SOUTH AFRICA THEATER REVIEWS

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 ...

Durban's KickstArt Theatre Productions has finally brought one of their hilarious creations down to Cape Town and it is a lot of fun. Children and adults were crying with laughter and singing along throughout the show....

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 e...

Milnerton Players is delving into the world of playwright Geraldine Aron this winter, with a double bill of one-act plays. Under the direction of Godfrey Johnson, the society is presenting MICKEY KANNIS CAUGHT MY EYE and BAR AND GER....

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, depic...

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�...

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...

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....

That's right, there's a part 2! And it is excellent. Written by American playwright and author Lucas Hnath and debuting in 2017, A DOLL'S HOUSE, PART 2 is quite literally the story of what happens after the end of Henrik Ibsen's classic. I want to say a big thank you to The Quickening Theatre Comp...

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....

Agatha Christie is always entertaining with her great plot twists and delightfully strange characters. Pieter Toerien's offering of BLACK COFFEE certainly has everything you could want from a Christie murder mystery....

​​​​​​​Three decades after its original premiere, William Kentridge and the renowned Handspring Puppet Company reunite to bring Faustus in Africa! back to life at The Baxter Theatre. This powerful reworking of their 1995 award-winning production is directed by Kentridge with Lara Foot ...

THRILL ME - THE LEOPOLD AND LOEB STORY is the recounting of a true crime, but it's really about the why of it all. Add to that the layer of telling the story through song, and you have a piece of theatre that is both whimsical and chilling....

Looking for a night of non-stop laughter and high-energy entertainment? Then don’t miss Mr & Mrs Normal, the outrageously funny musical comedy starring the dynamic duo, Aaron McIlroy and Lisa Bobbert! This comedic whirlwind is lighting up The Masque Theatre in Muizenberg for a lightning-fast tour ...

DEAR EVAN HANSEN is a beautiful piece of musical theatre that hits you right in the gut and gave me goosebumps again and again. It's proof that SA has an exceptional level of talent!...

As the name of the play suggests, I CAN BUY MYSELF FLOWERS is all about women learning to love themselves. Written by Mike van Graan, directed by Toni Morkel and starring Erika Breytenbach, this play is good fun and good soul food....

This was a tough one to review because of the emotions that came up while watching... TO LIFE, WITH LOVE is a new work from Mike van Graan, starring John Maytham and directed by Josh Lindberg. At it's heart, this play is simple and honest....

​​​​​​​If you’re in the mood for a night of side-splitting laughter, sizzling chemistry and a refreshingly honest take on modern relationships, An Unromantic Comedy is exactly what you need. From the moment the first performer enters, this high-energy production grabs hold of the aud...

It shouldn't be a secret by now that I'm a big Shakespeare fan and I absolutely love the fact that the tradition of Shakespeare at Maynardville is not only still alive, but it's thriving thanks to the creative and wonderful minds of VR Theatrical. This year's offering is THE TEMPEST and I absolutely...

The Ukukhanya Arts Project is a meaningful initiative that deserves wide recognition. It’s a celebration of innovation, creativity and collaboration and it calls out for support from schools, families and sponsors. Together, we can continue to bridge the gap between art and science, fostering grea...

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 w...

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 ta...

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 co...