24 Wednesday June 18 2014 ENTERTAINMENT Tabletalk A feast of classical and contemporary ballet ape Town City Ballet contin- gramme. Danced to the glorius ues its 80th anniversary cele- music of Max Bruch’s famous violin Cbrations in July with a varied concerto, the piece was inspired by programme called Ballet Beautiful. the poem of the same name by From Friday July 4 to Saturday July Arokuara. 12 , Cape Town audiences will be Paquita, choreographed by Mar- able to enjoy the classical beauty of ius Petipa, was staged in Russia for Marius Petipa’s Paquita, as well as the first time as a full-length ballet the premieres of two new ballets by for the Imperial Ballet of St Peters- ■ A one-night performance of Candid Confessions at The young South African choreogra- burg. The Cape Town City Ballet Milnerton Playhouse on Wednesday June 25 at 8pm is being phers, Kirsten Isenberg and Yarisha performs the divertissements from held to raise funds so that The Writing Studio will be able to Singh. A new pas de deux by Robin the final act. With music by Ludwig stage The Beauty of Incomplete Things,at The Fringe,at The van Wyk will also be presented. Minkus, the ballet is considered Joburg Theatre,in July.In Candid Confessions the characters of CTCB commissioned Isenberg one of the essential works in the David ( Wojtek Lipinski) ,Tommy (Rowan Malcolm Studti) and and Singh, both UCT School of classical ballet repertoire. Dance graduates, to create new Ballet Beautiful tickets cost R175 Steve (André Lombard) are trapped in limbo after a tragedy. works for the company. or R150 each. Book at Computicket Drifting in and out of a circle of light,they share their thoughts as Isenberg will present Of Gods and or call Artscape Dial-a-Seat at 021 they try to redeem themselves through a final confession. Men, a neo-classical work depicting 421 7695. Tickets cost R120 each.Book online at the mythological struggle between ● Readers’ competition: www.milnertonplayers.com or call 072 474 1079. gods and man, illustrating how Two lucky Tabletalk readers will their strengths and weaknesses ulti- each win a pair of tickets to see Bal- mately result in their equality. let Beautiful at Artscape on Saturday In Singh’s contemporary style July 5, at 2pm. To enter, SMS ●● Serendipity, the dancers will portray TTBalletBeaut and your name to Read of the Week an array of emotions, affording 34445. Each SMS costs R1.50. Incognito audiences the opportunity to make Lines close Sunday at 10pm. Mark Verbaan their own discoveries and associa- Winners will be notified by tele- Macmillan tions. phone. If you do not arrive in time PICTURE: PAT BROMILOW-DOWNING Review: Brian Joss The Fragile Balance, a newly-cho- for the performance, tickets can- ■ reographed pas de deux will com- not be exchanged for another date, Kim Vieira and Daniel Ben Trovato’s satirical columns have featured plete the first half of the pro- time or for cash. Szybkowski in Paquita. in many of the country’s leading newspapers and magazines over the past 10 years and you either loved his writing or hated it. But whichever,there was no cow too sacred.Trovato made a few brief appearances Entries open for Baxter Dance Festival in the newsroom of Cape Community Newspapers when I was news editor there. Dance studios, schools, companies, A select few knew who he was , although groups, independent dance-makers there were some rumours that he was the son and choreographers have until of Harvey Tyson, a former editor of the Star 5pm on Friday June 27 to apply to newspaper in Johannesburg. But those who be part of the Baxter Dance Festi- knew the truth kept quiet. Now Ben Trovato has finally revealed val. himself to be Mark Verbaan in his book Despite limited funding, the fes- subtitled, The Memoirs of Ben Trovato. tival has become an annual not-to- Verbaan has had a rollercoaster of a life be-missed platform for studios, starting when he was a young surfer in his Despite his satirical bent, Incognito is a companies and choreographers to home town of Durban, where he lived from beautifully written memoir,which will keep present their work. It will celebrate the age of four.Verbaan has squatted in you entertained for hours, much like his 10 years of existence in October. Rotherhite in London’s East End; he’s been columns which are a must read. Since its inception in 2004, arrested on drug charges; and drunk litres and Incognito also shows that beneath his more than 450 local choreogra- litres and litres of beer. hard-boiled exterior,Verbaan does have a He was married to Gwen Lister,feisty gentler side, which clearly comes through phers have presented their work in editor and founder of the Namibian, when he when he writes about his mother’s fight with the festival. It has featured in excess lived in Windhoek, a place which he hated. cancer. of 3 000 dancers from more than Verbaan was in at the birth of etv, a stint Verbaan has written 10 books and the 400 studios, dance schools, projects which nearly killed him, he says. volumes of his letters to the rich and powerful and professional companies from He was often on the bones of his ass, but are “unique in the annals of South African all over the Western Cape. And the fate always played a hand – and he landed literature”, although they were inspired by dance styles have included contem- with his bum in the butter.The bright spot in American columnist Henry Root. porary, classical, African, modern PICTURE: OSCAR O’ RYAN his life has always been his daughter Liberty. If you want to know more about the man and Spanish. ■ In Incognito Verbaan tells why he decided who wears sunglasses and a black hat as a Dancers from Dance for All at the 2013 Baxter Dance Festival. to come clean about who he really is. disguise, then Incognito is a must. “That we have managed to sur- vive and thrive over the 10 years, work by up-and-coming choreogra- year’s Baxter Dance Festival may be thanks to our faithful and generous phers, including student work. emailed, faxed or hand-delivered, partners and sponsors, is nothing The fringe programme on Sat- with the closing date for applica- short of a miracle,” says Nicolette urday October 18 will include work tions strictly no later than 5pm on Performing Shakespeare lets schools Moses, the Baxter’s associate pro- by youth groups, dance studios, June 27. No late entries will be con- ducer and project manager of the school groups, traditional dance sidered. Choreographers need to experience the magic of live theatre dance festival. groups and other choreographers supply a DVD of recent work. “It is gratifying that we have so who specifically request that their Application forms can be down- The Shakespeare Schools Festival versions of Shakespearean plays in much support from the dance fra- work be staged here for practical or loaded from www.baxter.co.za will be held from Monday to Thurs- professional theatres, giving them a ternity, which really pushes us to other reasons. or www.facebook.com/BaxterThe- day July 28 to 31 at the Artscape platform to voice their creativity continue to offer this platform The Baxter Theatre Centre will atre. They are also available from Theatre, and from Tuesday to and to broaden their horizons by across the spectrum. Every year we provide a comprehensive produc- the Baxter’s reception desk in the Thursday August 26 to 28; and experiencing the magic of live the- try to invigorate the festival so that tion package that includes lighting, main foyer. Tuesday to Thursday September 2 atre and professional lighting in our audiences too are excited by sound, technical assistance, public- Completed forms should be sent to 4 at the Somerset Playhouse, front of an audience. the diverse, exciting line-up.” ity, box office facilities, printed to Nicolette Moses. They can be Somerset West. Schools taking part in this year’s The main programme will fea- programmes and pre-show faxed to 021 650 5260 or emailed to The festival is in its fourth con- Cape Town programme are Clare- ture works of various lengths by rehearsal arrangements, making it [email protected], or secutive season. mont High School, Blouberg Inter- established professional and invited a hassle-free experience for partic- they can be hand-delivered to the “We held cast workshops at national School, Wynberg Boys’ companies, while the off-main pro- ipating dance groups and compa- Baxter Theatre Centre, Main Road, Artscape Theatre where schools High School, Wynberg High gramme, which takes place on Sat- nies. Rondebosch, marked clearly for came in for a two-hour workshop School, Herschel Girls’ School, urday October 11, will showcase Applications to take part in this her attention. aimed at allowing participants to Norman Henshilwood High meet each other, engage in drama School, Bergvliet High School, activities and some specific exer- LEAP Science and Maths School, cises that are examples of rehearsal Vista Nova High Drama Club, Sans What’s On moments they can use at their own Souci Girls’ High School, Constan- spaces”, says festival director tiaberg Home Educators, Camps Kseniya Filinova-Bruton. Bay High School, Springfield Con- Alice’s wonderland June 28 to Sunday July 20.The well as the proceeds of programme The festival will give pupils an vent Senior School, Shiloah Christ- Lewis Carroll’s classic, Alice in shows run from Tuesday to Sunday, sales to Stop Hunger Now.The cen- opportunity to create and present ian School, Chris Hani High, SACS Wonderland, will be brought to life at 11am, 12.30pm and 2pm.Tickets tre will also play host to “Meals in an original drama on a professional and the Lalela project by Fred Abrahamse and Marcel cost R70 and are available through Memory” packing events over two stage while also learning the disci- For more information contact Meyer at Canal Walk Shopping Computicket.