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Durban is renowned for being a seaside destination. This weekend, you can celebrate the city’s ocean love with a free festival, Theatre by the Sea, hosted in the open space alongside the Port Natal Maritime Museum, just off Durban’s Esplanade.
Performers from KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape will come together for a day of storytelling, music, dance, and community spirit. explores the sea as a source of food, recreation, inspiration, and mystery… as well as a powerful natural force that shapes communities and cultures.
There are 10 groups participating - seven from KwaZulu-Natal and three from the Eastern Cape - with performances spanning different street-theatre genres. Each act offers its own interpretation of humanity’s connection to the ocean.
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A show for everyone
The day begins at 9am with a ritual honouring the sea, followed by a participative community clean-up around the Maritime Museum from 9am to 10am. Performances of approximately 15 minutes each will follow from 10am.
The festival was conceived by twins Vuma and Vumile Madlanga, whose lives have been shaped by their proximity to the ocean, despite never having swum, paddled or submerged themselves in seawater.
Zulu cultural practices suggest that twins should not engage with the sea, prompting the pair to create a space for artists to explore the cultural responses to the ocean.
“We are celebrating theatre that connects us to nature, spirit and the wisdom of our ancestors. We will have one stage by the ocean to tell stories that heal, dances that remember, and music that moves your soul,” says Vumile.
Vuma adds: “Bring your family. Bring your spirit. Bring your summer joy. This is theatre that breathes with the sea.”
Theatre by the Sea is funded by the National Arts Council, in partnership with the Department of Sport, Arts & Culture and Rooted Twins Community Arts Organisation. The Port Natal Maritime Museum and BAT Centre are supporting the event.
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What you need to know
- What: Theatre by the Sea
- When: Sunday, 25 October
- Time: 9am to 4pm | Performances from 10am
- Where: Open space alongside the Port Natal Maritime Museum, Durban Esplanade
- Cost: Free; everyone is welcome
- Parking: Around the BAT Centre, Maritime Museum, and Small Craft Harbour
- What to bring: Drinking water, refreshments, something to sit on, a sunhat, sunscreen
- Contact: Vumile on 084 062 2330 | Vuma on 074 011 9369 | pinavumile@gmail.co.za
Discover local performance talent while spending time outdoors in Durban - Theatre by the Sea is a great excuse to enjoy the city’s talent this Sunday.
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