Bookings Open for Lefra Productions and RSG's 2017 Oppiwater Arts Festival Cruise

With Lefra Productions and RSG's Oppiwater Arts Festival selling out almost a year in advance, fans of Afrikaans theatre will be pleased to know that bookings for the 2017 edition of this popular and unique floating arts festival are now open. The cruise will depart from Cape Town on 30 April, travelling to Namibia's Walvis Bay and Luderitz before returning to Cape Town on 5 May.

This year's Oppiwater Arts Festival, which sold out in 2015, departed yesterday, with a line-up that reflects the standard of entertainment that patrons might expect from next year's cruise. Top productions like Elsabe Daneel's BITTERSWEET, GROET DIE GROTHELD with Cobus Venter and DIE WYN, DIE LIED, DIE VROU with Johan Rademan, Beyers Truter van Beyerskloof and Christo Snyman are top of the bill. The annual farce from Lefra Productions will have audiences rolling in the aisles; this year, it is DAA' GAAT DIE BRUID. The locally produced FEESKATTE will add to the festivities, while world-famous mime, John Jacobs, brings his production of MIME LA FRANCE all the way from France. Marga van Rooy will perform her solo show, STORIES VAN TOE EK JONK WAS.

RSG's Martelize Brink (who is one of the hosts of the cruise, along with RSG's Johan Rademan (RSG) and Lefra representatives, Frans Swart and Charl Senekal) will deliver a talk entitled "Woes wn Leeg ... Waar die Onverwagse Wonder Gebeur". RSG's sports commentator, Pieter van der Bergh, will chat with guests about "'n Draai in die Binnekamer van die Olimpiese Spele". Comedian Barry Hilton will be sure to tickle people's funny bones - and will almost certainly find somewhere to braai. Oppowater's great music line-up will feature Pieter Smith, Jak de Priester, Alwyn Oberholster, Broers, Tobi Jooste en Rembrandt van Rijn. There is also a book launch of Koos Marais's Die Keiservoël oor Namaland at the Kolmanskop museum.

Bookings for next year's Oppiwater Arts Festival can be made online through MSC Cruises or by emailing Lefra Productions. Telephone reservations can be made on 087 075 0850 or 011 815 3000. Full details appear on the Oppiwater Arts Festival website.