Kannas celebrate excellence at KKNK 2024

KKNK Kannas

Exceptional artistic contributions at this year’s KKNK, sponsored by Absa, were celebrated at the Kannas on Thursday 9 May. 

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The KKNK’s Kannas were awarded during a glamorous event at Leopard’s Leap Wines on the outskirts of Franschhoek. Veteran journalist and stand-up comedian Marianne Thamm was the presenter. 

Die stoele, Eugène Ionesco’s tragic farce, directed by Marthinus Basson, received three awards. This debut was crowned as Best Theatre Production, with Chris van Niekerk and Antoinette Kellermann respectively crowned as Best Male and Best Female Performer in a Leading Role for their performances in this production. Kellermann also received the award for Best Female Performer in a Supporting Role for her performance in Philip Rademeyer’s Goed wat wag om te gebeur. Goed wat wag om te gebeur

Rademeyer received the Kanna for Exceptional Literary Contribution for his script Goed wat wag om te gebeur.

Karoo Kaarte's latest theatre production and site-specific drama, Die Swartmerrie, was crowned as Best Debut at the KKNK and Neil Coppen as Best Director for this production.

The cast of the experimental drama, Monsters, was crowned as Best Ensemble, whilst Jaco Bouwer received the Kanna for Exceptional Technical Contribution for his overall design of the debut drama, Patmos.

Eldon van der Merwe, this year also honoured with the Kunste Onbeperk Prize for Young Voice, was crowned with the Kanna for Best Male Performer in a Supporting Role for his performance in Roem: ’n Musiekverhaal, a musical by Deon Meyer and Coenie de Villiers.

Vier Panado’s en ’n Chardonnay with Elzabé Zietsman and Tony Bentel on stage, received the Kanna for Best Music Production. Richard Specs Ndimande and Dineke Orton received the Kanna for Best Achievement in Visual Arts for their group exhibition, Becoming Animal.

Karli Heine was crowned with the Kanna for Best Lucky Pakkie Production, whilst the Magnet Theatre’s Bounced was awarded as Best Children’s Theatre Production.

A new Kanna gives recognition to this year’s bigger offering of comedy at the KKNK and the 2023 US Première Theatre Festival’s farce, Su’walla Kassam, was awarded as Best Comedy Production.

Angelique Filter was crowned as Best Emerging Artist or Newcomer for her script, direction, and performance in The Old Man Who Thought He Had a Dog, another production of the US Première Theatre Festival in 2023.

Dawid van Eeden received the Kanna for Exceptional Technical Service to the KKNK. Van Eeden was part of the first KKNK’s planning team and over the years not only ensured that there were no power supply problems at the venues and that sets were set up on time, but has also shared his years of experience with young emerging technicians annually. 

Various Special Kanna Awards were also awarded during the function. The dance production, Set in motion, by Figure of 8 Dance Collective, recipient of the Kunste Onbeperk Prize for a Young Voice in 2020, was awarded with the Herrie Prize for a groundbreaking multi-sensory experience. Willem Anker received the Special NATi Prize for his contribution to progressive work of high artistic value for his adaptation and translation of Han Kang’s Die vegetariër and the newly written drama, Patmos. Kobus Spies was honoured with the Kanna for Special Service to the KKNK for his long-standing involvement and support of Visual Arts at the KKNK.

Crispin Sonn, Chairman of the KKNK’s Board from 2017 to 2024 and Ismail Mahomed, Board Member of the KKNK from 2017 to 2024, each received a Special Kanna. Both Sonn and Mahomed’s terms on the Board of the KKNK come to an end in 2024. 

This year’s very special artworks are a collage from the KKNK’s award-winning Karoo Kaarte project, created by Oudtshoorn artists. These artworks are compiled from Oudtshoorn stories that have not been documented in the past and now form part of a living archive, created by this project since 2021.

The 2024 independent Kannapaneel was Felicia Lesch (convenor), Frazer Barry, Amelda Brand, Diane de Beer, Ilza Roggeband, Marianne Thamm and Haddad Viljoen. 

The 29th KKNK, sponsored by Absa, is presented in Oudtshoorn from Tuesday 1 to Sunday 6 April 2025. For more information, visit kknk.co.za or contact 044 203 8600, info@kknk.co.za or send a WhatsApp to 065 285 2337.

The complete list of Kanna winners is: 

Kanna for Best Emerging Artist or Newcomer, sponsored by Ton and Anet Vosloo
Angelique Filter (The Old Man Who Thought He Had a Dog – script, direction, and performance)

Kanna for Best Achievement in Visual Arts, sponsored by Absa 
Richard Specs Ndimande and Dineke Orton – Becoming Animal (group exhibition) 

Kanna for Best Ensemble, sponsored by Wicus Pretorius
Monsters

Kanna for Exceptional Technical Contribution, sponsored by Herotel
Jaco Bouwer (Patmos – design)

Kanna for Exceptional Literary Contribution, sponsored by NATi
Philip Rademeyer – Goed wat wag om te gebeur

Kanna for Best Production: Music, sponsored by Castle Lager
Vier Panado’s en ’n Chardonnay

Kanna for Best Production: Theatre, sponsored by the Het Jan Marais Nationale Fonds
Die stoele

Kanna for Best Production: Lucky Pakkie, sponsored by Glenwood Travel  
Karli Heine

Kanna for Best Production: Children’s Theatre, sponsored by the ATKV
Bounced

Kanna for Best Production: Comedy, sponsored by Checkers
Su’walla Kassam

Kanna for Best Debut, sponsored by Franklin and Joan Sonn
Die Swartmerrie

Kanna for Best Male Performer in a Leading Role 
Chris van Niekerk – Die stoele

Kanna for Best Female Performer in a Leading Role
Antoinette Kellermann – Die stoele

Kanna for Best Male Performer in a Supporting Role 
Eldon van der Merwe – Roem: ’n Musiekverhaal

Kanna for Best Female Performer in a Supporting Role 
Antoinette Kellermann – Goed wat wag om te gebeur

Kanna for Best Director, sponsored by Crispin and Lisa Sonn 
Neil Coppen – Die Swartmerrie

Die Herrie Prize
Set in motion

Special NATi Prize
Willem Anker

Special Kanna for Service to the KKNK 
Kobus Spies

Kanna for Exceptional Technical Service to the KKNK
Dawid van Eeden