July 2018 events
27 Jun 2018
Below you’ll find a list of literary events featuring PEN South Africa members, as well as a selection of other noteworthy launches, classes, performances, exhibitions, readings and workshops happening around South Africa.
If there is an event you’d like us to feature please let us know.
PLAYS
- Hamlet by Boris Nikitin
Where: Little Theatre, Hiddingh Campus, University of Cape Town
When: Wednesday 4 and Thursday 5 July 2018, 7:30 p.m.
About: The Institute for Creative Arts (ICA) in collaboration with Pro Helvetia presents the critically-acclaimed production of Boris Nikitin’s Hamlet, in which the Swiss author and director transforms Shakespeare’s famous work into an experimental contemporary performance. In a mix of documentary play and music-theatre, enigmatic performer and electronic musician Julia*n Meding takes on the role of a contemporary Hamlet who revolts against reality and audience. Like Hamlet rebelling against the Royal Court, Meding agitates, mocks, flirts with and tries to seduce the audience.
RSVP: ica@uct.ac.za. Entrance is free.
LAUNCHES, PANELS & CONFERENCES
- Launch of Saffron: a Collection of Personal Narratives by Muslim Women edited by Zaheera Jina
Where: The Book Lounge, 71 Roeland Street, Cape Town
When: Tuesday 3 July 2018, 6:30 p.m.
About: Contributors Dilshan Parker and Mushra Jacobs will be in conversation. We will have a Halal menu available.
RSVP: booklounge@gmail.com - Launch of ID: New Short Fiction from Africa by Short Story Day Africa
Where: The Book Lounge, 71 Roeland Street, Cape Town
When: Thursday 5 July 2018, 5:30 p.m. for 6:00 p.m.
About: Editor Helen Moffett will be in conversation with contributors Michael Yee, Susan Newham-Blake and Lester Walbrugh.
RSVP: booklounge@gmail.com
- Launch of A Spy in Time by Imraan Coovadia
Where: The Book Lounge, 71 Roeland Street, Cape Town
When: Wednesday 11 July 2018, 5:30 p.m. for 6:00 p.m.
About: Imraan Coovadia will be in conversation with Asraf Jamal.
RSVP: booklounge@gmail.com - Launch of Stopping the Spies by Jane Duncan
Where: The Book Lounge, 71 Roeland Street, Cape Town
When: Tuesday 17 July 2018, 5:30 p.m. for 6:00 p.m.
About: Jane Duncan will be in conversation with Busisiwe Mtabane.
RSVP: booklounge@gmail.com - Launch of Melusi’s Everyday Zulu by Melusi Tshabalala
Where: The Book Lounge, 71 Roeland Street, Cape Town
When: Wednesday 18 July 2018, 5:30 p.m. for 6:00 p.m.
RSVP: kate@lovebooks.co.za - Launch of Botsotso 18 and 19 and the Collected Plays of Allan Horwitz
Where: The Book Lounge, 71 Roeland Street, Cape Town
When: Thursday 19 July 2018, 5:30 p.m. for 6:00 p.m.
About: Featuring readings from the contributors. Allan Horowitz, Abu Bakr Solomons and Donald Parenzee will host the evening and various contributors will be reading.
RSVP: booklounge@gmail.com - Coffee morning with Mandy Weiner to launch The Ministry of Crime
Where: Love Books, The Bamboo Lifestyle Centre, 53 Rustenburg Road, Melville, Johannesburg
When: Friday 20 July 2018
RSVP: kate@lovebooks.co.za - Launch of Arabella, the Secret King and the Amulet from Timbuktu by Hamilton Wende
Where: Love Books, The Bamboo Lifestyle Centre, 53 Rustenburg Road, Melville, Johannesburg
When: Saturday 21 July 2018, 10 a.m.
RSVP: kate@lovebooks.co.za - Launch of Frantz Fanon, Psychiatry and Politics by Nigel C. Gibson & Roberto Beneduce
Where: WiSER Seminar Room, 6th Floor, Richard Ward Building, East Campus, Wits University, Johannesburg
When:Tuesday 24Monday 30 July, 1:00 p.m.
RSVP: info.witspress@wits.ac.za
About: Join for a discussion with author Nigel C. Gibson and Achille Mbembe - Launch of The Prison Letters of Nelson Mandela, edited by Sahm Venter (PEN SA EVENT)
Where: The Fugard Theatre, Caledon Street, Cape Town
When: Wednesday 25 July, 6:00 p.m.
Ticketing and information available here - Launch of Shame on You by Amy Heydenrych
Where: Love Books, The Bamboo Lifestyle Centre, 53 Rustenburg Road, Melville, Johannesburg
When: Wednesday 25 July 2018, 6:00 p.m. for 6:30 p.m.
RSVP: kate@lovebooks.co.za - Launch of Grandad Mandela by Zazi and Ziwelene Mandela
Where: The Book Lounge, 71 Roeland Street, Cape Town
When: Wednesday 25 July 2018, 5:30 p.m. for 6:00 p.m.
About: Zazi and Ziwelene Mandela will be in conversation with Zondwa Mandela.
RSVP: booklounge@gmail.com - Launch of Steal A Few Cents by Rupert Smith
Where: The Book Lounge, 71 Roeland Street, Cape Town
When: Thursday 26 July 2018, 5:30 p.m. for 6:00 p.m.
RSVP: kate@lovebooks.co.za - Launch of Milk Fever by Megan Ross
Where: Love Books, The Bamboo Lifestyle Centre, 53 Rustenburg Road, Melville, Johannesburg
When: Thursday 26 July, 6:00 p.m. for 6:30 p.m.
RSVP: kate@lovebooks.co.za - Launch of When Morning Comes by Arushi Raina
Where: Love Books, The Bamboo Lifestyle Centre, 53 Rustenburg Road, Melville, Johannesburg
When: Tuesday 30 July 2018, 6:00 p.m. for 6:30 p.m.
RSVP: kate@lovebooks.co.za - Launch of Steinhoff by James-Brent Styan
Where: The Book Lounge, 71 Roeland Street, Cape Town
When: Tuesday 31 July 2018, 5:30 p.m. for 6:00 p.m.
RSVP: kate@lovebooks.co.za
POETRY
- Koleka Putuma at Off the Wall
Where: A Touch Of Madness, 12 Nuttall Road, Observatory, Cape Town
When: Thursday 5 July, 7:30 p.m.
About: Followed by an open-mic session, for anyone, from first-timers to veterans, to perform their own poetry or that of other poets.
More details
- Doret Jordaan at Off the Wall
Where: A Touch Of Madness, 12 Nuttall Road, Observatory, Cape Town
When: Thursday 12 July, 7:30 p.m.
About: Followed by an open-mic session, for anyone, from first-timers to veterans, to perform their own poetry or that of other poets.
More details - Hugh Hodge at Off the Wall
Where: A Touch Of Madness, 12 Nuttall Road, Observatory, Cape Town
When: Thursday 19 July, 7:30 p.m.
About: Followed by an open-mic session, for anyone, from first-timers to veterans, to perform their own poetry or that of other poets.
More details - Margaret Clough at Off the Wall
Where: A Touch Of Madness, 12 Nuttall Road, Observatory, Cape Town
When: Thursday 26 July, 7:30 p.m.
About: Followed by an open-mic session, for anyone, from first-timers to veterans, to perform their own poetry or that of other poets.
More details - Reddits Poetry, monthly poetry nights in Grahamstown
Where: Cafe D’Vine, 31 New Street, Grahamstown
When: Last Friday of every month, 6 p.m.–8:30 p.m.
About: Reddits has been running monthly poetry nights in Grahamstown for over a decade. Come for featured readings and an open mic.
More details
EXHIBITIONS
- Dead Centre edited by Rowan Smith
Where: WHATIFTHEWORLD, 16 Buiten Street, Cape Town
When: Wednesday 11 July 2018–Saturday 25 August
About: WHATIFTHEWORLD is pleased to present Dead Centre, a solo exhibition by Rowan Smith. With this latest body of work, Smith executes a number of strategies intended to exoticise the idea of whiteness in contemporary South Africa, removing the veil that allows it to persist as normative and unseen. The themes and concerns of the exhibition are consolidated with a publication of accompanying texts from Nick Mulgrew and Zinaid Meeran. Arising out of conversations surrounding the exhibition, these texts are autonomous entities, unconcerned with explaining the exhibition or directly unpacking the artworks. Rather, they operate as sounding boards, serving to add additional layers of meaning and spaces of reflection to the discourse of Rowan Smith’s work.