‘Sari Sir’ at National Arts Fest invites audience to reflect on heritage

After three sold-out performances at University of Cape Town’s Little Theatre in November 2025, the dance drama Sari Sir will be featured at the National Arts Festival (NAF) in Makhanda from Friday to Sunday.

The 90-minute production narrates the toil and tribulations of Indian women brought to SA as indentured labourers from the 1860s.

Presented by Sharana Performing Arts and written, choreographed and directed by Saranya Devan, the production features students from UCT’s Centre for Theatre, Dance and Performance Studies.

Story audio is generated using AI Emerging Gqeberha artist Liam Tuffy is making his lifelong dream come true as he officially joins the lineup for this year’s SPAR Kirkwood Wildsfees. He will be performing from Friday through to Sunday. Festivalgoers can catch his energetic live shows across two different platforms, namely the ATKV Stage and the SA Tourism Main Stage. For Tuffy, landing a spot at the festival is the reward for years of hard work and big goals. “The feeling was absolutely unreal; I had to pinch myself a couple of times to come back to the realisation that I’ve been given the honour of being a part of this,” he said. “It was truly a dream come true, as it has been a long-term plan of mine to be a part of this festival.” The upcoming weekend is particularly special for Tuffy because he will be sharing the stage with the same music icons he grew up listening to. Tuffy’s love for music started early. He taught himself to play the drums, guitar and piano when he was just three years old. He describes his current style as a mix of pop, indie, rock and folk, but loves experimenting with new sounds. Though he has played instruments his whole life, Tuffy only realised he wanted to be a professional singer in April 2025. The feeling was absolutely unreal; I had to pinch myself a couple of times to come back to the realisation that I’ve been given the honour of being a part of this. He went to school in Cape Town before moving with his family to Gqeberha, where he attended Pearson High School. He said he was excited to use the festival to share his music with new communities and grow as a live performer. It is, meanwhile, all systems go for the 23rd annual festival as final preparations transform what was once empty land with newly planted grass into a bustling hub at the Sentraal-Suid Koöperasie, known as SSK Agriland. Running from Friday to Sunday, the region’s wildest family festival is set to benefit from a relatively mild winter weekend, with daytime temperatures reaching highs of 25°C. Thrilling live action will take place daily in the Sarah Baartman District Municipality Demo Arena, including precision herding displays by the JABAS Working Dog and Duck team, high-speed equestrian action from Horse Barrel Racing SA, and a specialised SANParks K-9 anti-poaching demonstration on Saturday afternoon. It was truly a dream come true, as it has been a long-term plan of mine to be a part of this festival. Families can also enjoy wild rides in the Family Play Park, all-day jumping at the Bubblehouse Bounce Park, and a chance to meet the festival’s official mascot, Kallie the Wildsfees kuDUDE, alongside popular kykNET celebrities. Festivalgoers can also look forward to browsing more than 300 specialist stalls selling handcraft, decor, clothing and freshly prepared delicacies, wine tastings at the kykNET WynPlein, or join the Isuzu team to test out their vehicles on the brand-new, purpose-built ISUZU Dry Dam 4x4 Track. Car enthusiasts can also view an exclusive display by the Eastern Cape Porsche Club on Sunday morning. More than 26 national stars will perform live on the giant SA Tourism main stage. Late-night festivities continue at the popular Lagerville beer tent, where partygoers can experience the epic Lagerville Laataand Partytjie on Friday night alongside Early B and Biggy, followed by another massive after-party on Saturday night featuring Dirk van der Westhuizen and Loufi. Gates open daily at 9am. Day passes are priced at R250 for Friday, R250 for Saturday, and R200 for Sunday, while a weekend package is available for R500. Tickets for children aged seven to 17 are priced at R120 per day or R250 for the weekend, while children under the age of seven enter for free. Pensioners aged 65 and older can access a special half-price rate of R100 on Sunday. Follow The Herald WhatsApp channel today and stay connected to the stories shaping our world. The Herald

Under Devan’s mentorship, the eight members trained intensively in both contemporary dramatic practice and the classical Indian dance form of Bharatanatyam, a first for the the non-Indian cast.

A specially recorded original score helps to keep audiences gripped from start to finish.

The title of the production resonates on multiple levels. The sari, a traditional Indian garment, symbolises joy, belonging, longing, protection, motherhood, memory and inheritance. It also embodies suffering, grief, confinement and silence.

Simultaneously, in Tamil, “sari” means “OK” — a word historically uttered with resignation. During the era of indenture, many Indian women were forced to respond to overseers with the subdued phrase: “Sari, Sir”. The production reclaims this with dignity and voice.

Mbali Mbatha Story audio is generated using AI For the first time in 34 years, the National Youth Jazz Festival (NYJF), which has been part of the National Arts Festival’s fabric since 1992, will not take place this year. Though an independent programme on the Makhanda National Arts Festival (NAF) lineup, the NYJF has long been central to audiences’ experience of jazz at the festival. NYJF director Alan Webster said that the organisation had been working to register as a public benefit organisation to broaden its funding eligibility and improve long-term sustainability — a process that had taken longer than expected. Until this process was finalised, Webster said, the NYJF would not be able to deliver a festival of the standard its artists and supporters expected. “For over 30 years, NYJF has been promoting the growth of our jazz by celebrating our heritage, encouraging artistic integrity and creativity and providing a unique collaborative opportunity for jazz musicians from around SA and the world.” He said the NYJF was saddened by its absence from the NAF and apologised to the jazz community. However, jazz lovers need not despair. Jazz remains firmly on the NAF programme, including the presence of Kids Love Jazz (KLJ), an initiative bringing a new generation of young people into the genre through its strong social media following and sold-out events across the country — a fitting inclusion as SA marks Youth Month. Despite the name, KLJ is not made up of children but rather youth ranging from teenagers and university students to young professionals and lifelong jazz enthusiasts. KLJ was founded by Kwanda Tangweni, who goes by Vuyo McGlad, alongside Banele Mhlanga and Vuyo Matiti in about 2024. The co-founders set out to challenge the perception that young people are disengaged from jazz. Through concerts, conversations, workshops and community events, Tangweni and his co-founders aim to meet young audiences where they are musically. “Over the years, we’ve worked with emerging artists and legends alike, creating experiences that connect different generations through a shared love of jazz,” he said. With the NAF’s long-standing reputation for world-class jazz and highly engaged audiences, KLJ faces the responsibility of maintaining that standard. However, Tangweni said the group viewed this not as pressure, but as an opportunity. He described KLJ as an outfit that delivered jazz in a way that was accessible and relevant to younger generations, while still respecting the genre’s rich traditions. “We are looking forward to introducing our perspective to a festival audience and hopefully showing that jazz has a vibrant future alongside its celebrated past,” he said. Since its inception, KLJ has built a growing following across SA, touring various cities. This year, the ensemble is expanding into Botswana, Eswatini and other territories within SA and the diaspora. Tangweni said this growth reflected a growing curiosity among young people about jazz and a desire for authentic cultural experiences, as well as a demand for spaces that celebrated the genre while engaging contemporary youth culture. “Our performance at the NAF will honour the legacy of jazz while highlighting the voices shaping its future. “We’re bringing together incredible musicians, compelling stories, and an atmosphere that reflects the spirit of the Kids Love Jazz movement,” he said. KLJ hopes audiences will leave the festival feeling inspired, entertained and excited about the future of jazz. Meanwhile, associate prof at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), Carlo Mombelli, who has regularly attended the NYJF, described it as an important platform he hoped would return to the NAF soon. He recalled how the festival had nurtured emerging talent and created opportunities for artists to connect with established figures in the jazz community. “I have seen it each year. The NYJF was instrumental in the careers of Shane Cooper, Ayanda Sikade, Thandi Ntuli and the list goes on. “It’s a place of inspiration and growth,” Mombelli said. Many of these artists have gone on to build successful careers. NAF chief executive Monica Newton also expressed disappointment at the absence of the NYJF, describing it as an important partner programme for musicians. She said the NYJF had played a significant role in enriching both artists and audiences over the years. “What we do know is that this is a short break and we still have jazz woven into the festival programme,” Newton said. In addition to KLJ, this year’s festival will feature performances by 2026 Standard Bank Young Artist for Jazz winner Gabi Motuba, as well as a concert by Concord Nkabinde, the 2006 recipient of the same award. On the Fringe, audiences can also look forward to jazz offerings including Liso the Musician with Isibane, and Spha and the Band Presents, Usizolwethu (The Musical Journey to Self Love), among others. Follow The Herald WhatsApp channel today and stay connected to the stories shaping our world. The Herald

Devan expressed pride at bringing Sari Sir to the NAF stage. “This work honours the emotional and physical trials endured by Indian women transported to South African sugar plantations in the late 19th and early 20th centuries,” she said.

“Their stories of displacement, cultural dislocation, gendered vulnerability and perseverance unfold through expressive choreography, rhythmic storytelling and symbolic use of costume and gesture.

“At the same time, the work celebrates Bharatanatyam as a living archive, a tradition that travelled across oceans and continued to breathe through women who remembered songs, gestures, rhythms and devotions, even when the world around them demanded that they forget.”

Story audio is generated using AI Nelson Mandela Bay thespians were in for a treat as a highly acclaimed father-and-daughter duo brought their two critically acclaimed one-hander plays, Netphlix and The Beta Man Alphabet, to the Isithatha Theatre on Monday evening. The productions by multi-award-winning comedian Sophie Joans and her father, David Schmidt, were performed at the 2025 National Arts Festival (NAF) and will also be performed at the 2026 NAF. Joans said her return to Gqeberha was made even more special by not only bringing her production, Netphlix, but also by being accompanied by her father, who at the age of 65 in 2025 wrote his first theatre production, The Beta Man Alphabet, an autobiographical play. Fresh from winning a prestigious Standard Bank Ovation Award at the 2025 National Arts Festival, Netphlix joins Joans’ debut play Île, which won the same award in 2022. The play went on to be nominated for Best Female Solo Performer at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland in 2023. Joans says her latest production takes on the online streaming conglomerates to restore the ancient art of live storytelling. “I think people sometimes do not realise how wonderful theatre is and how good it is for us as a society. “Like when you leave a really good play and you feel touched. “However, trying to get people to come to a play can sometimes be tricky and that was a dilemma. “Here you had people that were highly skilled at telling stories on stage. “Then five years down the line they have not made a story in years because they have been hustling, going to auditions, hoping to get cast in a Netflix series. I think people sometimes do not realise how wonderful theatre is and how good it is for us as a society. “I myself found myself auditioning for a big Netflix show. I did not get it, so I decided if Netflix did not want me, I would put myself in Netphlix. “The ‘h’ is silent so that I do not get sued for copyrights. I thought it would be a fun exercise of storytelling and live performance to see how many Netflix shows I could act out in an hour,” Joans said. She said the production was a satire, a call to arms to save the state of the arts. “I think my production is definitely a comedy, after performing the show as well as the reception for my shows over the years, and stemmed from deep authenticity, the audience feels seen and relates.” Joans said she was proud of how her father got her into theatre and how she had since developed to direct his production. “Out of all the shows that I have won awards for, my dad’s play is what I am most proud of. “When I was young, I had a dad who loved to read me stories and took me to the National Arts Festival [then Grahamstown Arts Festival]. He, in turn, had a father who prized culture, knowledge and education. “When I was 24, I wrote my first autobiographical play. Though he works as a strategy consultant, he has always been an artist at heart,” Joans said. Schmidt said his venture into the performing arts proved that it was never too late to follow one’s passion. The Beta Man Alphabet is a poetic, emotionally charged one-man show that speaks to the heart of change, both personal and political. Set against the backdrop of an SA in the 1980s, this performance explores identity, legacy and memory through the lens of a man navigating his own history. “I guess I have always been somewhat of a creative, though it has never been my day job,” Schmidt said. “I attended Joans’ course on how to write a one-hand play. In a way this play emerged from that. “I performed an extract and before I knew it, I had a play that I wrote last year. “I took it to the NAF last year for the first time and I was very nervous, because I was a late bloomer, I had never performed in a play before. “It was welcomed and invoked emotions. “The story is about my journey about schooling in apartheid SA, the 1980s’ resistant years where I was very involved in the politics of the time, the resistance of the time, to our transition,” Schmidt said. Follow The Herald WhatsApp channel today and stay connected to the stories shaping our world. The Herald

A story of Indians told through non-Indian South African bodies, Sari Sir invites audiences to reflect on how heritage transforms, adapts and survives in migration. It asks: what do we inherit, what do we carry and what do we choose not to lay down?

The performance stands as a tribute to women whose names are rarely recorded yet whose strength shaped generations. It is a gesture towards healing.

Bookings can be made via https://tickets.nationalartsfestival.co.za/en.

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