A devilishly good idea ...
Kentridge, Handspring, Jennifer Steyn, Atandwa Kani ... to drop a few names. Make whatever deal you must to see this ...
I got passed a little note from Lara Foot saying that William Kentridge and Handspring Puppet Company’s classic, Faustus in Africa!, will be restaged at The Baxter Flipside from February 26 to March 22, 2025. I was aghast since I knew not of this collaboration.
Then I saw that this is a reworking of the 1995 hit production. Aah … 1995, the Joburg years. Forgiven. This time. Not again.
“This reimagined production, which harmoniously blends puppetry, animation, music and live performance, locates this ageless tale into a distinctly African setting. When Faustus goes on a safari to enjoy all that Africa has to offer, it becomes a rampaging journey of greed and passion,” says Foot.
Kentridge’s captivating animation and beautiful puppets (directed by Adrian Kohler and Basil Jones), are complemented by the music score by late James Phillips and Warrick Sony and text from South African poet Lesego Rampolokeng.
As if that is not enough, Faustus in Africa! brings together a remarkable creative team and cast which includes [take a breath … insert drum roll here …] Atandwa Kani, Jennifer Steyn and Wessel Pretorius, as well as talented puppeteers Asanda Rilityana and Buhle Thembisile. And Lara Foot as Associate Director.
Puppetry is by Adrian Kohler and Tau Qwelane, with puppet costumes by Hazel Maree, Hiltrud von Seidlitz and Phyllis Midlane and set construction by Dean Pitman. Lighting design and production management are in the hands of Wesley France.
The 2025 version is produced by Quaternaire/Paris and restaged with co-production support of The Baxter Theatre Centre at the University of Cape Town (Cape Town), Centre d'art Battat (Montreal), Kunstfest (Weimar), Kunstenfestivaldesarts (Brussels), Théâtre de la Ville/Festival d'Automne (Paris).
It is almost unbearable to imagine all this talent, on stage and behind the scenes, conspiring to tell this insanely wicked story (written in the mid-1500s) that just seems to get more relevant by the day. And all in the intimacy of the Baxter Flipside.