In the Limelight: Wêla Kapela Productions from South Africa, at the 2023 Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Wêla Kapela Productions from South Africa, is jetting off to Scotland for the 2023 Edinburgh Fringe Festival with two of its award winning cabarets: Vincent and his quest to love and be loved and A Star is Born – the Rise and Fall of Judy Garland. Both productions will be staged at the Space Triplex Studio, 19 Hill Pl, Edinburgh EH8 9DP, United Kingdom. Note – both shows are on August 4-12. A Star is born is 1t 12.05 and Vincent at 14.05. See both – at same venue in the hub of the festival.  See box for direct booking links.

Award winning

Both productions Vincent and his quest to love and be loved and A Star is Born – the Rise and Fall of Judy Garland won awards at South Africa’s National Arts Festival in Makhanda (previously known as The Grahamstown Festival).

About Wêla Kapela Productions

Wêla Kapela Productions was founded in 2018 by Amanda Bothma. This production company from East London company, has become a leading producer of cabarets in South Africa. Amanda Bothma describes Wêla Kapela Productions as “fun, frivolous, provocative, daring and, perhaps, even a little boastful.” Read on for more. Info as supplied:

A Star is Born – the Rise and Fall of Judy Garland

Garland’s career began at the age of two and a half and at the age of 13 she signed her first movie contract. The Wizard of Oz earned her an Oscar at 17… by 47 she was dead. How did Hollywood’s brightest star dim so fast? Garland was Hollywood’s queen of the comebacks. Whenever her career and personal life hit rock bottom, she would stage a spectacular comeback and again hit the bigtime. The multi-Grammy-winning recording, of her Carnegie Hall performance, is still regarded as the single greatest live album by a singer of popular American standards.

A Star is Born is a cabaret by Kerry Hiles and Germaine Gamiet, it follows the life of this iconic artist from her first stage appearance to her untimely death. This Wela Kapela’s production of A STAR IS BORN has played to sell out audience at the festivals around South Africa and received not one but two Standard Bank Ovation awards at the National Arts Festival in Makhanda 2019 and 2020. The audience’s reaction to A Star is Born is fascinating.  Every night, they gasp, they groan, they shake their heads in disbelief. The audience is transfixed by this riveting story of Judy Garland.

A STAR IS BORN written and directed by Amanda Bothma tells the story of a child star, abused by the studio system, her mother who fed her upper and downers, later her husbands, her business managers – everyone wanted a piece of the pie. It is both an entertaining and sophisticated work.

Vincent – his quest to love and be loved

 “$70 million is bid, $73, $75 million dollars, Sir?” Towards the end of his short life Vincent Van Gogh, who suffered from mental illness, was treated by Doctor Paul Gachet. Vincent writes to his brother Theo: “A great fire burns within me, but no-one stops to warm themselves at it and passers-by only see a wisp of smoke.” The 37-year-old painter died of a self-inflicted wound in 1890. On 15 May, 1990, Van Gogh’s portrait of Doctor Gachet was sold, within three minutes, for $75 million dollars. VINCENT- HIS QUEST TO LOVE AND BE LOVED, a multimedia cabaret, tells of a complex man with a ruthless drive to create and a deep-seated desire to love and be loved. The artist’s search for love is revealed through reimagined versions of popular musical theatre, pop, rock and jazz numbers. Award-winning duo, Daniel Anderson and Germaine Gamiet, mesmerise the audience and are rewarded with standing ovations night after night. Wela Kapela Productions is fun, frivolous, provocative, daring and, perhaps, even a little boastful. Founded in 2018 by Amanda Bothma this East London, South African company, has become one of the major cabaret producers in South Africa. Vincent enjoyed sold out seasons in all the major centres in South Africa: Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban among them. Daniel Anderson was nominated for a Fleur du Cap Theatre Award in Cape Town. The production received a Bronze Standard Bank Ovation Award at the National Arts Festival in 2022.

“The true essence of cabaret-style theatre leaves you wanting more” – Devon Koen, THE HERALD

 “He had me hooked from the first note right until the last” – Rod Amer, GROCOTT’S MAIL

Related coverage on TheCapeRobyn:

Review Vincent: https://thecaperobyn.co.za/review-daniel-anderson-captivates-in-the-award-winning-vincent-the-cabaret/

Interview Germaine Gamiet: https://thecaperobyn.co.za/interview-pianist-germaine-gamiet-imbues-award-winning-vincent-the-cabaret-with-beautifully-nuanced-musicality/