The Performing Arts Centre of the Free State (Pacofs) is set to host the inaugural “Hae Lapeng” Concert on 25 March at the Sand du Plessis Theatre. The audience will be taken on a nostalgic journey exploring the meaning of home through song, dance, poetry, and monologues.
Hae Lapeng will be directed and curated by the newly appointed multi-award-winning playwright, producer, director, cultural activist, and curator, Napo Masheane.
“The Hae Lapeng Concert is an artistic buffet served on stage from our kitchen table; it offers a nostalgic taste, smell, feel, and sense of home through poetry, music, dance and drama. Touching on memory pages from our childhood will also allow us to artistically dream ourselves anew,” said Masheane.
The line-up is proudly made up of a majority of Free State-born artists, including the festival host, Scandal actress Mapaseka Koetle, also famously known for her social media skits “Moqoqo Friday”.
“For me, this is a full circle moment, I performed on the Pacofs stage during my high school days, and it was at that moment that I knew what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I am confident that this initiative will ignite a passion for the arts, in the hearts of many Free State children,” said Koetle.
According to Pacofs CEO, Themba Dlamini, the origin of humanity is home, ‘lapeng’.
“Hae lapeng is a place where everyone, irrespective of race, creed or religion, are nurtured in kindness and humbleness. Our ‘Hae Lapeng’ is our launching pad for artists and producers to strut their stuff in one of South Africa’s most prestigious performing arts centres,” said Dlamini.
The concert/festival will start at 18:00 and the line-up includes Amanda Black, Bondo, Kwena Peo and Tamara Dey to name a few. Tickets are sold on Webticket, the Pacofs Box Office and selected Pick n Pays at R150.
Compiled by Bonolo Moloi
