Frederick Philander
24 August 2007
Windhoek — Katutura '59 is the first of a four-play theatre series to be staged next Wednesday and Thursday in the Boiler Theatre at the Katutura Community Art Centre.
This was announced in a press statement by the organizing secretary of Committed Artists of Namibia, the oldest community theatre group in the country, Felicity Celento. The four-month play series, part of the Bank Windhoek Festival and the Theatre Zone, is the biggest event ever planned by Committed Artists of Namibia as a contribution towards the country's theatre development programme.
"Through this festival CAN pays tribute and homage to all the actors, today forming the nucleus of the Namibian performing arts fraternity, who had their debuts with the group as writers and first time actors over the years. I think it to be a fitting way of honouring these outstanding and unique creative people," said Celento.
Besides the great number of contemporary plays CAN has produced over many years, the group has also been responsible for the staging of the annual Youth Theatre Festival, which was held at Keetmanshoop in June this year. "Most worthy Namibian actors started their acting and writing careers in CAN's fold as amateurs, who went on to conquer the Namibian theatre, television and movie world as accomplished and recognized performing artists of which the nation can be proud of," Celento said.
The four 90-minute CAN-plays are: Katutura '59, The Mole People, Election Fever and Papland to be performed at the end of each month. "These are all plays that will be staged in chronological order, one per month as from next week until November 2007. The plays depict the historic development of Namibia as a nation at specific times of its history.
"Depicted in the plays are the eviction of the people from the Old Location, incarcerated people in exile, the first democratic election in the country and the present political, social, cultural and economic situation in the country," she said. CAN is known for it's consistency in staging and promoting contemporary Namibian, African and world theatre for almost three decades.
Katutura '59 starts at 19h00 both Wednesday and Thursday. "We are expecting a few hundred serious Namibian theatre-goers at all performances to be staged during the festival financially made possible by the American Cultural Centre, Bank Windhoek, the FNCC and the National Theatre of Namibia," Celento said.
Tickets at N$50 per show will also be available at the door.
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