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FAUSTUS IN AFRICA!

William Kentridge / Handspring Puppet Company
KUNSTENFESTIVALDESARTS
Thu 29.05.2025 - Sat 31.05.2025
29.05.2025
-
31.05.2025

In 1995, South African visual artist, animated filmmaker, and theatre director William Kentridge created Faustus in Africa! with Handspring Puppet Company.

Informed by his deep commitment to the anti-apartheid struggle, the legendary play had Faust set out on safari and plunder the African land and people in his quest for knowledge and power. The performance was presented at one of the first editions of Kunstenfestivaldesarts. Now, 30 years later, Kentridge has reworked Faustus in Africa!, linking it to extractivism and politics in the new South Africa and globally. Sadly, the question posed by the original theatre classic remains relevant: are we willing to betray ourselves and make an ill-fated deal with the devil for short-term gain? The new script combines Goethe’s drama Faust with the irony of South African poet Lesego Rampolokeng. A new generation of performers brings to the stage a harmonious blend of theatre and world-class puppetry. James Phillips’ music underscores Kentridge’s stunning animations. A project and an artist that should not be missed at this 30th festival edition.

Credits

Presentatie | présentation | presentation Kunstenfestivaldesarts, KVS Regie | mise en scène | direction William Kentridge Regie assistente | collaboratrice artistique à la mise en scène | associate director Lara Foot Poppenontwerp en -regie | Conception et direction des marionnettes | puppetry director Adrian Kohler, Basil Jones (Handspring Puppet Company) Repetitieleider en poppenregie assistent | Direction associée des marionnettes et des répétitions | rehearsal director & associate puppetry director Enrico Dau Yang Wey Scenografie | scénographie | scenography Adrian Kohler, William Kentridge Animatie | Animation William Kentridge Poppenopbouw | construction marionnettes | puppet construction Adrian Kohler, Tau Qwelane Kostuumontwerp poppen | costumes marionnettes | puppet costumes Hazel Maree, Hiltrud von Seidlitz, Phyllis Midlane Speciale effecten | effets spéciaux | special effects Simon Dunckley Decorontwerp | Conception décor | set design Adrian Kohler Decoropbouw | Construction décors | set construction Dean Pitman pour Scene Visual Productions Decorschildering en -aankleding | peinture et habillage des décors | set painting and dressing Nadine Minnaar pour Scene Visual Productions Vertaling | traduction | translation Robert David MacDonald Additionele tekst | texte additionnel | Additional text Lesego Rampolokeng Muziek | musique | music James Phillips, Warrick Sony Geluidsontwerp | conception sonore | sound design Simon Kohler Lichtontwerp & productieleiding Éclairagiste et régisseur de production Lighting design & production management Wesley France Toneelmeester & video operator | régisseuse plateau et opératrice video | stage master & video operator Thunyelwa Rachwene Geluidsingenieur | régisseur son | sound engineer Tebogo Laaka Video controller | contrôleuse vidéo Kim Gunning Cast | Distribution Eben Genis, Atandwa Kani, Mongi Mthombeni, Wessel Pretorius, Asanda Rilityana, Buhle Stefane, Jennifer Steyn Quaternaire producers Sarah Ford, Roxani Kamperou, Emmanuelle Taccard De versie is 2025 is gemaakt door Quaternaire/Paris en opnieuw opgevoerd met de steun van de co-commissioner Festival d'Automne, Théâtre de la Ville | Recréation 2025 produite par Quaternaire/Paris avec le soutien du Festival d'Automne, Théâtre de la Ville | The 2025 version is produced by Quaternaire/Paris and restaged with support from the co-commissioner Festival d'Automne Coproductie | coproduction | co-production Kunstenfestivaldesarts, The Baxter Theatre Centre at the University of Cape Town, Centre d'art Battat, Printemps des Comédiens 2025, Domaine d’O, Fondazione Campania des Festival, Grec Festival, Thalia Theater De versie uit 1995 werd gemaakt door Handspring Puppet Company in samenwerking met | La version 1995 a été produite par Handspring Puppet Company en association avec | The 1995 version was produced by the Handspring Puppet Company in association with The Market Theatre, Art Bureau, Kunstfest, Standard Bank National Arts Festival, The Foundation for the Creative Arts, Sharp Electronics et Mannie Manim Productions FAUST I & II | FAUST I et II | FAUST I and II© het nalatenschap van | la succession de | the estate of Robert David Macdonald Robert David MacDonald's nalatenschap wordt vertegenwoordigd door | Robert David MacDonald’s estate est représenté par | Robert David MacDonald's estate is represented by Alan Brodie Representation, London Handspring Puppet Company wordt vertegenwoordigd door | Handspring Puppet Company est représentée dans le monde entier par | Handspring Puppet Company is represented by Quaternaire / Sarah Ford Ter herinnering aan | en mémoire de | in memory of James Phillips (1959-1995) Dank aan de ploeg van | remerciements à l'équipe du | thank to the team of Baxter Theatre Centre, William Kentridge Studio, Stefanie Carp, Carlo Daniels, Susan Ford, Paul Golub, Joël Gunzburger, Frie Leysen, Konstantinos Liopyris, Grace Lorenzo, Michael Morris, Herman Sorgeloos Met de steun van | avec le soutien de | with the support of l’Ammodo Foundation

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