Festival news: The 2025 KKNK, curated and packaged to include all artforms, genres, with entertainment for all ages

Exciting news is the announcement of the 2025 programme for the 29^th KKNK (Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees), sponsored by Absa. The annual arts festival in Oudtshoorn is taking place from Tuesday April 1 to Sunday April 6, 2025 and has been curated to include multiple artforms, across genres and disciplines. In addition to offering cutting edge theatre, as has become signature KKNK, there is entertainment geared for all ages. The inclusive nature of this edition is underlined by the theme for 2025: Al die ietse/All the ’things. Bookings are open at Webtickets or navigate via the KKNK website. Read on for more. Info as supplied:

PROGRAMME FOR KKNK 2025 INCLUDES ALL THE ’THINGS/AL DIE IETSE

 “The 29th KKNK, sponsored by Absa, is curated and packaged to include all artforms, and genres, with entertainment for all ages. There is something for everyone.”

These are the words of Hugo Theart, CEO and Artistic Director of the KKNK, taking place in Oudtshoorn from Tuesday April 1 to Sunday April 6 next year (2025).

“Our campaign for KKNK 2025 is centred around ‘all the ’things’ and the programme offers exactly that: All the ’things, at one festival and in one place, with exciting works on stage for the first time, as well as an array of highlights from existing productions. Not only can audiences look forward to seeing well-known artists, but also new talent.” 

“Popular aspects of the KKNK remain, but new concepts and ideas are also being tested. Scheduling of the theatre programme is done to keep audiences fully entertained from the first day to the last evening. The Feesmark (Festival terrain) is bursting at its seams with a day and evening stage where families can have fun until from early morning to late at night. We invite everyone to experience something special in the heart of the beautiful Klein Karoo during the April school – and university holidays,” Theart says.

A special open-air opening concert and night market in the Feesmark kicks off proceedings on Monday March 31, with a symphony orchestra under the baton of the acclaimed Richard Cock and special guest artists. Nataniël concludes the festival on April 6, with a spectacular open-air concert, Duif.

Theatre awards by KKNK

Four artists are being honoured for their contribution to and their role in the South African arts: Marion Holm with the Award for Performance (on stage in Marion Monroe), Lee-Ann van Rooi with the Kruispunt Award (director of Sonde met die spoke), Die Heuwels Fantasties with the Award for Innovative Thinking (seen in i.e. the opening concert) and Oudtshoorn resident John Theodore with the Award for Service to the Arts.

Theatre highlights

Amongst the theatre highlights is a return to theatre for Hertzog Prize-winner Ingrid Winterbach with an off-beat satire, Moedswil en muitery directed by Tinarie van Wyk Loots with Albert Pretorius, Brendon Daniels, Nicole Holm and Dean John Smith. Sonde met die spoke is investigative journalist Marianne Thamm’s first theatre script, which stems from her own curiosity about C.J. Langenhoven and provides new insight into the man and the language, with Veronique Jephtas, Tinarie van Wyk Loots and Michele Burgers on stage, directed by Lee-Ann van Rooi.

The Tony Award-winning comedy Art, by the French playwright Yasmina Reza, is translated into Afrikaans by Naómi Morgan as Kuns, with Wessel Pretorius, Ludwig Binge and Wilhelm van der Walt, directed by Marthinus Basson. Die een wat bly, directed by Wessel Pretorius, is a physical theatre production with Sylvaine Strike, Shaun Oelf and Grant van Ster. Playwright and director Hennie van Greunen returns to the KKNK after an absence of seven years for Annie+Helen, an inspiring drama about Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan, where Cintaine Schutte, Bianca Flanders, Eldon van der Merwe and Stian Bam share the stage with 13-year-old newcomer, Judi Hattingh.

Arnold Vosloo is back on stage in South Africa for the first time in decades and shares the stage with Elsabé Zietsman in Liefdesbriewe. Theatre couple Petru Wessels and Carel Trichardt bring Die vrou met 27 kinders to the festival, a theatre production which they also presented at the KKNK in 1996. Die Potplant, the Kanna Award-winner from last year’s Lucky Pakkie short theatre pieces by Karli Heine, is seen as a full-length cabaret in Die Potplant: ’n Tragedie. Wessel Pretorius’s multi-award-winning one person show, Ont-, returns to the stage, but this time with Pretorius as director and Wian Taljaard as actor. Elma Potgieter and Justin Strydom share the stage in the debut of Vlerksleep.

Various multi-award-winning productions are included, amongst them Neil Coppen and Mpume Mthombeni’s Isidlamlilo/The Fire Eater, the classic Henrik Ibsen work The Glass Menagerie is presented in Afrikaans as Speelgoed van Glas, directed by Nico Scheepers with i.e. Anna-Mart van der Merwe, Kruispad of die legende van die goue vis, directed by Basson with i.e. Edwin van der Walt, Eben Genis and Carla Smith and Philip Rademeyer’s Stinkhout with Frank Opperman and Wilhelm van der Walt. Opperman also returns with his award-winning comedy drama, Reünie, written by Dana Snyman. Other dramas include Christo Davids’s Laaitie mettie biscuits, ’n Begin with Cintaine Schutte and Carel Nel, Louw Venter’s Albatros, Pieces of Me, the moving autobiographical story by and with Bo Peterson.

Site-specific theatre, visual arts and publications

Karoo Kaarte’s acclaimed site-specific drama, Die Swartmerrie, returns to the forgotten Oudtshoorn railway and this KKNK project also presents a new production, Kroon en konfetti, as well as a special arts exhibition and new publications as part of this Oudtshoorn project.

Humour and comedy

Moments of laughter include the return after more than two decades of Joe Barber for a quarter-century celebration of this production with David Isaacs and Oscar Pietersen. Casper de Vries returns to the Klein Karoo following a long absence with a new stand-up in ’n Cassie Diamantjies. Other comedies include a double dose entertainment with Dean John Smith and Veronique Jepthtas in Double Trouble: Bettie innie selle en Chronicles vannie Lavis, Tobie Cronjé is on stage in Moord met ’n T; Wynand van Vollenstee’s Hospitale, Kateters en Familielede; Mel die Storieverteller’s brand-new production, Internet Sensasie, Desiré Gardner’s Magda Louw: ’n Les in Kletterkunde and Christie van Niekerk in Add my op die groep. Comedians including Marc Lottering, Schalk Bezuidenhout, Llandi Beeslaar, Marianne Thamm and Sohail Booise are also on stage.

Student theatre

Top-notch student theatre awaits, with three productions from the Stellenbosch University Drama Department’s Première Teaterfees. Öh is a physical theatre production for young and old; [indistinct chatter] is a sketch comedy not for the faint-hearted and Dinner met Diek, a tragic comedy. Other young talent is on stage as part of the youth theatre of the Proscenium Drama Competition, in various dialogues specially presented by well-known playwrights and directors. The winner of the DCAS (Western Cape Government Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport) Drama Festival in 2023, Tussen strome, is also included.

Ballet

The newly established Cape Ballet Africa, under the direction of Debbie Turner, sets the stage alight in their sensational ballet, Salt.

Music and musical theatre

There are music highlights in abundance, with amongst others Coenie de Villiers and Rocco de Villiers sharing the stage on two grand pianos in 88. Elsabé Zietsman and André Swartz are on stage in the debut, Katrien, die King en die Kween, with original music by David Kramer. Die gevlerktes is an exceptional debut with Herrie Prize-winner and celebrated artist Diek Gobler’s animation, accompanied by Mareli Stolp with a new composition by the internationally acclaimed South African composer, Neo Muyanga. For Klassiek en kwêla tot tango en techno the Soweto String Quartet joins forces with Ultracoustic (Dirkie van Staden and Wilken Calitz) for a unique music experience. Following the success of 2024, jazz legend Leslie Kleinsmith and Ramon Alexander return with Kaapse Kabaret 2.0, sharing the stage with Dylan Tabisher and Annemie Nel.

Other music productions include: Laurinda Hofmeyr and Joanie Combrink in -LOOS; Frieda van den Heever’s Spoorsny with Mauritz Lotz; the Naledi Award-winning Vincent: His Quest to love and be loved; Jak de Priester with the beloved and first recipient of the KKNK Herrie Prize in 1995, Antoinette Pienaar, is on stage in Koppieteefontein; tribute is paid to Koos du Plessis in the production Koos Doep with Wynand Strydom; well-known actress Nicole Holm returns as singer in Goue Boere, silwer tango with i.e. Leon Oosthuizen and Skhumbuzo Mhlauli; Amanda Strydom’s award-winning The Incredible Journey of Tinkerbell van Tonder; a tribute to Gé Korsten in the production Gé Sing! with i.e. Stephanie Baartman, Louis Loock and André Schwartz; six of the country’s foremost guitarists (Blackie Swart, Thean Kotze, Leon Ecroignard, Wouter van de Venter and Mathys Roets) reunite as the original Ses Snare; the popular Drie van die Beste with Mathys Roets, Danie Niehaus and Germandt Geldenhuys is seen and Spoegwolf’s Danie du Toit and his father, Johan, share the stage for Songs, stories en gedigte.

Children’s theatre

Exceptional children’s theatre is presented in the Feesmark’s Klein KKNK-teater. Furthermore, the children’s theatre offering includes the Afrikaans debut of the award-winning youth theatre production, The King of Broken Things, as Die Koning van weggooigoed, presented by the original company – a moving story for the whole family. Margit Meyer Rödenbeck and Deon van Zyl return with South Africa’s favourite character in the debut of Liewe Heksie en die wals.

Feesmark – festival terrain/hub – and its new Blitsteater – short theatre productions

Festivalgoers can look forward to exciting programming by Absa during the festival and in the Feesmark all the ’things await visitors with family entertainment from early morning until late at night. The offering includes amongst others the Klein KKNK-teater, arts and food stalls, the KKNK-winkel the Checkers Liplekker-teater and music by some of the country’s favourites, including Die Heuwels Fantasties, Spoegwolf, Demi Lee Moore, Snotkop, YoungstaCPT, Jeremy Loops, Riaan Benadé, Blackbyrd, Emo Adams & Take Note, Kurt Darren, Refentse and many more on the day and evening stages. A new addition to the offering in the Feesmark is Blitsteater, a reimagining of the previous Lucky Pakkie and Uitkampteater, where festivalgoers can see short theatre productions that will both challenge and entertain.

Visual arts

Liza Grobler, the festival’s new curator of visual arts, compiled a programme around the theme Diepe grond, which can be viewed across town. Henk Serfontein is the Festival Artist for 2025 and is involved in three different exhibitions.

Free entertainment

Free entertainment is plentiful in Baron van Reede Street in the Netwerk24-feeskafee next to the C.P. Nel Museum, where discussions and other special events are presented. Book stories are presented in the ATKV-Boeke-oase by Exclusive Books and the kykNET-leefarea in front of the Absa Burgersentrum, as well as street performances throughout the day offers further free entertainment. RSG and the AKTV present even more entertainment in front of the C.P. Nel Museum with live radio broadcasts and other activities throughout the day.

Sponsors

KKNK 2025 is sponsored by Absa, with support from the Het Jan Marais Nationale Fonds, NATi, Checkers, Netwerk24, kykNET, ATKV, Oudtshoorn Municipality and the Western Cape Government.

KKNK 2025 programme and info

The complete programme for the 29th KKNK, sponsored by Absa, is available online at http://kknk.co.za. Tickets are available from Webtickets or the KKNK office.

For more information, visit http://kknk.co.za or contact 044 203 8600, info@kknk.co.za or send a WhatsApp to 065 285 2337.

❇ Karoo Kaarte’s acclaimed site-specific drama, Die Swartmerrie, returns to the forgotten Oudtshoorn railway for the 2025 Absa KKNK, sponsored by Absa, which takes place from April 1-6. Pic © Ryan Dammert. Supplied. Sponsored content.