The Ovation awards are awarded to outstanding professional work on the Grahamstown Fringe. The title of the production was changed from As Night Falls to Penumbra for Aardklop. The choreography is the handiwork of the talented dancer and choreographer, Nicola Haskins.

Penumbra explores the story of the enigmatic Helen Martins and her Owl House in Nieu-Bethesda. It offers an epatheic perspective on Martins as outsider-artists and on the ways in which her feelings, dreams and desires developed into an obsession with light, shadows and spirituality. The use of contrast between light and shadow, distance and closeness, violence and sensitivity not only emphasises the tension between Martins and her environment, but also the tensions within her psyche. Penumbra used images, dance and voice to create a captivating and visually compeling production. 

Second year drama student, Mdu Nlapo, took part in both Penumbra and in the dance production Anatomy of the Weather by The Matchbox Theatre Company at the Grahamstown festival. Anatomy was selected to perform at the Amsterdam Fringe Festival and was sponsored by the Fringe. Mdu recently returned from a successful run in Amsterdam. 

Date: 6 and 7 October
Time: 20h30
Venue: Totuissaal (Potchefstroom)
Ticket price: R50. Tickets are for sae at Computicket or at the Festival Office.