​​​​​​On the night of 16 November, a whole troupe of dancing cats will be let out of a brand new bag at the 2019 US Woordfees festival progamme launch in Stellenbosch.

The festival theme is “Young" because the Woordfees is turning 20 in 2019, and a 20-year old is a rambunctious youngster. That's why we are going to party all night long – just like we did in 1999, the year when it all started.

The big launch bash is  at the HB Thom Theatre (soon to be named the Adam Small Theatre) in Victoria Street with music, poetry, stand-up, theatre, dance and films. It starts at 22:00 and ends around 5:30 the next morning.

On the bill for this night of passion for the arts are, amongst others, the poets Bibi Slippers and Jolyn Phillips; stand-up with Shimmy Isaacs; party jams with Die Wasgoedlyn music collective; contemporary dance with Conway October, Yaseen Manuel en Ray Claasen, and an excerpt from the rip-roaring Bal-oog en Brommel with actors Richard September and De Klerk Oelofse. Andries Bezuidenhout, Danie Marais and Desmond Painter will also do Ladies and Gentlemen, Leonard Cohen – a tribute with acoustic versions of Cohen hits that sold out quickly at the 2018 Woordfees. Films will be shown continuously at the HB Thom Laboratoy. The festivities will end on a high and pure note the next morning with an organ recital by Zorada Temmingh at the Moederkerk.

Everybody is warmly invited to this variety concert of a launch party. Tickets are available through Computicket at R100 per person.

Come and be young and free together all through the hot summer night of 16 November.

For any further information, contact Danie Marais at danie_marais@sun.ac.za