Kelly Khumalo belts out a wedding song in a wrong scene during a rehearsal of Julian Seleke-Mokoto’ s four-woman play titled She Died Dreaming.
Kelly Khumalo, Nomsa Buthelezi, Zama Ngcobo and Linda Sebezo rehearsing for‘ She Died Dreaming’, ahead of the South African Women’ s Arts Festival.
Seleke-Mokoto sits in the far left corner of the room pensively watching as the actresses pace around the stage with their scripts in hand.
Sowetan caught up with the cast at The House of Movement in downtown Johannesburg during the second day of rehearsals, a few weeks before travelling down to Durban for the the SA Women’ s Arts Festival presented by the Playhouse Company.
She Died Dreaming will be the opening piece of the festival, which runs from July 25 to August 17.
Though this is not the first time he will be showing the play, Seleke-Mokoto is optimistic that this time it will be“ better and hotter” than ever.
His play is anchored around the lives of four women trying to find love and it features a starstudded cast that includes Khumalo, Nomsa Buthelezi, Linda Sebezo and Zama Ngcobo.
Thembi Mtshali-Jones will stage her one-woman play, Mother to Mother, after a good run at Joburg’ s Market Theatre.
Mtshali-Jones’ s play will be staged at the Playhouse’ s cosy Loft Theatre on July 31 and August 3.
To catch up with some poetry there’ s Lebo Mashile, Naima Mclean and Gcina Mhlophe at 1pm on August 3.
The Flatfoot Dance Company will present Lliane Loots’ award-winning production titled Hope, featuring six dancers in Playhouse Drama Theatre on August 8 and 11. The Playhouse will be open for the entire festival.
This year the crafts exhibition will welcome the South African Entrepreneurs’ Network for the first time.
70 | WGSA MAG July 2013