Afrovibes party night

Black History Month is special for me this year. It’s the first time I’ve managed to catch some of the shows in the Afrovibes Festival. A troupe of South African artists who come to Britain bi-annually to share there considerable talents with us.

I saw Rainbow Scars at the MAC and was stunned by the quality of the writing and performance. I took part in the Q&A session afterwards in the Township Cafe – the Arena Bar South African style. I went along to hear what other people had to ask and ended up asking most of the questions myself.

Met the delightful Sandra Hall of Friction Arts and discovered new possibilities for performance spaces.

I was gutted that I wasn’t able to make it to see award winning band The Soil and all female group Mamela but I need not have worried. They were performing as part of the end of Afrovibes party at the Drum on Saturday night. And they were amazing.

The Soil

Mamela

Rhetorical

It made sense to take in Rhetorical, a play based on Thabo Mbeki’s speeches while he was president of South Africa. Not a moving as Rainbow Scars but touching in places.

It was a feast of a night as I’d also arrived in time to see a ballet performance of Flat Out (a community dance programme).

By the time I staggered home in the wee hours of the morning I was happy that the clocks going back would give me an extra hour in bed.

I’m planning to see Solomon and Marion at the Rep next week.