Review: I CAN BUY MYSELF FLOWERS from Mike van Graan is a real laugh
by Faeron Wheeler - February 10, 2025
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....
Review: TO LIFE, WITH LOVE starring John Maytham and Directed by Josh Lindberg
by Faeron Wheeler - February 10, 2025
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....
Review: AN UNROMANTIC COMEDY at Baxter Studio - Baxter Theatre Centre
by Michelle B Lewis - February 10, 2025
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 audience and never ...
Review: THE TEMPEST is a hit at Maynardville Open-Air Festival
by Faeron Wheeler - February 04, 2025
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...
Review: THE UKUKHANYA ARTS PROJECT LAUNCH at Theatre Arts
by Michelle B Lewis - January 08, 2025
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 greate...
Review: MY FAIR LADY at the Artscape Opera House Is Musical Theatre Perfection from Start to Finish
by Jaime Uranovsky - December 31, 2024
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....
Review: THE NUTCRACKER at the the Artscape Theatre Centre Is a Lush, Festive Treat
by Jaime Uranovsky - December 24, 2024
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 ...
Review: ALL MY EX LOVERS ARE DEAD at the Masambe Theatre Reflects on Identity-Shaping Experiences of Past, Almost and Unrequited Loves
by Jaime Uranovsky - December 24, 2024
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 coff...
Review: RED RIDING HOOD at the Masque Theatre Is Fabulous, Fun and Feisty
by Jaime Uranovsky - December 19, 2024
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...
Review: JOLTYD - THROUGH THE AGES OF MUSIC at Pam Golding Theatre, Baxter
by Michelle B Lewis - December 18, 2024
Whether you’re looking for a memorable night out with friends, a family bonding experience or a unique way to entertain visiting tourists, JOLTYD - Through the Ages of Music is the perfect choice. It captures the very essence of Cape Town’s festive spirit, joyful, inclusive and full of life....
Review: GLIMMER at Magnet Theatre, Observatory
by Michelle B Lewis - December 06, 2024
Don’t miss the chance to experience Glimmer, a show that entertains, inspires and speaks to the heart of what it means to grow up today. It’s a performance that will stay with you long after the final curtain call! A captivating, thought-provoking experience for teenagers and families.
...
Review: MINA THINA at Magnet Theatre, Observatory
by Michelle B Lewis - December 05, 2024
Let Mina Thina inspire, entertain and spark conversations about family, community and the challenges many face. Gather your loved ones and head to Magnet Theatre, it’s a performance that will touch hearts and open minds!...
Review: SCROOGE MACBETH at Milnerton Playhouse In Cape Town
by Michelle B Lewis - December 03, 2024
Prepare for a delightful mash-up of holiday cheer and Shakespearean drama in Scrooge Macbeth, a cleverly written two-act comedy that elevates the phrase “the show must go on” to hilarious new heights....
Review: GAME OF NAMES: SEASON 2 at Novalis Ubuntu Centre Is a Fabulous and Entertaining Night Out
by Jaime Uranovsky - December 06, 2024
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 uniq...
Review: SOLO FEST at Theatre Arts Provides a Mouth-Watering Taste of Future One-Person Shows
by Jaime Uranovsky - December 02, 2024
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...
Review: PART OF YOUR WORLD at Theatre On the Bay Celebrates the Best of Alan Menken
by Jaime Uranovsky - December 02, 2024
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, HERC...
Review: MANJE! MANJE (AN EPIC) at Magnet Theatre Is a Spectacular Extravaganza of Myth-Making and Retelling
by Jaime Uranovsky - November 11, 2024
This show blew me away. Days after having witnessed it, I am still ruminating over the lushness of it all. I’ve never seen anything like it.
I’ve experienced a few pieces this year that deal with or draw from Greek mythology....
Review: MY BRILLIANT DIVORCE starring Kate Normington at Theatre On The Bay
by Faeron Wheeler - November 05, 2024
MY BRILLIANT DIVORCE is a comical look at the ups, downs and mad choices that can happen when the apple cart is upset by one spouse leaving the other....
Review: MY LEFT BREAST at the Baxter Theatre Centre Is a Magnificent Ode to Grief and Womanhood
by Jaime Uranovsky - October 23, 2024
MY LEFT BREAST is a one-woman show, starring Shannon Esra as Susan, a “one-breasted, menopausal, Jewish, bisexual, lesbian mom” as the character emphatically states during this engaging comedy-drama....
Review: INVISIBLE SCARS at the Baxter Studio Is a Tragic Interrogation of the Wounds We Cannot See
by Jaime Uranovsky - October 14, 2024
INVISIBLE SCARS is another superb piece showing at the Baxter Theatre Centre, which has its roots in the annual Zabalaza Theatre Festival.
Written and directed by Themba Baleni, the show garnered Zabalaza Awards for both Best Production and Best Direction earlier this year.
...
Review: THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE at the Baxter Theatre Centre Is Powerful, Political and Poignant
by Jaime Uranovsky - September 27, 2024
There are, unfortunately, many marginalised individuals in South Africa – people who remain forgotten, despite the immense contributions they have made to this country. Black members of the (then) South African Defence Force, who fought for the country during apartheid, constitute one such group....
Review: CAPE BALLET AFRICA - SALT at Pam Golding Theatre At The Baxter
by Michelle B Lewis - September 24, 2024
From the captivating costumes to the dynamic execution, every detail was finely tuned, making the entire show an indelible experience....
Review: MY NAME IS LUCY BARTON from How Now Brown Cow is on at the Baxter
by Faeron Wheeler - September 22, 2024
As How Now Brown Cow presents us with their new piece of theatre, we are reminded of their commitment to excellence in everything that they do. The SA premier of MY NAME IS LUCY BARTON, starring Julie-Anne McDowell, is such a piece....
Review: AUTOPLAY at Longkloof Studios Provides a Jarring, Visceral Commentary on Our Relationship with Technology
by Jaime Uranovsky - September 13, 2024
Darkroom Contemporary Dance Theatre presents a truly unique experience with this show. Audience members are guided to an industrial-looking studio/warehouse. We immediately observe six performers moving frantically on a platform. Each has a bob-style haircut, and the uniformity in look and the frene...
Review: TRIAL AND ERROR at Baxter Theatre Centre Explores Law as Theatre
by Jaime Uranovsky - September 08, 2024
TRIAL AND ERROR follows 19-year-old Amari Davids (played by Mamello Makhetha) of Georgia, who stands trial for negligence and manslaughter (culpable homicide in South Africa), after being involved in a car accident that leaves two people dead...