Puppets to invade the Baxter and the Little Theatre

Family fun: The Baxter stage will be overrun by an army of puppets this month.

From September 11 to 16, Cape Town will be hosting South Africa's premier puppetry and visual performance event, Out The Box, Festival of Puppets, Masks and Visual Performance, 2006.

Organised by two UCT alumni Aja Marneweck and Janni Younge, who also studied at the international school of puppet art in Charleville Meziere France, the festival is divided between the Baxter Theatre, the Little Theatre and the GugaS'thebe cultural centre in Langa.

Divided into both an adult and a family festival, Out the Box will feature an impressive line-up of inspiring local and international productions and workshops.

The adult festival will be at the Little Theatre complex on Orange Street.

Leading the line up of performances will be the opening of renowned choreographer Tossie Van Tonder's new piece Poppe; funky mechanics by visual and aural provocateurs the Odd Enjinears in their National Sympathy Orchestra; Bok by FNB grant recipient Peter Van Heerden and the Erf 81 Collective, the expressive puppet and shadow theatre show Dolos from Sogo Theatre and the beautiful object work of the Remix Dance Project's highly lauded piece Second Time Broken.

There will be a number of exciting workshops from local and international practitioners including the world famous Handspring Puppet Company who will be giving puppet workshops at the Little Theatre and the GugaS'thebe cultural centre.

There will also be a conference on the significance of objects in performance in Africa with speakers from around the globe.

The Baxter Theatre Centre and GugaS'thebe will be hosting the vibrant family festival running from Monday to Saturday.

The line-up includes international and local artists, Martina Winkel, director of the internationally acclaimed Theater Ohne Grenzen, Austria; Nikolai Zykov (Russia); Cape Town's Jungle theatre company; Siyasanga; Eric de Waal (Canada); Alida van de Venter; Breughel theatre; Cape for Kids; Dotty Productions and Cape Town's much loved puppet granny Estelle Bryer.

The foyer of the Baxter will be transformed on Saturday into a market of puppets and play, puppet display and sales, workshops and many other fun activities!

Bookings for the Baxter at Computicket and for the Little Theatre contact 076 848 9560 or email outhebox@telkomsa.net.