Jaime Uranovsky - Page 2

EARTHSIDE, written and performed by Candice Bernstein and directed by Jennifer Steyn, is a deeply personal exploration of the duality of love and loss. In this brave autobiographical production, Bernstein shares the grief of losing various figures in her life, including her indomitable grandfather, while simultaneously celebrating her pregnancy and the birth of her first child.

Cape Town is blessed with a rich array of theatre, much of which provokes thought, evokes deep feelings and holds a mirror up to society. Very rarely, however, a piece of theatre transcends even that – it is a spiritual experience of sorts. You feel changed by it. This is how I feel about UNRULY – it is more than a piece of theatre to me. It is an experience that I will forever hold dear and one which, to me, is theatre in its purest form.

LAMTA has done it again with BEYOND: A FANTASY CIRQUE EXPERIENCE. This gorgeous, cirque variety show is packed with awe-inspiring numbers by a range of choreographers: Anna Olivier, Ashley Searle, Gain Collective, Duane Alexander, Jared Schaedler, Jasmine Minter, Michelle Reid, Naoline Quinzin, the Outlore and Robin van Wyk.

Directed and designed by Fred Abrahamse, BLOOD AND SILVER brings the fascinating memoir of Jan Glazewski to life. Glazewski, beautifully portrayed by David Muller, is born to Polish refugees who fled their home-country on the cusp of WWII, eventually settling in Paarl. Before Glazewski’s parents escaped Poland, however, they buried the family silver in the lush forests of their homeland. “The family silver” becomes both legend and birthright, the story of which is passed down to the Glazewski siblings, together with a hand-drawn map.

LA RONDE, originally written by Arthur Schnitzler at the tail end of the 1800s and first performed in the early 1900s, exhibits ten interlinking scenes, each depicting a different sexual encounter. The tones of the scenes vary from sweet and endearing, to passionate, to violent. Some, in fact, depict sexual assault as opposed to sex.

BEGARRED IN SA, written by Stewart Clarke, is the true story of Clarke’s experience of homelessness. Directed by Gideon de Wet and starring Sean Higgs, this one-man show is an intimate examination of the mental, physical, emotional, social and psychological effects of living on the street.

I didn’t know what to expect when I went to watch Majika, having not observed much magic since birthday parties circa the early 2000s. However, from start to finish I was mesmerised, with my mouth often hanging open, in awe of the impossibilities of what I had just witnessed.

Everyone and his mother has seen JOSEPH – it’s an Andrew Lloyd Webber classic. I myself, have seen the show live five times – including school, community theatre, and professional productions (Never mind the Donny Osmond version that we hired on VHS when I was a little girl and which the show’s composer graciously made available to stream for free in 2020, when we were all bored out of our minds while COVID raged outside). Why then, after so much JOSEPH do you need to see this production?

AIDA, long celebrated as one of Verdi’s most moving tragic operas, has been performed regularly since 1871 .This adaptation, however, is like nothing you have seen before. Set in 3025, this ethereal production draws on futuristic and visually breathtaking elements, rendering this production out of this world.

I am continuously mesmerised by theatre-makers’ abilities to deliver fresh and novel adaptations of Shakespeare plays. This feminist, gender-swapping retelling of HAMLET is such an adaptation. It is sublime – one of the best shows I have ever seen at the Masque Theatre.

A show at the Masambe Theatre is always an intimate experience, by virtue of the size of the theatre. MRS MITCHELL COMES TO TOWN, however, is intimate in more ways than one.

One of the world’s most adored musicals has arrived in Cape Town – and it’s “lover-ly”. From start to finish, I was absolutely mesmerised by MY FAIR LADY. There is not a second of this show that isn’t pitch-perfect, aesthetically gorgeous, or choreographed in a unique and eye-catching way.

In December 2022, I had the honour of seeing Veronica Paeper and Cape Town City Ballet’s THE NUTCRACKER. The same talented production team returns this season to stage this timeless ballet again. The result is just as beautiful as when I watched it two years ago. While this year’s production takes place in the Theatre rather than the larger Opera House, the production does not lose any of the magic from the 2022 production.

ALL MY EX LOVERS ARE DEAD is part confessional, part intimate chat with a good friend. Written and directed by Dara Beth, this one-woman show is “an all too honest, mostly autobiographical reflection on love, desire, poor life choices, and how many cups of tea it takes to wake up and smell the coffee”. The production stars Qondiswa James as Echo, a hopeless romantic who probably wouldn’t describe herself that way.

Pantomimes aren’t easy – at once they must captivate children for upwards of two hours while also catering to the sensibilities of the adults in the audience. RED RIDING HOOD manages to ace both of these components. In fact, this might be my favourite of the annual pantos at the Masque Theatre – the show is fun, slick, and just all round excellent.

I never saw the first iteration of GAME OF NAMES, which was staged by Pinelands Players in 2017. If you’re in the same boat, this shouldn’t deter you from going to see GAME OF NAMES: SEASON 2. This musical game show extravaganza combines elements from game shows and musical theatre to create a unique hybrid experience.

SOLO FEST was created with the intention to “make more spaces for more south African stories to be told, more often”. Indeed, theatre-maker Sophie Joans explains, “Everyone has a story to tell. The hard part is getting started. I wanted to create a weekly structured space for people to come together and write in community, to explore their stories, and share them with others. So our first course, ‘So, You Wanna Write a Solo Show?’ was born. I was amazed and heart-warmed at how many people signed up. And every week, each class was captivated by the stories that came out of the session. Thus, Solo Fest was born as a moment for the writers to showcase their new work.”

The music of Alan Menken dominates many a beloved musical or movie musical – whether you know it or not. His melodies invariably imbue these works with meaning, beauty and depth. PART OF YOUR WORLD includes thirty songs from eleven of these legendary works: ALADDIN, THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME, HERCULES, POCAHONTAS, THE LITTLE MERMAID, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, TANGLED, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, NEWSIES, SISTER ACT, and KICKS – THE SHOWGIRL MUSICAL.

Game of Names is back, and this time it’s bigger and better than before!   Join Pinelands Players for a night of live dinner theatre that is part musical revue, part game show, part quiz night, and 100% fun! The show celebrates the music of TV and movies, and the audience picks the run of events with the spin of a wheel and a draw from a hat.