Harmonie’s first years have been excelling in all they do from the moment they set foot in the hallowed halls of our dear residence, so the fact that they managed to present a Toneelfees production all on their own comes as no surprise.  Thanks to Jamiela Abrahams (better known by her nickname, Jay) and her tiny but mighty crew of three girls, Harmonie was able to present a real showstopper put together in record time.

The Toneelfees is an annual theatre festival where University residences and PSO’s enter short plays they have written, directed and acted in themselves, and compete against each other in order to determine whose is the best. The theme for 2017 was “A Touch of Laughter” and Harmonie joined hands with Oude Molen to deliver their very own, one-of-a-kind production.

The play Jay and her cast presented was witty and amusing, and our lovely actors, Jean-Marie Malan, Femia Kamper and Ornilla Serage delivered a simple yet classic performance brimming with hidden nuances. If so much can be done with so little time and such few resources, just imagine the extravagant production that will be delivered next year!

It is easy for people to undermine the importance of events such as this festival. According to Jay, “the worst part is how downplayed Toneelfees is, it’s not taken seriously enough”. When asked what her experience of the entire process was, she replied that “it was fun and challenging. These kinds of events are important. It promotes campus involvement, especially amongst first years who want to do something worth the extra time and effort to tell a story on stage”. One such first year, Ornilla Serage comments that Toneelfees allows “a bunch of students to come together and do what they like. It’s very creative, it’s fun, it’s a way to meet people… There’s only good to be taken out of it”.

I for one am filled with great expectations as to what Harmonie will deliver in the years to come.

Ayden Kruger