SOLO FEST Comes to Theatre Arts in South Africa Next Month

Spark in the Dark will present a new mini festival the Solo Fest, a two-day event which will be hosted at Theatre Arts on the corner of Milton Road, Wesley St, Observatory. The event will run on the 1st & 2nd of December 2024.

Solo Fest is an opportunity to see new work from established and up-and-coming artists. We are going to see short performances of 5 - 9 minutes from each of these creatives while their work is in the incubation phase.

The aim of the festival is to give new solo show writers the opportunity to showcase their works that they’ve been developing in the, ‘So You want to Write a Solo Show’ run by Sophie Joans. A 5-week writing course which gave people the space to learn various elements on creating a solo show. 

Sophie Joans had this to say about solo storytelling, “Solo storytelling is its own kind of special art. Especially when the writer and performer are the same person, it’s autobiographical, authentic and reflective.”

“I had a phenomenal time when I did a course in solo storytelling which subsequently resulted in me writing my debut solo play ‘Île’. Since then, I felt like creating a similar space to give people structured space and time to write their own stories. Out of that desire came, ‘So You Want to Write a Solo Show’ workshop with the opportunity for the participants to share their writing from the day. Which was incredibly beautiful, powerful, humouring and special. I have been inspired, had my heart warmed and laughed out loud on many occasions during the solo storytelling course and I am so excited to bring it and share the pieces that have been written with the public.”

She goes on to say, “When people share their stories. It’s profound. A solo play is its own kind of art. To keep an audience enthralled while also fighting this terrifying sense of freefalling that comes from standing on a stage alone.”

We are excited to bring you a variety of solo performances, these works touch on topics like dealing with following your faith in Gabriella Roughton’s, Beneath the Surface where we explore a story of love, intuition, faith and purpose as we witness the young girl's awakening of the heart and soul. Following suit is Rameez Nordien, Grounded by the Physics of my Faith, a story tackles themes on religion and how your beliefs may affect your career choices.

The featured solo works have a poignant view on the social climate, such as Wild Woman by Julia Ariete, exploring the depths of female identity and self-discovery. The Fat Princess by Willem Esterhuyse explores themes like childhood fatphobia, sexuality, shame, loneliness and nostalgia. The complexities of identity are common in pieces like Solitude by Kamogelo Mhlantla, which examines the duality of loneliness and being comfortable with being alone and I Think I Smell Smoke by Roshina Ratnam, unpacking the complex dynamics of family and the courage it takes to let go. Cailyb Prinsloo's Shellfish takes an eccentric look at identity and belonging. 

Enlightening and hard hitting autobiographical work brought to you by Chantal Bezuidenhout/Harris in ADHD, the Bottle and Me where Harris opens up about her journey through alcohol addiction and the connection to her ADHD diagnosis. Or a look on a family relationship, just as in, Slamming Doors by Nate Levinrad, a candid look at how inherited anger can close off relationships and a reminder that joy can break the cycle. 

We know some of these works are heavy, but don't fear, we have got a selection of light hearted works that will have you brimming with laughter.

Michal Malek brings a more reflective piece, Why We Work, an anthology of scenes from his career in the film and TV industry that goes behind the scenes of some very strange, frustrating and enlightening situations. And for powerful words that will have you thinking about the impact you may have, we bring you Breaking Words by David Schmidt, a collage of songs, poems, stories and stand-up about remaking language so we can birth new concepts and ways of thinking about how to build a better future.

Thato Kämmerer and Candice Bernstein each examine the complexities of sorrow and grief in Song of Sorrow and Earthside respectively. 

You don’t want to miss this opportunity to see the next best performers showcasing their soon-to-be award-winning shows. In a lineup that will have you on the edge of your seat in suspense, have your ribs hurting from laughter and contemplating your life from introspective work. 

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