Mystical Menagerie

We're bringing a cast of sacred and surreal creatures to populate the town and your mind, including an eland, a quagga, and a Peruvian beauty queen. Most of them are very enthusiastic and open to suggestion - you can expect to see them putting in their time as elegant wing defenders during the netball match, as exotic arm-candy at the photo studio, as back-up singers in the cabaret and as the only reliable friends left to hold the trampoline you're bouncing on at 4 in the morning. We'll be bringing lots of supplies (SUPPLIES!) and creating more characters, out of discarded pieces and parts, at opportune moments throughout the weekend...

Can't wait!

- Taryn, Dylan and Natalie.

Pillow ssssnakes

"I have these weird toy-type things I make (no photo yet, unfortunately). They are pillows with strange snake covers, so it looks like a snake ate a pillow, thought about putting pillows in animal shapes in there but a bit weird, anyway, would like to make 3 or 4 for the weekend.

I thought an arb raffle could be cool - something like the answer to "what shouldn't little snakes eat?" the best or most interesting or most amusing answers win the three toys, the raffle would go on during the Saturday and the winners be announced at dinner or other event.

We have been rehearsing snake eating jokes..." - Erika and Marco

Lemon-aids and Ginger-beards

"With the excitement of all the physical going-ons, we thought the experience would not be complete without our own lemonade stand, serving ice-cold "lemon-aids" and moustached shaped ginger-cookies, or what I prefer to call, "Ginger-beards" to help beat off the thirst and nibbles and even maybe some heat.

A nice table with a red and white check tablecloth and other goodies, laden with refreshing goodies. Yes.

Lemonade to be served in a variety of old glass bottles (to be returned), iced and minted with corks and hand-painted red-crosses - Ginger-beards just loads of photo fun and nice to eat." - Erika and Marco

my father took this slide in Matjiesfontein years and years ago ( thats my sister and my mother at the caravan). It still looks exactly the same!

making magic at matjies

I can't wait to see Raffa and Simon's magic show! They tend to have all sorts of tricks up their sleeves most of the time so I can only imagine whats in store for Show 'n Tell. I just hope we all leave with all our limbs intact!

don't have any balls.....? make your own at matjies show 'n tell

"on saturday moring i'm gonna have a juggling-ball making workshop in the garden so everyone can make their own balls and some extra for the kids/people of matjiesfontein. we can use them at the workshop in the afternoon. i think i'll do a 5 minute demonstration of juggling and then we can get on with teaching anyone who wants to learn" - greg

Second call for soccer studs and netball nemeses:

Things are hotting up and we really need more players for soccer and netball matches scheduled against the local Matjies community teams. At this stage we're gonna stick to traditional gender roles (soccer for boys and netball for girls), although if our counterparts cooperate we may be able to organise a more mixed affair as well. No gender testing required just contact Adam if you're keen

Miss Fancy Dress

I am delighted to announce that Kirsty of the vintage clothing shop Akimbo will be joining us at Show 'n Tell. She is going to provide a variety of dress up clothes to contribute to our Darjeeling Ltd inspired photostudio shoot in the dining cart on Saturday night and will use her expert styling skills to help you look the part. Think indian kitsch meets 70's vintage elegance.... watch the film for inspiration!

Dutchess of karoo postal service - explained

" The word bank box will be provided, it's a play on magnetic poetry.
Blank pieces of paper will be there for anyone who wants to write more desired words to include in their poem-gram. People will just simply pick and choose words.
Paste them on paper provided, decorate their poem-gram, and write on the otherside to whom it must be delivered to, or to where.
Why not send it to room 421? or give a poem as a secret admirer.
It will be like a little art poetry corner for people to enjoy as an introverted yet interactive activity when they place it in the mailbox. Delivery times will be once a day :)

A mystery man will be employed by the dutchess of karoo postal service as postman. "
Athena and Chris

you're never too old for paper jets

Thanks to Marc for the awesome graphic

"I propose to fold paper jets and set them aflight from the hotel roof every morning between 10am and 11am...." - James Smith

wine and dine

In Matjies you can still eat out of the same old James Logan crockery.. get the same styled butter-balls your granny might have eaten in the Lord Milner Hotel in the good old days..
the menu is even still the same..

Note - if you are a fussy eater remember to pack your own snacks..

performances in the pink chapel

the program for saturday night's cabaret is shaping up. we've got everything from
live music and magic to comedy and poetry in motion.

"Unfortunately, due to work and another show that she is performing in on the
Sunday, Caely had to retract her lovely self from our ballet 'the menu'...
It is still a work in progress though and maybe next year it will be
something really special to bring forth...

That said, I am still keen to create and present, and have devised and
started on a new creation; a friend dale will be joining me in a
poetry/movement piece exploring the dimensions of male/female relationships." - alexi

newsflash
The 2009 Program in the Making has been updated!

play that funky music white boy

another one of our fantastic music matjies will be performing this year...andy jamieson.

Myself and super friend Libby are busy planning what we are going to put together. At present it looks like we are going to make a series of pumpkin faces and use the tasty bits to make pumpkin pies!! - Damien

Another Music Legend to add to the line up!

Guy Buttery will be performing at this year's Show 'n Tell. The musician's are really rolling in!

Mike in!

Hey Kiff Matjie People

I'm very keen to join the proceedings.

In terms of a creative contribution, I recently completed a vj/art film that I'd love to project over a huge wall to create colour, movement and texture. It's a silent film so needs to be accompanied by music. I'd like to collaborate with dj's or musicians on the weekend to add a visual element to their performance. The footage goes well with most musical styles. I've attached a few stills from the footage.

Rad!

Peas, luv, carrots.

Mike

"There are many advantages in puppets. They never argue. They have no crude views about art. They have no private lives"
-Oscar Wilde

who's your doll?

The Matjiesfontein POPPEKAS


"ek kannie wag nie, is baie opgewonde. as ons by die huis is moet ons begin beplan vir ons poppekas. ek het baie cool felt handpuppets in nepal gekoop, ek dink met almal (rory ek stef danna) se contributions gaan ons miskien 'n snaakse kombinasie van poppe he."

show them the money

the hotel is filling up! please remember that to guarantee your booking, the hotel staff need to receive the DEPOSIT for your room ONE MONTH before show 'n tell.

lastmanstanding (or woman indeed)

just a reminder that if you dance till you drop you may be met with cheers, not tears - as the lastmanstanding (or woman, indeed) competition is a touchy one and is taken very seriously amongst those dance-floor-folk that smudge the little town in shades of pink and electric green.

put your heads together

With only a month to go, all across the land matjies old and new are preparing for this year’s show ‘n tell. Sources tell us that some matjies have travelled to Japan to undergo gruelling training with the world champion air guitarist and have been living on two grains of sushi rice a day in the hope of being this year’s winner. While others have risked their lives and delved deep into the darkside of their armpits to bring you the surrealist magic show this side of the Klein Karoo. As we speak, one matjie is in a basement dusting off his grandpa’s harmonica and his tannie elsie’s broekies (don’t ask!) and another is building a cabaret stage with her writer’s blocks. So the question is... what have the rest of you freaks got up your sleeve?

boerrrrrenology

"i want to do a dj set in the bar called "boerenology" - working on a full-on "tik-tek-boere-kaapse-vlakte-rock-n-ragga-gedagte-billy" set vibe that will sock the party. think nico carstens meets die andwoord meets shaggy.........rembrandt van der ray"

darth vader loves penne arribiatta

the arribiatta massive who will be serving us a delicious lunch on the lawn on saturday sent this great movie clip of the death star canteen

"I would like to book for matjies. Two people. Myself and my girlfriend Eve. I would like to play a gig and I think she would to, with the Frown Family Karavan (her and Gustavo and Gene). If Gustavo cant make it she wants to do a puppet show instead. She has a drama degree, it’d be super rad." - Gary and Eve

The Gathering Station

"I'll be reading from my second novel, The Gathering Station. I'll have a small baby by then, and my husband will be coming too... I'll let you know his contribution as soon as, perhaps we'll dress up the baby and he can juggle her with some grapefruit while I read. Kidding... about the juggling part." Rachel and Julian

hello, ok so the big ol' tug-o-war die is cast, better start working out those biceps... losers face a forfeit, ta ta for now.

Photo Slideshow - Be part of it!

I posted here a while ago about the Photographic slideshow which I will be putting together from submissions from this years Matjies. I know it seems like there is plenty of time but it goes so quickly! So get in touch with me about this. Amateurs and professionals alike, all welcome.

Photo by Julia Merrett

play and display

"Hey!
We wanna come play and display!
We are dreaming of a Ballet, entitled:

The Menu

An exploration through song, dance and spoken word of
women's relationships to food and their bodies... it may even include some tasty treats!
Caely and Alexi "

"PS If two other performers are deliberating whether to join or not, how soon do you suggest we let you know?"
S'nT is limited to 100 max.. and the Lord Milner Hotel is the only accommodation in Matjiesfontein ( no camping )..
rooms are going Supppeer fast.. so the sooner the better ... going going.. soon GONE

last years pics :)

pictures from the adventures of last year

by clare louise thomas

Q'nA about S'nT

For the uninitiatited what is Matjiesfontein Show & Tell?
“Show ’n tell” is a platform for everyone’s creative explorations. The aim is for everyone to contribute in the old fashioned way: perform, play and present in the tiny town of Matjiesfontein over a weekend.
Matjiesfontein is a Victorian “edelgesteente” (gemstone) located in the semi-desert Karoo. In prehistoric times, it was an inland sea, where strange reptiles and fish. In its colonial heyday, the town attracted dandies, damsels and plain old roughnecks. It is one street long, belongs to one man and consist of a victorian hotel filled with real antiques.

How does it work?
Everyone that comes to the weekend has to come up with a creative contribution to present. You could sing a song, bake a cake, juggle grapefruit during breakfast, play chopsticks on the bar piano, dj, recite poetry, challenge a rabbit on the tennis court, exhibit you favorite things or tell a ghost story … “Show ’n’ tell” is not a commercial undertaking - all participants are responsible for costs, logistics and technical requirements of their contributions. There is no added charge to see any of the shows.

What kind of person does it attract - do most people contribute something?
The mix of people who come are generally from within various creative fields - designers, poets, actors, photographers, musicians, writers , architects - but the idea is not for it to be exclusive to professional artists only - we believe everyone has some creativity in them and Show 'n Tell wants to challenge people to express their creativity in an informal situation. People have to state their contributions to book accommodation, so yes, everyone contributes in some way.

Why Matjiesfontein?
The town is a declared heritage site - it has a rich history of entertainment, murder, mayhem and magic and one can feel the magic tapestry of gallantry, ghosts fact and fiction. The victorian buildings and antiques are well preserved and feels like a magic set waiting for something to happen. It’s isolated and forgotten in the semi desert - it is the perfect place to have a weekend of play and escapism.

interview between Dan Pinch and myself, 2007

sharing is caring

collecting matjies moments
Show'n Tell is four years old this year!!!

we are looking for all your photographs taken at previous weekends...
please email US all links to your facebook albums
or
send us your snaps and films and scans and comments..
or
Post your shots here
sharing is caring


"we will bring a little trampoline and get everyone jumping to show their true colours and take their photies to tell them what it is.
Annelie and Guiseppie" - Show'nTell 2008

"The weekend's madness and small acts of beauty and genius and hopefully a ghost or two... will be captured forever as Lois and Carmen have decided to film Show 'n Tell." - Show'nTell 2008

"Gonna do a Sockumentary/Frockumentary where i video various participants and their journey to the show n tell and send it out post the festival. " Geva Gur
P.S check the Getting There tab on the right for ideas how to get to Matjiesfontein


Polaroid by: Julia Merrett

"I want to come please...
Im thinking of doing something around african language and culture. this may look like getting people to practice clicks in skit form, it may include lessons on how to toyi toyi, still scheming....."
craig charnock

"I’d like to put forward an offering for the Show and Tell weekend for my partner and me. My offer is one of spoken word and my partner is offering to babysit" Nicole Moody