By Daniëlle Gerber
Campus was opened up again on Monday, 18 July, and the buzz is comparable to pre-COVID times. Victoria Street is packed with pedestrians, parking spaces are scarce and there is an abundance of events and opportunities. From the 18th of July until the 23rd of July, the Première Fees (Premier Festival in English) grabbed Stellenbosch University’s attention with high-energy performances.
As seen in the July issue of Eikestadnuus, Premièr Fees was able to run in-person for the first time since 2019, due to the decision to lift Covid-19 restrictions. The festival is organised by the Drama Department of Stellenbosch University and features productions written and executed by students – these roles include directing, costume and set design and stage management.
The Première Fees is a competition as well as a showcase of Stellenbosch’s young talent. Overall, twelve productions were performed during the course of the festival – with three performances per night, from Tuesday until Friday. Each show was between 30 and 45 minutes in duration. On Saturday, 23July, the festival came to an end with ‘Curtain Call’, where three finalist productions were performed. After this, a prize-giving followed, and the prize-winners were announced.
On Tuesday, 19 July at 7 p.m., Begrafnis op Beaufort-Wes was performed. This Afrikaans production told the story of two students that, on their way back to Stellenbosch, stop in Beaufort West – a town in the Karoo, South Africa. During their visit, they find themselves in the middle of the grieving process of three old women, mourning the murder of their friend.
Begrafnis op Beaufort Wes speaks to the Afrikaans small-town culture, not often so unashamedly portrayed – the vulgar humour and the constant striving to be fancier than the general culture. The production is set in a guesthouse, adorned with luxurious Turkish carpets and decorations.
Costume designer, Thalia Alberts, described Begrafnis op Beaufort-Wes as absurd and eventful, and no better words could describe the journey that it was. While there are not many major events happening during the actual production, and the murder case becomes one of the main aspects that the development of the plot relies on – there is never a dull moment in this satirical comedy.
The winning group of Premièr Fees was granted a spot to perform at the 2022-2023 Toyota Woordfees. As these productions are all fresh and new to the scene, there is excitement in realising that it might be the future’s next best travelling productions. Keep up to date with their Instagram page for more information!
