David Fick News

In many ways, it comes as something of a surprise that DIE REUK VAN APPELS has not made its way to the stage until now. Theatrerocket's presentation of DIE REUK VAN APPELS is top class South African theatre, not only a reminder of our painful collective past but also a recognition of our current collective pain.

'I - will have poetry in my life. And adventure. And love. Love above all,' says Viola de Lesseps, the woman who is destined in SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE to win the titular Bard's heart. 'Not the artful postures of love,' she continues, 'but love that overthrows life.' In this most memorable of quotations lies metaphorically, at least the conundrum of translating the 1998 Oscar-winning film to the stage.

Following the short season of her latest work ROCK TO THE CORE, choreographer, performance artist and activist Mamela Nyamza brings her equally controversial and provocative DE-APART-HATE, to the Baxter Golden Arrow Studio this October.

An extraordinary talent is currently onstage at Gate69, Cape Town's 'Purple Palace', which continues to deliver on its aim of being a complete sensory experience and South Africa's premiere cabaret theatre. This time, Cathy and her Trolley Dollies present the phenomenal Christina Bianco.

Back by popular demand, one of South Africa's most acclaimed and outspoken comedians, John Vlismas, is bringing THE GOOD RACIST to The Pieter Toerien Studio Theatre. Johannesburg audiences will come face to face with some of the uncomfortable truths of our society as the award-winning comic pulls no punches the way only Vlismas can.

This week's Five on Friday focuses on Gideon Lombard, who performs in DIE REUK VAN APPELS at The Fugard Theatre from next week. Based Mark Behr's 1993 novel, the solo play tells the coming-of-age story of Marnus Erasmus, the eleven-year-old son of a South African Defence Force general during the apartheid era.

Gate69's tantalising trio, Cathy, Holly and Molly, are ready to serve up some hocus pocus and drag the hell out of witchcraft in MACBETH! THE ADULT PANTO when the Mother City's 'purple palace' serves up its festive season offering for 2017.

Aviva Pelham will return with SANTA'S STORY to Theatre on the Bay for a week-long season this October, starting today. The moving, one-woman show depicts Santa Pelham's journey of courage, hope and inspiration through discrimination and heartbreaking losses and represents a triumph of the human spirit.

Tickets are now on sale for the National Theatre's Olivier and Tony Award-winning production of THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME, adapted by Simon Stephens from Mark Haddon's best-selling book, and directed by Tony Award winner Marianne Elliott (WAR HORSE, CURIOUS INCIDENT).

The Cape Town Fringe Festival came to a close yesterday, 8 October, following eighteens of drama, music, dance, physical theatre, comedy and illusion. This feast of arts and culture was celebrated with the Fringe Fresh Awards ceremony at the Fringe Club in Gardens on Saturday night.

The Cape Town premiere of the award-winning play, DIE REUK VAN APPELS, will take place in Cape Town next week. Watch a trailer for the production, which is performed in Afrikaans with English surtitles, and book your tickets through Computicket today!

Choreographer, dance artist and activist, Mamela Nyamza, brings two of her acclaimed and confrontational works, ROCK TO THE CORE and DE-APART-HATE, to the Baxter Golden Arrow Studio for a short season this October.

Local performer, blogger, poet and dance teacher Thola Antamu is asking for help. Having been accepted into the The University of East London to complete a degree in psychology, she is running a Generosity campaign with the slogan, 'Educate me, I'll educate the forgotten black girl.'

Local comedian and MC Mel Jones has been casting a spell as The Enchantress in ENCHANTED, the thrilling international cirque production that opened in the Cape Town last month. Jones hosts the show in the mirror palace next to the Cape Town Stadium, presenting - with the help of co-host Piky Pokus, a multi-talented slapstick performer from Argentina - some of the world's finest entertainment artists to audiences in the Mother City.

Rehearsals are well underway for the Pinelands Players' November production of THE FULL MONTY. This local season of the musical penned by Terrence McNally and David Yazbek is directed by Laura Bosman, with musical direction by Barend van der Westhuizen.

The Baxter Theatre Centre is available for conferences, events and film shoots. Find out all about this historical Capetonian venue in this video, released as a part of the theatre centre's fortieth anniversary celebrations.

Roxane Hayward will play the role of Viola de Lesseps in the South African premiere of SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, which starts performances at The Fugard Theatre next week. She took some time out to talk to BroadwayWorld South Africa in this week's Five on Friday.

Alan Committie will return to the City of Gold in LAUGHING MATTERS! After a sold-out festive season in Cape Town at the end of last year, the show will play Pieter Toerien's Montecasino Theatre from this October and November.

HEDY! THE LIFE & INVENTIONS OF HEDY LAMARR, Heather Massie's award-winning and critically-acclaimed solo show from New York, will make its South African debut at the Alexander Bar, Caf and Theatre this October.