The Voorkamerfest

(Die Voorkamerfees in Afrikaans.) An annual festival, taking place in the West Coast town of Darling on the first weekend of September.

Origins

It was founded in 2004 by Inge Bos, Wim Visser and Pieter-Dirk Uys, with the collaboration of the Darling community. Using eighteen homes in the community, the yearly festival takes place in the front rooms of the people of Darling and at Evita se Perron.

Aims

Intended to be a multiple genre showcase of cross cultural theatre, music, dance and comedy, performed by South African and international artists.

In 2018, the 13th festival was presented in association with the Fugard Theatre.

The Voorkamerfest takes place during the first weekend of spring in the Western Cape town of Darling

Over the years , the Voorkamerfest has hosted performers from the UK, Holland, Belgium, France, Surinam, India, Zimbabwe, Angola, Algeria, Canada, and Switzerland. This year, audiences can look forward to performances by several talented companies, ensembles and individuals, such as Jazzart, Nylon Dance Company, Jitsvinger and The Buckfever Underground.

What sets this festival apart is that audiences don’t know exactly which shows they’ll be seeing until they are seated in the front rooms (voorkamers) of homes spread throughout the community. There are seven colour-coded routes from which to choose, each offering three shows in three houses. Minibus taxis ferry patrons from Evita se Perron to venues that range from grand old Cape Dutch manors to RDP houses, where local hosts receive visitors a warm Darling welcome.

Evita se Perron forms the festival hub with a daily outdoor market co-ordinated by I love Yzer, offering local crafts and fare. An open air concert in Darling East brings the festival to a fitting close on the final day and is free for all.

(R5 of each ticket sold is donated to The Darling Trust NGO www.thedarlingtrust.org)

Structure and management

Based on a principle of blind booking, with audience members buying tickets for show routes, i.e. a route of three houses to which they are taken there by taxi.

Shows range from mime to cabaret and comedy to drama, and may include stand-up comedy, circus, opera, classical music, jazz, popular music, singer/songwriter events, flamenco, tango, hip-hop, modern dance, classical dance, and so on. Performers come from all over, including many from Holland. In addition there is outside entertainment, as well as arts, crafts and food stalls, at Evita se Perron, where each route departs and ends.

Sources

www.voorkamerfest-darling.co.za

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