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Your ultimate 2018 entertainment guide

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Swizz Beats will get the crowds pumped at the Bacardi Holiday Club
Swizz Beats will get the crowds pumped at the Bacardi Holiday Club

ART EXHIBITIONS

Love is a Difficult Blue, a series of new collaborative works by acclaimed local artists Ghada Amer and Reza Farkhondeh, opens at the Goodman Gallery on Thursday.

Details are still up in the air, but rumour has it that two of South Africa’s most acclaimed photographers – David Goldblatt and Peter Magubane – will have a joint exhibition at the Goodman later this year. What has been confirmed is that Goldblatt will be exhibiting at the illustrious Pompidou Centre in Paris next month.

Also at the Goodman, South Africans will be able to see the video installation that Candice Breitz showed at the Venice Biennale last year. Entitled Love Story, it comprises a series of video interviews that address the plight of refugees. Alec Baldwin and Julianne Moore are among the interviewees. It will be up from February 1.

The prolific and popular William Kentridge will be exhibiting new work at the Goodman from October 13 to November 10. The exhibit is still in the early planning stage, so no info is available yet.

In Cape Town, the multibillion-rand Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, the biggest art museum on the continent, is unveiling its costume institute this year. It’s aimed at critically engaging with revolutionary contemporary costume and fashion design and body embellishment, with an emphasis on African design.

Talented Pretoria painter Banele Khoza will exhibit his work at Cape Town’s Smith Studio on January 25.

Visitors to the Grahamstown National Arts Festival between June 28 and July 8 should see this year’s featured artist, Mamela Nyamza, in action. An internationally recognised dancer and winner of the Standard Bank Young Artist Award, she’ll be performing new and old work. In addition, winner of the 2018 Standard Bank Young Artist Award for visual art, Igshaan Adams, promises to put on a pioneering exhibition with his combination of performance, weaving, sculpture and installation. – Phumlani S Langa

ALBUM RELEASES

It should be a solid year sonically with local and international stars dropping new albums. Cardi B, Migos, Justin Timberlake, The Black Eyed Peas (minus Fergie) and the queen of edge Rihanna are all set to bring out new work. Here are the local releases you should look out for:

AKA
Album: Touch My Blood
AKA recently posted a few images of himself at Sun City, where he was said to be working on his new album that, by the looks of things, will have a few guest features from the continent. He’s drawing on his love for other genres and old school music, but you can still expect poppy beats and heavy auto tune. More of the same, then. The record is expected to drop after the middle of the year.

DJ Ganyani
Album: Eyadeni Experience
No stranger to making hits, this veteran of House is set to release his latest offering. Although the genre has lost a little traction with the rise of local hip-hop, a Ganyani album is always something to look forward to. Grab a copy of Ganyani’s House Grooves 10, which was released last year. The new album should be out later this year.

The Muffinz
Album: Untitled
This soulful collective has more than a few accolades to brag about, including a 2012 Metro FM award for best group. The Muffinz are probably the best band around right now. Lead singer Sifiso Buthelezi explains what they’ll be doing differently: “Exploring a bit more, lightening up the mood with a few love songs as some of us got married. We’re growing up.” It should be out before the end of the year.

Nakhane
Album: You Will Not Die
The star of Oscar-shortlisted film Inxeba must be flying high this week after being signed to an international talent agency and revealing news of his second album. Made under BMG France and called You Will Not Die, we’re hoping this sophomore work will keep putting the singer’s operetic voice and moving lyrics on display. The release date is March 16.

Riky Rick
Album: Black Children (working title)
His Stay Shining EP serves as the precursor to his full-length album, and it seems sensible to give the streets a taste of what’s to come. Riky Rik has mentioned how this upcoming tape might be his last. “I’m going to focus on doing other things and working with other artists,” he said last year. The album is scheduled for release in July. – Phumlani S Langa

LOCAL MOVIES

Last week, we mentioned some of big releases to look out for this year, including superhero movie Black Panther on February 16 and gay Xhosa initiation film Inxeba on February 2, but there are many more interesting local films to look forward to in the next couple of months.

One of them is Kagiso Lediga’s dark comedy Catching Feelings (March 9) starring Pearl Thusi and Andrew Buckland. This Joburg-centred film sees the lives of a jaded academic and his journalist wife turned upside down when a celebrated and self-indulgent older writer unexpectedly moves into their home.

The South African post-colonial Western, Five Fingers for Marseilles, has been doing the rounds on the indie and international circuits, and will finally screen publically in South Africa on April 6. Directed by Michael Matthews, it’s a fresh take on the genre with a look at the politics of postcolonialism in rural South Africa. It’s already received rave reviews.

Then there’s action comedy Abafana Ababi by Ziggy Hofmeyr starring Thomas Gumede and Matli Mohapeloa. It focuses on a heist that instantly turns the leading characters into millionaires who go on an insane spending spree. Gumede says the film is like US action Bad Boys with a South African satirical twist. The release date has not been finalised yet.

Raucous comedy Looking for Love stars Celeste Ntuli and Trevor Gumbi. Leading lady Ntuli plays the character of Buyi Dube who, single and in her late 30s, has moved to Joburg for work and is under a lot of pressure to find love – with hilarious results. It’s scheduled for release in April.

Finally, in the romcom Zulu Wedding (February 23), feisty choreographer Lu (Nondumiso Tembe) is a single woman who will do anything to avoid falling in love and will do even more to avoid going home to South Africa, where she’s traditionally engaged to a king. However, when she meets her soulmate–, she’s forced to confront the tradition she’s been running away from. – Rhodé Marshall

BOOKS

According to Books Live editor Mila de Villiers, there are some great local books coming out this year, including work by great black authors.

Check out Michael K by Nthikeng Mohlele; the time travel story A Spy in Time by Imraan Coovadia; Xhosa chief novel The Broken River Tent by Mphuthumi Ntabeni; short story anthology The Fatuous State of Severity by Phumlani Pikoli; Born in Chains: the diary of an angry “born-free” by Clinton Chauke; and The Golddiggers: A Novel by Sue Nyathi.

The prolific Leon van Nierop is also releasing a new work called Toy Boy, and radio and TV presenter Iman Rappetti will release a memoir.

Award-winning journalist Mandy Wiener will release a follow-up to Killing Kebble (2011). Called Ministry of Crime, Wiener says it “intends to examine how organised crime, gangsters and powerful political figures have been able to capture the law enforcement authorities and agencies”.

March 6 will see the release of world-renowned Kenyan author Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s Wrestling with the Devil: A Prison Memoir. It is described as “an unforgettable chronicle of the year the brilliant novelist and memoirist, long favoured for the Nobel Prize, was thrown in a Kenyan jail without charge”.

International releases to look out for include Zadie Smith’s essay collection Feel Free, as well as a memoir by Patrisse Khan-Cullors, the founder of the Black Lives Matter movement, called When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir. Game of Thrones author George RR Martin has hinted that he’ll be dropping two new works this year, much to the delight of his fans. – Grethe Kemp

THEATRE

The biggest theatrical event to look out for this year is The Color Purple, which opens on January 31 at the Joburg Theatre. Based on the acclaimed novel by Alice Walker, South Africa is the first country outside the US and the UK to be produce this Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical. Helmed by internationally acclaimed, award-winning director Janice Honeyman, the entirely local cast includes Didintle Khunou, Molebatsi Lekgetha, Zane Gillion, Sebe Leotlela, Dolly Louw and Andile Magxaki.

  • On February 14, Broadway’s best-selling magic show The Illusionists hits the Pieter Toerien Theatre at Montecasino in Joburg.
  • Also on the line-up at the Pieter Toerien Theatre is a lavish production of The Sound of Music on March 31; punk-rock musical hit Hedwig and the Angry Inch on March 2; and 2004 Tony “triple crown” award-winning musical Avenue Q in May.
  • Oscar-winning local film Tsotsi is being turned into a musical that will be produced by the Cape Town Opera. It will open at the Artscape Theatre on February 8.
  • Following sold-out seasons in Cape Town, audiences can look forward to the return of the hit musical West Side Story at the Artscape and Mandela theatres on March 7.
  • Other theatrical must-sees include the Joburg Ballet’s Carmen early in April and Honeyman’s pantomime Snow White in November. – Grethe Kemp

EVENTS

There are a lot of grooves and good vibes to look forward to this year, including new festivals such as One Source Live and the Bacardi Holiday Club. Rhodé Marshall outlines the events you simply can’t miss.

Bacardi Holiday Club
Dates: February 3 and 4
Venue: Welgelegen Manor, Balfour, Mpumalanga
Line-up: Swizz Beatz, Cassper Nyovest, Mafikizolo, DJ Speedsta, DJ Shimza, Frank Casino and Nadia Nakai
Get out of the city for an all-inclusive festival retreat at the supremely beautiful Welgelegen Manor, which is less than one hour’s drive from Joburg. You’ll get to see more than 30 acts across three stages, with US music producer Swizz Beatz as the headliner. Swizz has worked with the likes of Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Busta Rhymes, Drake, DMX and Whitney Houston.
Tickets R1 490 for a weekend pass from webtickets.co.za. Entry is limited to 1 500 people

Littlegig
Dates: February 17 and 18
Venue: Wiesenhof farm, Stellenbosch
Line-up: Stelth Ulvang, Estère, Black Motion, Bongeziwe Mabandla, Nonku Phiri, Johnny Cradle, Samthing Soweto and Dear Ribane
Littlegig is the world’s only 24-hour, everything-included festival. The third edition will showcase musicians, DJs, chefs, winemakers, artists, designers and performers. Like Bacardi Holiday Club, Littlegig is a small (1 500 people), creative event that targets tastemakers and people who are time-poor and need a 24-hour hit of nature, connection and inspiration.
Tickets are R2 300. Camping tents are R1 450 to R6 450 per tent from quicket.co.za. Ticket prices include all food and drinks

One Source Live
Date: March 24
Venue: Still to be confirmed, but somewhere in Joburg
Line-up: Khuli Chana, Sho Madjozi and other leading Pan-African artists
Who could forget the hit song One Source by Khuli Chana featuring Sarkodie, Victoria Kimani and KayGizm? The hitmaker has extended his partnership with Absolut Vodka, which presents leading creative revolutionaries in music, fashion and art from across the continent. This spectacular live event will include multiple stages, performances and collaborations geared at rewriting Africa’s story.
Ticket details to be announced

WWE Live South Africa
Dates: April 18, 20 and 21
Venue: Cape Town, Joburg and Pretoria
Line-up: Braun Strowman, Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, Alexa Bliss, Sasha Banks and Asuka
We all know South Africans are huge WWE fans. This family-friendly event will feature some of the biggest names in wrestling and will debut in Pretoria for the first time.
Tickets R460 to R1 975 at bigconcerts.co.za and computicket.com

Cape Town International Jazz Festival
Dates: March 23 and 24
Venue: Cape Town International Convention Centre
Line-up: Corinne Bailey Rae, Seu Jorge, Mulatu Astatke, Vijay Iyer Sextet, Trombone Shorty, Miles Mosley and R+R=NOW
Every year, the Cape Town International Jazz Festival seeks to attract a younger crowd. This line-up might just do the trick. Go for a weekend of the best international and local jazz.
Weekend passes are sold out. Day passes available for R750 at computicket.com

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