About The Edge

Making the festival experience a little less scary...

This is the 12th consecutive year that The Edge (formerly Cape Town Edge) will provide a
home at NAF for independent artists creating fresh, innovative work.

The Edge was launched in 2006 by two theatre companies: FTH:K and Hearts and Eyes Theatre Collective. The goal was to help artists overcome some of the financial and logistical
difficulties of producing work on the ever-growing, increasingly expensive and competitive
NAF Fringe. Initially formed as a collective featuring Cape Town-based artists, in 2017 the
decision was made to broaden the identity of The Edge. With a new focus on independent
theatre in South Africa, and with hopes of fostering collaboration between artists from various parts of the country, The Edge expanded to include shows from artists beyond Cape
Town.

The Edge promotes an ethos of collaboration between participating companies – shared
resources, combined marketing, the creation of a welcoming home-base for artists and
audiences, and a support structure. Audiences and reviewers alike have come to expect quality work from the platform, with renowned arts journalist Adrienne Sichel describing it
as “that Fringe jewel".

From 2010 to 2018, 63 shows presented as part of The Edge have been eligible for Standard Bank Ovation Awards; 29 have won. These include 2 Gold Ovations, 9 Silver Ovations, 17 Ovations, and 1 Special Ovation.

As the first and longest-running collective venue at the National Arts Festival, The Edge
looks forward to 2018 being the 12th year of excellent Fringe theatre, offering a selection of
diverse, cutting-edge theatre from both new and seasoned independent theatre-makers.