The second Cape Town Buskers Festival adds a colourful exclamation mark to the Cape Town Fringe when it springs to life from 5-8 October

An array of local and international performers will be wowing the crowds at the V&A Waterfront, host venue to the second Cape Town Buskers Festival.

“It’s a light and lively festival with plenty for every kind of audience to enjoy. It was really well received by the crowds last year. We are looking forward to once again celebrating the freedom of expression, staggering skill and cheeky humour that the buskers bring,” says Cape Town Buskers Festival CEO Tony Lankester.

In many countries worldwide, busking is a respected performance career, yet it remains misunderstood in South Africa.

“Captivating busking takes real talent,” says Lankester.“Professional buskers know how to truly hold a crowd’s attention and a good performer will have the audience happily parting with their money – often as part of the act.”

The V&A Waterfront is leading the way for the professionalisation of busking with an active programme nurturing and supporting the local busking community.

Donald Kau, head of Communications for the V&A Waterfront, says: “Buskers are a distinct feature of the Waterfront and an important part of our continuous investment in developing artists. The Buskers Festival is an extension of our ongoing commitment to create platforms for buskers to showcase their talent, earn an income and have exposure to a new audience daily.”

Introducing this year’s international buskers

Shandy

Shandy (UK)

The one and only Shandy show is a highly visual, slick, sophisticated and funky fusion of street dance, mime and improvisational comedy. From acro-balancing, the Matrix and robotic masked mime to vocal beat-boxing street-locking, body-popping, costume changes and audience participation, this one-man funk-machine comedy mime show has it all and more!

Sharon Mahoney (Canada)

Sharon is your typical Canadian — polite, patriotic, apologetic and extremely passive-aggressive. But being an ambassador for such a country can be exhausting. With a little help from the audience, Sharon transforms into her more direct and domineering counterpart — Miss Tallulah—and shows what being libertine is all about.

Thelmo Parole (Spain)

A romantic warrior buffoon, Thelmo Parole revels in chaos and disorder, a lovably anarchic character skipping the fence from innocence to adversity. Creating epic poetry from tiny moments, this show combines classic cabaret clowning, circus and comedy with razor-sharp aesthetics to create a show not easily forgotten. You’ll laugh at Thelmo’s show—and laugh again when you remember it.

Victor Hugo Rubilar (Argentina)

With 18 international awards under his belt, five Guinness World Records and shows in 52 countries, Victor Hugo Rubilar not only entertain you but he will also amaze you with jaw-dropping world-class tricks. In October 2013, Victor Rubilar broke the Guinness World Record of the most R.A.F (rolls around the face) in a minute. The record was set at the Maltepe Park Mall in Istanbul, Turkey, and he managed the total amount of 35 R.A.F in one minute.

Local talent

Local buskers auditioned for the festival either in person or by submitting videos. The buskers who were selected for this year’s Cape Town Buskers Festival are:

  • Abikondela Marimba – marimba and instruments
  • Nku-Magic (Nkombuzo) – magician
  • Shifu Xiong – Kung Fu
  • Mazula – guitarists/singers
  • Cape Town Freestyle – soccer ball freestylers
  • Al Petersen – guitarist/singer
  • Reinhardt Buhr – brass band
  • Joe and the Ganga Muffins – guitar, mouth accordion
  • Street Kings – brass band
  • Siyazama Cultural – singers/dancers
  • Hlanganani Marimba – marimba band
  • Siyabuya Marimba – opera/marimba
  • Major Voices – singers/dancers
  • Didi and Julz – guitarist/violinist
  • Showman Entertainment – circus/acrobat and break dancing
  • AnecNote – a cappella singing
  • Mmino (Hajo) – band
  • Zenn Viljoen – looping
  • Kathryn Swain – guitarist/singer
  • Dylan Farred – guitarist/singer
  • Micaela Kleinsmith – guitarist/singer
  • Chico Muya – musician
  • Patrick and Patricia – musical duo
  • Paulo Costa – guitarist/singer
  • Angela Stuurman – musician
  • Brandon Sundae – guitarist/singer
  • AJ the Duo – musicians
  • Roxy – guitarist/singer
  • Joanne Cooper and Lebz – musician
  • Alanna Joy – guitarist/singer
  • Alta du Toit Afterschool Project – marimba
  • Brandvlei Stofskoppers* – dance, fancy footwork

*The costs of the travel and accommodation of the eight learners and guardian of the riel dans troupe Brandvlei Stofskoppers (who are from the Northern Cape) are being sponsored by Square Kilometer Array (SKA) South Africa.

Follow #CTbuskers17

  • #CTBuskers17

The Cape Town Buskers Festival is a project of the Cape Town Fringe, National Arts Festival and V&A Waterfront.