Standard Bank Ovation Awards

The Standard Bank Ovation Awards are awarded by a panel of anonymous reviewers to productions on the Fringe Festival Programme at the National Arts Festival. The panel members see shows on the Fringe and meet daily to discuss the awarding of winners.

The awards, which are given throughout the Festival, recognise 'artistic innovation, excellence, the exploration of new performance styles and the courage to open new conversation through the arts'; they are awarded to productions that are noticeable for being a cut above, well received by audiences – and that leave a lasting impression. The Standard Bank Ovation Awards help audiences – and producers – to identify quality work on the Fringe Festival Programme. They also act as a bridge between the Fringe and the Main programme, with all winning productions invited to put forward proposals for the Arena programme.

History

The Standard Bank Ovation Awards have been presented at the National Arts Festival since 2010. During the inaugural year, every Fringe production was eligible to be considered. However, from 2011, only fringe productions that have not been staged for more than two consecutive years qualify.

Awards Panel and Criteria

The nominations for the Standard Bank Ovation Awards are made by a panel of Cue reviewers and accredited professional media. A select number of knowledgeable and specialist arts professionals appointed by the National Arts Festival comprise an evaluation panel which functions anonymously. The panellists' identities are revealed only after the final announcement of the Standard Bank Ovation Awards winners.

The panel consists of at least one specialist in each of the following genres in which an award is be presented: Theatre; Comedy; Music (excluding Jazz); Dance; Physical Theatre; Performance Poetry/Storytelling; Multi-disciplinary arts.

The following criteria are considered by the panel when reviewing a production for the Standard Bank Ovation Awards:

strength of production (taking into consideration the various creative and technical elements);
quality of performances, writing & directing; conceptualisation, innovation & originality (does the work create new directions?);
potential longevity? (does the production deserve to have a life beyond the Festival? Will a Standard Bank Ovation place it under the radar of a potential management, funder or festival?);
overall impact of the production

Awards are given typically in three categories: Gold, Silver and Bronze. Others have included:

Encore Award, awarded to a young company performing at the Festival for the first time, which shows great promise for the future and which the Festival hopes will return in years to come
The Standing Ovation Award, presented for a company that has over a sustained period of time, contributed to the overall standard of excellence on the Fringe

Standard Bank Ovation Awards Winners

Some winners of Standard Bank Ovation Awards at previous Festivals include:

2018 Featured Artist Mamela Nyamza – Okutya Phantsi Kwempumlo/The Meal (2012)

2018 Standard Bank Young Artist for Music Guy Buttery – Gold Ovation Award (2010), plus five Ovation Awards

2018 Standard Bank Young Artist for Theatre Jemma Kahn – Two Silver Awards (The Epicene Butcher and Other Stories for Consenting Adults in 2012; We Didn’t Come to Hell for the Croissants: 7 Deadly New Stories in 2015)

Gavin Krastin (#OMNOMNOM)

Artscape Theatre – 15 productions; one in partnership

Kalk Bay Theatre – seven, including four in partnership

ExploSIV Productions – six, with one in partnership

2010:

Gold: Theatre: London Road (KBT Productions); Physical Theatre: Butcher Brothers (Dark Laugh Theatre); Dance: Graduation Rites (Tshwane University of Technology); Comedy: Dekaf (David Newton Productions); Music: Guy Buttery

Silver: Theatre: Karoo Moose (Baxter Theatre Centre in association with MOPO Productions); ...Miskien (The Pink Couch); Breed (Ubom! Eastern Cape Drama Company); Physical Theatre: Elev(i)ate2 (Athena Mazarakis); Inua (Baba Yaga Theatre – Denmark); Liquid Project (for Bloodshot and System Dop); Music: Nibs van der Spuy; Meri Kenaz

The Encore Award: The Soil (Vumile Nomanyama)

The Standing Ovation Award: Theatre for Africa (Nicholas Ellenbogen and Luke Ellenbogen)

Gold winners received a prize of R5 000, while the Silver winners received a R1 000 each.

2011:

Gold: The Matchbox Theatre Collective for The Anatomy of Weather; Chris Chameleon for his solo performances

Silver: James Cairns and Taryn Bennett for Sie Weiss Alles; Iceman Productions for Dream, Brother; The Pink Couch for Mafeking Road; The Ogreling from FreeVoice productions; Rob van Vuuren; Stuart Lightbody; Laurie Levine; Lize Wiid

Encore awards: Shoelace Rockers Soul Band; Gavin Krastin; Richard Antrobus

2012:

Gold: Nicola Hanekom for Hol

Silver: Jemma Kahn for The Epicene Butcher And Other Stories For Consenting Adults; Greg Homan for directing Mike van Graan’s Brothers in Blood; Vuyani Dance Theatre for Mayhem; Jori Snell for Kitchen Fables in a Cookie Jar; Stuart Lightbody for Dark Imaginings; Guy Buttery for his collaboration with Nibs van der Spuy; The Muffinz; David Kibuuka.

Encore Awards: Galeshewe Theatre Organisation for Goon; The Runaway Bunny Collective for Wintersweet; and the Keiskamma Music Academy.

Aha! Award: Gavin Kraston for The Satirical Fruit Salad.

Standing Ovation Award: playwright and activist, Mike van Graan, for his sustained contribution to the Festival over the years.

2013:

The only Gold Ovation awarded in 2013 was to musician, Dan Patlansky. Patlansky’s acoustic performances at the festival played to both critical and audience acclaim while his collaboration with Karen Zoid left the sold-out crowd mesmerised.

Silver Ovations were awarded to comedian, Rob van Vuuren, for pushing the boundaries of stand-up comedy in his show What What; musician, Julian Redpath; The Bram Fischer Waltz; and The Things You Left Behind, directed by Kim Kerfoot and starring Jason Potgieter and Alicia McCormick. Joanna Evans won a Silver Ovation for her production of The Year of the Bicycle – supported on the Fringe in 2013 as part of her prize as Best Up and Coming Director of the 2012 Student Festival.

A special Silver Ovation Award was presented to Steven van Wyk and Thalia Laric for the creation of Skoonveld, in the production “Plastic”.

Meanwhile, Encore Awards were made to A Day in the Desert and Skierlik, recognising their potential for professional development.

Following the recognition of their production, Wintersweet, in 2012, an AHA Award was made to Horses Heads productions for Scrape, as a production that surprised and delighted the judges.

In recognition of their long standing and varied contributions to the industry, two Standing Ovation Awards were announced in 2013 – to consumate performer and educator Andrew Buckland; and actress/director, Nomhle Nkonyeni, both of whom have made invaluable contributions to industry internationally, nationally and though reinvestment in the Eastern Cape.

2014:

Gold: Wessel Pretorius’s production Undone; Tumi Mogorosi for Project Elo.

Silver: for Theatre to The Ballad of Dirk de Bruin; Whistle Stop; Miss Ever’s Boys; What the Water Gave Me; and Siembamba. For Music to Guy Buttery; Gareth Gale; and Trio with a Twist. For Comedy to Sne Dladla for The Jokes on You. For Performance Art to Gavin Krastin’s #Omnomnom; Rat Western and Wesley Deintje for Machine for Living. For Physical Theatre to Piet se Optelgoed. In the Family Fare genre, introduced for the first time at the Festival, to A Man Called Rolex.

Encore Awards: to Robbie Collins for That Bushman’s Crazy and to the Actors Unemployed Company for The Erl King.

Special Merit Ovation Award: Emsini.

The Standard Bank New Voices Ovation Award introduced this year was awarded to Giving Birth to my Father.

The Adelaide Tambo Award (a new award) for celebrating human rights through the arts was awarded jointly to The Bram Fischer Waltz and Cold Case: Revisiting Dulcie September.

The Standard Bank Standing Ovation Award was presented to Thembi Mtshali-Jones for her illustrious career at the National Arts Festival and for her creative energy in South Africa’s cultural life spanning over four decades.

2015:

Gold: Asanda Mqiki; El Blanco: Tales of the Mariachi by Gwydion Beynon, performed by James Cairns; and Greig Coetzee’s Johnny Boskak is Feeling Funny, directed by Roslyn Wood-Morris, performed by Craig Morris.

Silver: A Man And a Dog, written and featuring Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, directed by Penelope Youngelson; We Didn’t Come to Hell for Croissants: 7 Deadly New Stories for Consenting Adults, featuring Jemma Kahn and Roberto Pombo, directed by Lindiwe Matshikiza; Morwa the Rising Sun, written and featuring Tefo Paya; Phala O Phala’s production of Kafka’s Ape, featuring Tony Bonani Miyambo; Father, Father, Father!, directed by Toni Morkel; Barbed Wire Wallpaper, choreographed and directed by Nondumiso Lwazi Msimanga; and Hatchetman.

Standard Bank Ovation Encore Awards, which recognise merit and potential in works that can be developed, were presented to …If The World Was Listening, a contemporary dance piece from KZN Dance Productions; acoustic-soul group Blaqseed; and Mongiwekhaya Mthombeni’s Qhawe, which uses puppets to tell the story of a lost child who finds his way home.

Judges noted that this year is the first time a stand-up comedy act had not received a Silver or Gold Ovation Award. They said South African comedians should perhaps push themselves out of their comfort zones to present fresher, edgier and more boundary-breaking work.

The 2015 Standard Bank Standing Ovation Award was presented to the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in recognition of their support of the artistic exchange between South African and Dutch artists for the past 20 years.

The winner of the Adelaide Tambo Award for Celebrating Human Rights Through the Arts was also announced on Sunday. This award aims to recognise artists who engage in the arts as a platform to advocate social change and entrench a culture of human rights. Irene Stephanou’s Searching for Somebody was selected as the receipient in the Fringe category, while the Market Theatre Laboratory’s Noord! was recognised in the Student Theatre category.

2016:

Gold: Sillage (Rust Co-Operative)

Silver: Ityala Lamawele (Artscape); Sacre for One (Alan Parker); The Graveyard (Rust Co-Operative); Die Glas Ennie Draad (Artscape); Dangled (Explosiv Productions)

Ovation: BIRD/FISH (Kristin Hua NG-Yang); Cock (Matt Newman); Chapter 2 Section 9 (Sibikwa Arts Centre); Ebola (Theatre for Africa); Falling Off the Horn (Uyabona Ke); Henrietta with Love (Artscape); Msaki and the Golden Circle (One Shushu Day Artistry); Nombasa (Nombasa); Out of Bounds (Hungry Minds Productions); Paleho (Lebo Leisa); The Concert (Neo Motsatse); Tease! (Bloom & Stone); Burn (Liquid Fusion); ‘...feathers...’ (Moving into Dance Mophatong); You Suck: and Other Inescapable Truths (Klara van Wyk); For Coloured Girls Who Have Considered Suicide when the Rainbow is Enuf (UJ Arts & Culture - a Division of FADA); Fabric of the Universe (Lexi Meier); Thenx Presents Aza-Nya is Five-To (ExploSIV Productions); Dani and the Lion (Daneel van der Walt);

Merit: Abangawona (The Unseen) (Sibonele Dance Project); 10 Days in a Shebeen (Umsindo Theatre Projects); Milked Voice (Slindile Mthembu); Rat Race (Well Worn Theatre Co); Isaro (Outreach Foundation - Hillbrow Theatre);

Encore: The Dark Ages (ExploSIV Productions)

Standard Bank Standing Ovation Award presented to the French Institute of South Africa and the Embassy of France for two decades of supporting visionary collaborations and exchanges between South African and French artists; to Gary Gordon to honour his longstanding creative energy in South Africa’s cultural life and his enormously significant contributions to the vitality of the National Arts Festival’s Main, Fringe and Arena programmes; to Ismail Mahomed who ended his tenure as Artistic Director of the National Arts Festival at the end of July.

The Adelaide Tambo Human Rights Award: presented to Drama for Life, a global leader in the integrated approach to arts for social transformation and healing. Their performances and public engagement initiatives explore, serve and grow the role of arts for social change. At the 2016 National Arts Festival, Drama For Life presented Afri-Queer, a production that brought together artists from across South Africa’s borders to give a voice that humanises and gives dignity to those who continue to be oppressed. Drama for Life has also devised and executed the Festival’s 2016 Remix Laboratory programme.

2017:

GOLD – STANDARD BANK OVATION AWARDS 2017

HANI: THE LEGACY by Market Theatre Laboratory (Theatre)

TAU by One Man and His Dog and The Market Theatre (Theatre)

SILVER – STANDARD BANK OVATION AWARDS 2017

BAYEPHI by Thembela Madliki (Theatre)

HUMAN PIECES II by The South African Theatre Village (Theatre)

IN(S)KIN by Artscape (Theatre)

SILENT SCARS by Calvin Ratladi Foundation/Zabalaza Theatre Festival (Theatre)

TATS NKONZO IS PRIVILEGED by ExploSIV Productions (Comedy)

STANDARD BANK OVATION AWARDS 2017

180 PUNCHLINES! (THREE LAUGHS A MINUTE) by Alan Committie (Comedy)

ACOUSTIC ME by LoveChild (Music)

AGONY by Thistle Productions (Theatre)

AU REVOIR by Followspot Productions (Comedy)

CATTLE DRIVE by Theatre for Africa (Theatre)

CELEBRATION: MUSIC OF AMERICAN COMPOSERS by Althea Waites (Classical Music)

DEAR MR GOVERNMENT, PLEASE MAY I HAVE A MEETING WITH YOU EVEN THOUGH I AM ONLY SIX YEARS OLD? by UJ Arts and Culture (Theatre)

DIKAPAPA by Generation of Stars (Physical Theatre)

DOWN TO A SUNLESS SEA by Wind Up Mind (Dance)

EKURHULENI JAZZ ENSEMBLE (Music)

FIRE HOUSE by Hijinks Theatre (Theatre)

FLAMEBOOK by Jo Kinda – MDALI (Theatre)

GUY BUTTERY (Music)

MOLORA by Tshwane University of Technology (Theatre)

NIJINSKY’S WAR by Leftfoot Productions (Theatre)

SAMTHING SOWETO (Music)

STATE FRACTURE by ExploSIV Productions (Comedy)

SYRIA? by Artscape (Theatre)

THE DEVIL AND BILLY MARKHAM by Contagious (Theatre)

THE KAFFIRS by Gauteng Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts & Culture (Theatre)

WELCOME TO THE ZOO by ZikkaZimba and Hijinks Theatre (Theatre)

ADDITIONAL STANDARD BANK OVATION AWARDS 2017

Encore Award for BATTLES! – IIMFAZWE! (Storytelling Tour)

Encore Award for MOMENTUM by the 34/18 Youth Dance Company (Dance)

Encore Award for OPERA FOUND (Classical Music)

Encore Award for SINGING CHAMELEON by Ditshimega Domain (Storytelling/Performance Art)

Encore Award for SPIRITUAL WALK (Theatre)

Merit Award for KUBILI (TWO) by Musa Hlatshwayo/Mhayise Productions (Dance)

Stand Out Performance by Daniel Richards in STATE FRACTURE (Comedy)

SPECIAL STANDARD BANK OVATION AWARDS 2017

Standing Ovation was awarded to musician Steve Newman

Standing Ovation was awarded to Tony Lankester to mark 10 years National Arts Festival CEO

The 2017 panel was convened by Tracey Saunders. Panel members were Jade Bowers, Lara Bye, Motlatji Ditodi, Mhlanguli George, Caryn Green, Mwenya Kabwe, Lliane Loots, Zanele Madiba, Alby Michaels, Jayne Morgan, Nobesuthu Rayi, Sarah Roberson, Warona Seane, Mareli Stolp, Hugo Theart, Simon Tibbs and Lee-Ann van Rooi.

2018:

The following 2018 Standard Bank Ovation Awards were awarded in 2018 at the Monument on the 8th July 2018

Gold Standard Bank Ovation Award winners: MEDUMO YA BORWA (The best African Song and Dance thriller); J. BOBS LIVE: OFF THE RECORD – Jefferson Tshabalala; SULLIED –Kirsti-Leigh Gresse

Silver Standard Bank Ovation Award winners: BLUE PERIOD OF MILTON VAN DER SPUY – Hexagon Theatre; THE REVLON GIRL – Search for Productions; EMATHONGENI – Amandla Dança Teatro ZA; MARENE – Marene; HACHETMAN

Standard Bank Ovation Winners: ANDY NDLAZILWANA; DECEPTIVE DELIGHTS WITH STUART LIGHTBODY – Stuart Lightbody; DUO KP – Peter Cartwright; GARY THOMAS: MOODSHIP – Gary Thomas; GASLIGHT – Laine Butler; I’M HIV AND LIVING – Thando Mbulelo Mbanjwa; LETTERS WITH MA’SISULU – FMA-Neo Motsatse; MEDUSA INCARNATE – Kate Pinchuck in collaboration with The Furies; NOMABOTWE SINGS; PHOKWANE CHRONICLES – Galeshewe Theatre Organisation; SAINTHOOD – Tiisetso Mashifane wa Noni; SILKWORM – Contagious; THE DEAD CHANT IN DEATH – Tshwane University of Technology; THE ISLAND – Paxinos Productions & CYBTT; TSWALO – Theatreduo; UNONO OBUYILE – Lumunyano Dance Group

Standard Bank Ovation Encore Award winners Standard Bank Ovation Encore Awards recognise merit and potential in works that can be developed.: BEST FRIENDS/WORST ENEMIES; CHOIR BOY; INGOMA; LIFT CLUB; LOVE IN THE TIME OF REVOLUTION; MOTSWADI; NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION;  SATANIC DAGGA ORGY; UDAKA

MERIT: DEVILS AT A DEAD END

Ovations Award panel

Judges of the 2018 panel were: Tracey Saunders (convenor), Alon Nashman, Amelda Brand, Andrew Mulenga, Gopala Davies, Greg MacArthur, Hugo Theart, Kiroshan Naidoo, Luvuyo Yanta, Marcus Desando, Motlatji Ditodi, Namisa Mdlalose, Octavian Siau, Phemelo Helleman, Rafiek Mammon, Reggie Danster, Temba Ncetani and Thulani Nongogo.

2019:

Gold: Xova (South African State Theatre)

Silver: Fruit (Sketch Productions) (Theatre); Warona (Ukwanda Puppets & Design Art Collective) (Theatre); Unfathomable (Alex Halligey and Athena Mazarakis) (Theatre); Lost & Found (Matchbox Theatre Collective and Theatre on Pointe) (Dance)

Bronze: Currently (G)Old (Kwasha Theatre Company) (Theatre); (W)Asem (Terence Makapan)(Theatre); A Place Of Knowing (Intsusa in collaboration with TheatreDuo) (Theatre); Umnotho The Economy (Young Outreach Artists) (Theatre); You Should Be Dancing (FollowSpot Productions) (Comedy)

Standard Bank Ovation Cut Above Winners Quava by Quava Vocal Choir (Music Recital and Review) Umthombo – Amandla Danca Teatro ZA (Dance, Physical or Visual Theatre) Benny Bushwacker – Mamba Productions (Comedy) Faint Patch Of Light – Sizile Arts Collective (Theatre)

Standard Bank Ovation Ensemble Award Winners The cast of Currently (G)Old by Kwasha Theatre Company (Theatre) The cast of Place Of Knowing by Intsusa & Theatre Duo (Theatre) The cast of Umnotho The Economy by the Young Outreach Artists (Theatre) The cast of Warona by the Ukwanda Puppets & Design Art Collective (Theatre) The cast of Jeremiah Fyah Ises And The Baakahyaad Band by Jeremiah Fyah Ises

(Contemporary Music)

Standard Bank Ovation Solo Award Winners Awarded to a single performer Fruit – Matshidiso Mokoteli (Theatre) How To Be A Politician In South Africa 2019 – Nkosinathi Maki (Comedy) When Coasts Meet – Khwezi Becker (Theatre) (W)Asem – Terence Makapan (Theatre) Benny Bushwacker – Ben Voss (Comedy)

Standard Bank Ovation Spirit of the Fringe Award Awarded to performers or productions whose work represented the spirit, variety of the Fringe The Blind Date by the South African Library for the Blind JR Nkosi Duo by JR Nkosi FollowSpot Productions Rob van Vuuren Stuart Lightbody

2020:

Gold: Women Hold Up The Sky (WoMin African Alliance); The King of Broken Things (Theatresmiths)

Silver: “Jazz in the theatre” featuring: Chadleigh Gowar (44 on Long (Pty) Ltd); Next! (Wela Kapela Productions); Beast In Him (Masifunde’s Academy of Creativity); Ouma Lilly & haar Klong (Vulture Productions)

Bronze: Once Upon A Circus (Zip Zap Circus); Inyange Speaks (Simbone Inyange); Mnquma (Xolisile Bongwana); What Falling Feels Like (Nicola Pilkington, Joe Young and Jade Delmage)

Cash prizes are part of the Standard Bank Ovations Award package with the Standard Bank Bronze Ovation Awards recipients winning R 3000 each, Standard Bank Ovation Silver Awards recipients receive R 6000 each, and productions winning Gold Awards take home R10 000 each.

2021:

Gold: The Shack (Totem Productions); Gone but not Forgotten (Gowar Creative Hub)

Silver: Initiation (Is’Thatha Dance Project); Verloren (Spark in the Dark); The Core (AFDA Johannesburg); Wet & Dry (Cia Paraladosanjos); Mobile Inertia (Siphumeze Khundayi); Ruth (Love and Race Productions); Torinaoshi (Tsukuba Indy (LLC)); (extra) ordinary, (un) usual (F Creations); Old Soul Waiting (Mabu Art Foundation); Buya (Mathetha Dances)

Bronze: COMPOSITION (Response-Ability/Revolution Movement); Dear Donald, Dear Hillary (Their Secret Correspondence) (Sally Vahle); The Joy of Symphonic Music – Concert 2 (KZN Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Lykele Temmingh); Umhlaba Ophezulu/Higher Ground (Iva Collective); Liminal – Documentary (Joy Film Productions); Dipalo_The Audio Version (Assitej SA); Acapella Street Corners (Chamber Ensemble)

Gold Standard Bank Ovation winners are awarded a cash prize of R 10 000, Silver Standard Bank Ovation Award winners are given R 5 000 and Bronze Standard Bank Ovation Award winners take home R 2 500.