South Africa Theater Reviews Page 2

Review: LA TRAVIATA at Artscape Is a Visual and Audial Masterpiece
by Jaime Uranovsky - October 28, 2023

LA TRAVIATA needs little introduction. As one of Verdi’s most famous operas, it has moved audiences since the mid-1800s. This production, presented by Cape Town Opera and UCT Opera is no different. Indeed, the show is best described as a sensory overload (in the best way) from start to finish....

Review: OF LOSS: HANDLE WITH CARE at Baxter Theatre Centre Is Experimental, Jarring, and Powerful
by Jaime Uranovsky - October 21, 2023

OF LOSS: HANDLE WITH CARE interrogates the ramifications of the continued exhibition of stolen African artefacts in museums around the globe. What consequences does this have on the collective and individual psyches of African people and communities? What would restitution look like? Is it even poss...

Review: ORPHANS at Baxter Theatre Centre Is Powerful, Hilarious, and Heartbreaking
by Jaime Uranovsky - October 21, 2023

ORPHANS, while originally set in North Philadelphia, is seamlessly transplanted to Woodstock in Cape Town. This production tells the tale of brothers Treat and Phillip, two adult orphans who have lived alone in their house on Gympie Street, since their mother died in their early childhood....

Review: UP ON THE ROOF – THE CAROLE KING SONGBOOK at Theatre On The Bay Is a Mellow, Melodic Celebration of Sisterhood
by Jaime Uranovsky - October 15, 2023

When I slumped into the Theatre on the Bay on last week, I admit that I was not in the highest of spirits. The heaviness of the world just felt like a bit too much and, in all honesty, I wasn’t particularly in the mood to leave the comfort of home. But I’m so, so grateful that I did: This show feels...

Review: WHEN THE DEAD ARRIVED at the Milnerton Playhouse Poses Dark Questions about Humanity
by Jaime Uranovsky - October 07, 2023

All I knew when I stepped into the theatre to see WHEN THE DEAD ARRIVED was that it included a warning that the show contained blood – a lot of blood. As a rule, I’m a sensitive viewer and I stay away from anything even slightly horror related. Suffice to say, I went in knowing that this production ...

Review: THE PROMISE at The Homecoming Centre Will Satiate and Haunt Audiences
by Klara van Rooyen - September 28, 2023

Now and then, the stars align in theatre. The funding meets the vision, the performers meet the text, and the text resonates with its audience. THE PROMISE is an example of such a monumental moment in South African theatre....

Review: COSI at Theatre On The Bay is This Year's Production from LAMTA
by Faeron Wheeler - September 26, 2023

I'm always excited to see the LAMTA yearly productions - you get a glimpse into who will be hitting the industry in the not-too-distant future. This year's play was COSI, written by Louis Nowra and directed by Chris Weare....

Review: A VEGAN KILLED MY MARRIAGE is Hilarious and Punchy at The Baxter Golden Arrow Studio
by Faeron Wheeler - September 26, 2023

I'll admit, the title A VEGAN KILLED MY MARRIAGE had me immediately. I also know I love to watch Aaron McIlroy on stage - he is hilarious. I then discovered that writer director Craig Freimond was responsible for some films that I really enjoyed - and I could not wait to see this one at the Baxter. ...

Review: Cape Town Opera's TOSCA is Lush and Transportive
by Klara van Rooyen - September 17, 2023

What did our critic think of TOSCA at Cape Town Opera?...

Review: DELELA is Cheeky and Disrespectful in The Best Way
by Faeron Wheeler - September 12, 2023

The word 'delela' means cheeky, rude, disrespectful or out of line - and I couldn't think of a more fitting title for this production and the subject matter. It's a brilliant piece of satire that points the finger and pokes fun at the world of vanity philanthropy....

Review: SAME TIME, NEXT YEAR is a joyous romp at Theatre On The Bay
by Faeron Wheeler - September 07, 2023

What did our critic think of SAME TIME, NEXT YEAR at Theatre On The Bay? Sometimes you just need a really good laugh - and that's exactly what SAME TIME, NEXT YEAR delivers. It's a joyous production with excellent comic timing from the two actors and some beautiful nuances layered in by director Chr...

Review: THE WAITING GAME Is on at The Masque Theatre
by Jaime Uranovsky - August 28, 2023

THE WAITING GAME, a new show set to music and dance, is currently showing at the Masque Theatre, after its debut at the Wave Theatre in Cape Town. The production, which has a large cast (18 people), tells a new story while using songs from existing musicals (and changing the lyrics where necessary)...

Review: ROUND OF APPLAUSE: SOUTH AFRICA STILL STANDING WITH MARIANNE THAMM at the Baxter Theatre Centre Traces Current Affairs with Wit, Intelligence, and Optimism
by Jaime Uranovsky - August 21, 2023

There are few who can claim to know South African goings-on like veteran investigative journalist, columnist, author, satirist, stand-up comedian, and Associate Editor of the Daily Maverick, Marianne Thamm does. There are even fewer who can remain optimistic while knowing what they know....

Review: Jonathan Roxmouth Nails Perfect Pitch in KEY CHANGE
by Klara van Rooyen - August 19, 2023

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Review: THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF LEENANE is deliciously wicked at The Baxter
by Faeron Wheeler - August 08, 2023

What did our critic think of THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF LEENANE at Pam Golding Theatre At The Baxter?...

Review: ON THE TABLE Is a Tantalising Smorgasbord of Talent, Comedy, and Pathos
by Jaime Uranovsky - August 05, 2023

“If music be the food of love, play on” –  and Bonny White does: her beautiful soiree of songs, involving nine knock-out performers and a fabulous accompanist, is a feast to experience. What makes ON THE TABLE so great is that most of the songs are not well known – they are not the ‘before-interval’...

Review: DUDE! WA'S MY BAKKIE? Makes a Pit Stop at the Baxter Theatre
by Klara van Rooyen - July 26, 2023

It can be challenging to go to the theatre on cold winter evenings. Between dark roads caused by load shedding and the come-hither look of a cosy bed, it’s hard to venture out these days. However, there are some shows that will warm you up with their comedy, and DUDE! WA’S MY BAKKIE? is a tough riva...

Review: One act comedy AUNT ZELDA'S PAINTING presented by Milnerton Players
by Faeron Wheeler - July 28, 2023

What did our critic think of AUNT ZELDA'S PAINTING at Milnerton Playhouse? AUNT ZELDA'S PAINTING is a one-act romp with aspects of farce and a whole lot of heart. It's presented by Milnerton Players at the Playhouse, and runs until Saturday 5 August....

Review: TWELFTH NIGHT at the Masque Theatre Boasts an Ensemble Cast of Dreams
by Jaime Uranovsky - July 12, 2023

TWELFTH NIGHT is, without a doubt, my favourite of all Shakespeare’s plays. It is, probably for this reason, also the Shakespeare play I have had the honour of watching the most times. Despite this, I have never emerged from this play feeling like I have seen a repeat of the same production....

Review: EDUCATING RITA at Theatre on the Bay Provides an Intimate Slice of Life
by Jaime Uranovsky - July 13, 2023

EDUCATING RITA is one of my all-time favourite plays. Willy Russel’s rich script is a lush playground for the two actors lucky enough to inhabit his words. The story is not unlike PIGMALION or MY FAIR LADY in some ways: Rita, a young Liverpudlian woman, working as a hairdresser in the 1980s, seeks ...

Review: CINDERELLA (CENDRILLON) at Artscape Opera House Is a Magical Blend of Opera, Ballet and Dialogue
by Jaime Uranovsky - July 05, 2023

Everyone has been acquainted with the story of CINDERELLA in some way, shape or form. What not everyone has experienced is this timeless tale told through a mixture of opera, ballet and acting. Indeed, this self-aware adaptation of Pauline Viardot’s chamber opera CINDERELLA (CENDRILLON), presented b...

Review: VINTAGE DUKEBOX at Theatre on the Bay Dazzles with 1920s Glamour, Talent and Fun
by Jaime Uranovsky - June 20, 2023

Whenever I have the privilege of attending a LAMTA show, I just know that I am going to be blown away – it is inevitably the highlight of that week for me and for whichever lucky friend or family member has successfully vied for the plus-one ticket....

Review: THE VISIGOTHS is a chilling exploration of abuse at Baxter Masambe Theatre
by Faeron Wheeler - June 13, 2023

No story about abuse is easy to watch or engage with, and writer-director Louis Viljoen doesn't shy away from true depravity of the situation in THE VISIGOTHS. It's a disturbing and chilling dive into how humans can break each other, shatter our psyches into little jagged pieces....

Review: Pieter-Dirk Uys proves once again that he is the master of satire and characterisation in SELL-BY-DATE
by Faeron Wheeler - May 25, 2023

Pieter-Dirk Uys knows just how to tap into our fears and our challenges, and make us laugh at them. SELL-By-DATE does exactly that....

Review: THE PEARL FISHERS at Artscape Is Visually and Vocally Exquisite
by Jaime Uranovsky - May 12, 2023

Cape Town Opera’s production of Bizet’s THE PEARL FISHERS is a feast for the senses. The staging is minimal yet ethereal and allows the audience to float gently along the azure waters suggested onstage....