Boschendal is celebrating the plum harvest this month with a host of activities for the whole family to enjoy.
Since Lockdown levels shifted, several popular events have returned such as the Friday Night Markets, the rose garden picnics, wine tastings, and the Saturday Night Drive-In at The Werf helipad.
Added to the entertainment line-up will be special appearances by the Ukwanda Puppet Company from the Centre for Humanities Research (CHR) at the University of the Western Cape, together with CHR specialist artist-in-residence, Aja Marneweck.
On Saturday March 13 and Sunday March 14, the company will be presenting an exhibition of giant animal puppets, as well as a walking public performance with Net vir Pret, that is certain to enthral audiences of all ages.
This intimate performance event will feature life-size elephants, designed and created by Adrian Kohler and the Handspring Puppet Company team, who brought us the magnificent War Horse puppets seen in the epic production of the same name that premiered at the National Theatre in London, and also enjoyed a season at the Artscape Opera House in Cape Town.
The elephants that will be seen at Boschendal were originally part of the ground-breaking 2016 Barrydale parade and performance called Olifantland. There will be three life size rhinos on display and a life size eland, all created by the Ukwanda puppetry and design collective for the Barrydale parade.
On Sunday March 14, at noon, there will be a puppet walkabout through the grounds, and a short performance in front of the Boschendal Manor House titled Mnumzane, conceived and directed by Sipho Ngxola (Ukwanda Puppet Company, Centre for Humanities Research) and Angelo Endley (Net vir Pret), with puppeteers from both the Ukwanda Puppet Company. Mnumzane tells the story about a grumpy young bull elephant in search of food.
Puppet makers Herman Witbooi and Clarisa Jonas from Net vir Pret will also be holding a special puppet-making workshop for the Boschendal farmworkers children. For more information, visit www.boschendal.com
