SOUTH AFRICA THEATER REVIEWS

On Wednesday evening, the Baxter Theatre Centre became a very glamorous spot. The Main Theatre now the Pam Golding Theatre, in honour of the late real estate giant and a generous sponsorship agreement. The evening was capped off by the opening performance of Marc Lottering’s latest stand-up show U...

It’s a strong and important story told mostly through song – and some incredibly powerful voices – about how society sees women as just pretty faces....

I was so excited when THE LAST FIVE YEARS was announced two years ago, and I was genuinely gutted for the entire production team when they had to postpone due to COVID. Some serious dedication went into keeping this dream alive and after getting to see opening night, I can safely say that it was wor...

Director Gina Shmukler, actress Natasha Sutherland and VR Theatrical have done an incredible job putting this production of SHIRLEY VALENTINE together....

KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN is an absolute treat for theatre lovers and the Baxter Theatre should be proud to present it....

The South African premiere of JM Coetzee's LIFE & TIMES OF MICHAEL K, adapted for the stage by Lara Foot in collaboration with the Handspring Puppet Company, is finally here. The story is haunting and the incredibly layered approach to telling it on stage is quite mesmerising and intriguing....

This autobiographical look at his life is a truly inspiring piece of theatre and Bryan Schimmel is so brave and honest in it. All of it is delivered through a quirky, dead pan sense of humour that is great....

There’s nothing quite like the sound of children’s laughter rolling through a theatre as they watch a live show, and that’s exactly what WHAT DID THE FOX SAY? EPISODE ONE: THE FEAST OF THE KING OF BEASTS delivers. It’s a classic piece of children’s puppet theatre expertly delivered by Anoe...

THE DIONYSISTERS: DIVAS THROUGH THE DECADES is a musical featuring the incredible voices of two powerhouse performers. Seriously, Thembelihle Benenengu and Megan Spencer have the kind of voices you sit up and take notice of....

TALES OF A BIG BAD WOLF opened this past weekend at Kalk Bay Theatre to much enjoyment from young and old alike.  With a cast ranging in characters from Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, Prince Charming and more, this brand new children's theatre show from Sophab Productions makes for the...

CINDERELLA opened this past week at the Masque Theatre. A lighthearted, modernized take on a well-known fairytale, this production from the Masque Theatre and Constantiaberg Theatre Players can be described as nothing short of whimsical....

LAMTA'S year-end production, ALL TOGETHER NOW!, opened over the weekend to standing ovations. In collaboration with Music Theatre International and Pieter Toerien productions, ALL TOGETHER NOW! was a fantastic celebration of well-known musical theatre numbers that combined the best of established an...

Cape Town City Ballet has entered its Spring season with a vibrant trio of performances in ALCHEMY - THREE DANCES. Honouring three of the world's most celebrate male choreographers from the 20th century, ALCHEMY stands as a programme dominated by accomplishments of athleticism....

Flaunting their triple-theatre students’ acting talents in satirical, 20th century MEPHISTO, the Luitingh Alexander Musical Theatre Academy (LAMTA) presented their 2021 acting production at Theatre on the Bay this past month....

Inspired by photography from the past and present, Luitingh Alexander Musical Theatre Academy's PHOTOGRAPH successfully debuted their students' variety of talents and abilities on the Theatre on the Bay stage last week....

THE UNLIKELY SECRET AGENT is in equal measures chilling and heart-warming, made all the more poignant by the fact that it is a true story. The story is all about Eleanor Kasrils, a young woman who fought the apartheid system from the 1960s onwards. It is based on the book by the same name, written b...

In such dark times for the theatre industry around the world, it truly felt like coming home when the Masque invited us to have some musical fun. A BOARDING LINE is full to bursting with great tunes from Broadway musicals. Everything about the production felt like a celebration – something we prob...

Starting off its Autumn season in a notable way, Cape Town City Ballet presents the double bill of INGOMA / LES SYLPHIDES at Artscape Opera House....

I remember when I was in Grade One, we had to do readings from the class 'library', it was a shelf, and after the second term, if your reading skills had outgrown the class library books, we were invited to the junior school library. I remember very clearly being one of the first five being selected...

THIS MOMENT is a wonderful collection of songs from musicals, performed by some fantastic singers. It’s currently on at the Masque Theatre, Muizenberg, as a fundraiser for this icon of community theatre in Cape Town....

The Luitingh Alexander Musical Theatre Academy (LAMTA) has managed to put together a celebration, reflection and exhibition of 2020 through their students’ talents and perspectives. A live theatrical journey not soon to be forgotten, AWAKENING is a beautiful production....

It’s an incredible piece that seems almost naïve in story to being with but reveals a depth that is both disturbing and deeply impactful. The production of this story that is currently on at The Baxter’s Flipside Theatre is an adaptation created by Lara Foot....

Theatre has finally returned and The Baxter's THE OUTLAW MUCKRIDGE doesn't hold back. A trio of local talents has created a drama that tows the line between realism and imagination, making THE OUTLAW MUCKRIDGE an excellent example of the strength in pieces that can emerge from 2020....

Embracing the "new normal" of hybrid theatre-film, F Creations brings their version of Peter Malicki's (EXTRA)ORDINARY, (UN)USUAL to South African screens for the month of October. Made up of a selection of monologues from the award-winning international playwright Malicki, (EXTRA)ORDINARY, (UN)USUA...

Making its debut at the National Arts Festival digitally, SO YOU WANT TO BE A TROPHY WIFE? presented by F Creations and The Edge is a one-woman production that strikes an interesting balance between being heartfelt and harsh while exploring a relatable lead character's reality....