Let’s do this in numbers: Dylan Hitchens and Simon van Wyk, the TWO musicians that make up musical stand-up act The Brothers Streep, mark their return to the 42nd National Arts Festival for the FIFTH time with THREE shows by writing a song about 76 shows on the programme this year!

We love this witty take on a line-up that promises something for everyone, and gives you excellent reasons to #MakeThisTheYear to come to Grahamstown and enjoy #11DaysOfAmazing.

Watch now

Come Book A Show

Words and Music by
DYLAN HICHENS AND SIMON VAN WYK

There is so much to see at the Grahamstown Festival
It’s very hard to know which shows are the best of all
The programmes very long and you don’t know if you
can trust the mighty journalism of the Cue

The streets are full of flyers and posters on walls
Every show declares that they have won some random award
Might think you’ve booked to see a Shakespeare deconstruction
then sit down to realise you have booked a School Production

To watch a gripping drama or some comedy?
Interpretative dance or modern poetry?
A musical, some magic, or a cabaret?
Or the ramblings of a mad man someone’s called a play

We know it can be daunting making a good call
You’d rather eat and drink and shop and see nothing at all
You might think that’s a better use of Festival time
After all, who needs the theatre when you’ve got gluhwein?

But you’re wrong
there’s so much on!

Come book a show, and sit front row
If you don’t give it a try
you’ll make Tony Lankester cry
Come book a show, it’s worth the dough
You’ve travelled all this way
you should see 10 new shows each day

Guy Buttery, Tigerlily, Agony**, Unfair Lady
Ghost House, Ghost Story or Ghost Town
Tapping Hearts, Private Parts, Boet ‘n Swaer & Tarynne Swarts
Black Dog-White Cat, Death of a Clown

Dead Yellow Sands, Sleepwalkingland, Gl(o)ry, Gluten Free, Hatchetman
How Did I Get Here?, Die Huweliksaansoek
Rob van Vuuren’s Life, Mr Right Swipe, One Man One Light, Finding Upright
I Came, I Taught, I Left, B!*ch Stole My Doek

Deer Breeder, Butlers and Broadway
In Good Taste, Sold!, Blue, Purple Rain
Fantastical Flea Circus
We, Conversation with myself

Come book a show, and sit front row
Celebrate diversity and
see just how much you can see
Come book a show, it’s worth the dough
If you like it tell your friends
and maybe go see it again

Semi-gloss***, Suggestion Box, Whistle Stop, The Last Drop
Hairy Potter and the Stoned Philosopher
Continuum, Kontinuum, Camp Carrawak, Chris Chameleon
Don’t Burn Your Sausage, Cock, Big Boys the Third

The Kiffness, Prime Circle, Plebs, You
Suck: and Other Inescapable Truths
Have You Seen Zandile?, Pay Back the Curry
Animal Farm, Everybody’s Gone****, If the World was Listening, Inside the Sound
Sweet Phoebe, Johnny Boskak’s Feeling Funny

A Man and a Dog, Paintings and Glass
The Plothole, Comedy Masterclass
Gym and Tonic, Art & Wine
Kafka’s Ape, Dani & the Lion
Sleepless Misery and Dreams
Dangled, 10 Days in a Shebeen
Henrietta with Love Factually
And three shows with The Brothers Streep*

Come book a show, and sit front row
Take selfie on the go
and give your Facebook friends FOMO
Come book a show, it’s worth the dough
Take a risk, enjoy the challenge
If it’s bad, it’s just raw talent
Come book a show!

* You can catch the musical stand-up duo Dylan Hichens and Simon van Wyk in the following shows:

• Stand-Up Musicians Plugged – The Brothers bring their full band to the festival for the first time in this re-imagining of their original sell-out Grahamstown Festival Show. Experience their musical comedy classics in a fun new way in this suitable for the whole family hit.
• Same Streep Different Day – Dylan and Simon are back with their latest show featuring songs about life, love and loadshedding.
• Watts Up With Streep: A Panel Show – Join musical comedians Derick Watts and the Sunday Blues and The Brothers Streep in a hilarious panel show where they battle it out for the title of funniest comedy duo at The National Arts Festival. Don’t miss this fresh and unpredictable fight to take home the ultimate made-up award.

Please note:

** The production Agony has been cancelled.

*** Semi-Gloss, created and curated by Francois Knoetze with performers from the Via Kasi Movers and the Phezulu Stilt Walkers, is a public art free event, which will be held on 1 to 5 July. No booking required.

**** The film Everybody’s Gone has been replaced by The Gold Fish.

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