What a wonderful word: Play. 

Play music. Play a role. See a play. Come play.

As another National ArtsFest now gently bubbles over into Schools Fest and Gtown simmers down to post-fantasia tired bliss, we've had the most balmy winter's day in weeks. Soft light, but clear and strong. Thin sweatshirt weather. Perfect! Even the sun came out to applaud and wave to the countless who performed here and the thousands who saw them.

And each one played in one way or another during their particular time and in their own way, in Grahamstown.

Adults don't play enough, I feel. Of anything. But thank goodness the creative playground that is ArtsFest at its core, provides the perfect play-boosting pill of remembrance that I swear hurtles something of your childhood;s wonder back into your grown-up consciousness. You can't come to festival and not be amazed! "Welcome to Amazing!" - the festival tagline. Trite but true! And all our truth as human beings can stretch its limbs and arch its back through play. So give yourselves festival one day. Do it next year. Live the dream! Even for a little. Remember. Feel it in your body - the glorious sense which French philosopher Pierre de Chardin describes as the realisation that "we are not human beings on a spiritual journey, but spiritual beings on a human journey." The experience of creation and creativity is the essential gift of being human for me.

This year at ArtsFest, every musical, theatrical, literary, cinematic and artistic genre and performance format was reprsented! PLUS. PLUS. PLUS. PLUS! In a single day you could have climbed to the highest peaks of innovative, mindful, entertainment and intellectual thought, and then sunk down into the blissful in-your-body-presence that only live music can bring. ArtsFest literaly feeds, coulours in and restores your heart back into the playful, excitable, positive, open vessel it was designed to be. And mine nearly exploded out of my chest this afternoon, when on ArtsBlog one of SunshiP's band ensemble gigs was described as "a gig that would have rocked any house in the world, including New Orleans."

To all my friends. Please read the full review on  http://www.artsblog.co.za/?p=1975 

Of all the things I've ever done in my entire life, this is my proudest moment yet. And it's these moments that it creates, which makes the Gtown National Arts Festival well and truly amazing indeed in deed!