Victor Mecoamere

Victor Mecoamere

Crime and criminality were dealt a thorough pounding from artists and residents at the 2008 Stop Crime Drama Festival.

The festival took place at Mmabatho in Mafikeng, North West, this week.

The anti-crime stage productions were written, directed and performed by youths from North West, with guest productions from the other provinces.

This, the 11th annual North West Showcase, assumed a higher, more meaningful level, quality and standard, thanks to the nation-building sponsoring and organising partnership of producers from Dramatists Against Crime, the Absa Foundation, North West Sports, Arts and Culture Department; Sowetan and the Aggrey Klaaste Nation Building Foundation, National Arts Council and North West police service.

Artists such as Thulani Didi, Tina Mnumzana, Monde Mayephu, Dieketseng Mnisi and Kere Nyawo helped to improve the standard and quality of the productions. Prizes were given for:

lBest actor, which was shared by Selekedi Kholiwe, Onkgopotse Segaloe and Lesego Tshikang;

lBest script went to author and director Matlaopane's play Lerato;

lBest director was scooped by Bucks Totwe for The Bees;

lBest production, Thula Thula, was penned and directed by Lucky Kgafela for the Rutanang Community Theatre from Tembisa, Gauteng; and

lThe most promising play went to Its Your Choice. The production was a group effort of the ZM Seatlholo Theatre Project from Lotlhakane in North West.

Cheka Daai Ding by the Mmabatho-based Sakhisizwe Theatre Productions took the ultimate festival prize. It qualified for a visit to the the National Arts Festival, sponsored by the North West sports, arts and culture department, in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, in June 2008.