Staff Reporter
Windhoek-The Committed Artists of Namibia (CAN) initiative is expanding its much sought-after theatre activities to six regions next month.
The tours form part of the group’s fourth ten-year cycle to focus on regional theatre, which is made possible by a generous sponsorship by FNB Namibia Holdings, which had been a constant sponsor partner of the group’s activities for many years.
This is the group’s first cautious step towards serving the cultural and theatre needs of the culturally and theatrically starving rural populations in the south, west, east and north.
CAN recently won a theatre Best Actor Award during the bi-annual Theatre and Film Awards of the National Theatre of Namibia. On these tours the group will be staging the satirical stage play, The Porridge Queen, by playwright Frederick B. Philander at six schools in the regions of Hardap, Karas, Omaheke, Otjozonjupa, Erongo and Omusati.
The five-member cast tours commence on June 5 to 13. Free shows will be performed at the following secondary schools: Dr Lemmer High (Rehoboth), PK de Villiers (Keetmanshoop), Okahandja Secondary school (Okahandja), Wennie du Plessis (Gobabis), Kolin Foundation (Arandis) and Oshakati Secondary School.
This time around an estimated 6,000 learners will benefit from the production of this award-winning play. The cast and technical team members of this comedy about a porridge-selling street vendor, reflecting the socio-economic and political situation in the country are: Elzaan De Wee (Handjievol), John Isaacks (Worker and Ou Booi), Danny Matroos (health inspector and Ou Six), Frederick B. Philander (Capie and Jehova) and Zenlia Philander (the insurance and political agent) and Felicity Celento (dialogue director and sound and lighting technician).
According to Philander, the artistic director of Committed Artists of Namibia: “We are confident that we will be successful in the rural areas, like we have been in Windhoek’s over-saturated arts and culture activities that seldom reach the regions. We intend re-activating and rekindling the hidden stage talents and interest in theatre in all the regions, finances permitting. We owe it to the regions.”