To appear at the National Arts Festival definitely merits respect from the entertainment world. While the acts have all been rehearsed to perfection, Murphy also enjoys making his appearance.

Mistakes made on stage are unavoidable: missed lines, loose shoe laces and glitches in the music are all problems artists have to make the most of and this year’s Festival has seen plenty of skilfully managed bloopers.

Liam Magner, the writer of Tokoloshe Come Again, recalls their most awkward situation: “I was on stage with my co-actor, Jacobus van Heerden, and while holding a voodoo doll, I explained that anything done to the doll would affect Jacobus. Unfortunately, I squeezed it too tightly and its head fell off.”

John Trafford, an audience member at that particular show, says: “Obviously it wasn’t intended, but it just added to the humour!”

A cause of countless headaches comes from the technology behind the show. Relying on lights and sound doesn’t always end well, as Bongani Linda, the writer and director of Hip Pantsula Jive, experienced firsthand.

“It was near the end of the show and the lighting guy thought it had ended, so he turned off the lights! The dancers were shouting at him from stage to turn them back on.”

Not even supernatural entities are excluded from these bouts of bad luck as the cast of Ghost Story experienced.

Mosa Saibi, acting as the ghost of an old lady, had originally used stage makeup for her horrifying look.

However, at one particular production, she wore a mask instead. But then she had to blow out a candle – through a mask with no air holes. Sneakily, she slipped her hand from beneath her black robe, quickly lifted the mask and snuffed out the stubborn flame.