First Fugard Festival in Nieu Bethesda (Reports and Reviews) (Viewpoint Essay‪)‬

The Fugard Festival held from 1-4 October 2009 in Nieu Bethesda drew over 500 visitors to the small Sneeuberg village. Not only were festinos treated to a rich and varied programme of art, theatre, music and film, but the seamlessly organized event, arranged chiefly by festival director, Reinet le Roux, gave credibility to the possibility that it will join the growing number of annual festivals on the South African calendar. Highlighting the opening ceremony on Thursday night, a message from South African playwright Athol Fugard, was read by his sister Mrs Glenda Swartz from George, who later presented several of her brother's literary prizes both to Nieu Bethesda and also to Middelburg, Cape, where he was born. Fugard who has been described as 'the father of South African theatre', first bought a house in Nieu Bethesda in 1970. Here he not only wrote a number of his plays, but also set them in the village, making famous some of its most colourful characters. The best-known of these is Helen Martins of the now famous Owl House in his play Road to Mecca. In his message, Fugard thanked the people of Nieu Bethesda and especially the people of Pienaarsig for "at least half a dozen of my plays". He particularly thanked local writer Idil Sheard, official translator of his work into Afrikaans, for initiating this new Karoo festival, adding, "It was in the Karoo that I discovered the Afrikaner in myself". Introducing Glenda Swart, Mrs Sheard further quoted Fugard as saying that it was their mother's sense of justice, right and wrong, and her belief in education and hard work, that had influenced him in everything he had written. In her address, Mrs Sheard made special mention of the donors, both local and others including the Owl House Foundation, the ATKV and BASA (Business and Art South Africa) whose contributions had made the festival possible.