SA: Youth Expressions Festival confirms programme line-up, dates

The event, which will run under the theme Express Yourself, will feature works created by South African youths. The different showcases will be drawn from art forms such as music, drama, dance, comedy poetry and visual art.

Productions that have a music element include: What the Eye Might not See, Night/Light and The Birth of Amogelang.

“The YEF is directed towards empowering young people while remembering the essence of youth month in South Africa,” the SAST said. “This festival is a celebration of the youth’s creative spirit that remembers the past, while reflecting on the current and interrogating the hopes for tomorrow. Now in its eleventh year, it serves as an exciting platform for the youth to express themselves artistically.

“Since its inception back in 2008, the festival has been a growth platform for many young artists that developed to be masters in their crafts. The programme of the festival also includes workshops by Companies Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) on 18 June and South African Revenue Services on 27 June to educate and empower our creatives on how they can commercialise their artistic talent.”

The line-up of productions and the dates for this year’s YEF are as follows:

• What the Eye Might not See  (visual art) – 17 to 22 June
• Waiting for Nelson  (drama) – 17 to 19 June
• M.as’kitlana  (drama) – 17 to 19 June
• The Hen That Lost Hawk’s Needle  (children’s theatre) – 19 to 21 June
• Foolzeball  (drama) – 20 to 22 June
• NNE  (dance) – 21 to 23 June
• Night/Light  (children’s theatre) – 24 to 26 June
• Senseful  (dance) – 28 to 27 June
• Uloyiko  (drama) – 26 to 27 June
• Die Koggelaar  (drama) – 26 to 28 June
• The Trial of Dedan Kimathi  (drama) – 28 to 30 June
• The Birth of Amogelang  (music) – 29 June
• To Be Continued  (poetry) 29 June

Tickets for each production can be purchased via Webtickets and at Pick n Pay stores around the country. For more information about this festival, email: Thakgatso@statetheatre.co.za or call him on 012 392 4045/ 078 823 3596.