SOUTH AFRICA THEATER REVIEWS

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS at the Masque Theatre soars over every one of those potential hurdles and knocks it out of the park, delivering a deliciously dark, triumph of a production. From the performers to the set to the props to the effects to the message, this is up there with some of the best-ever p...

For me, THE GLASS MENAGERIE, widely known to be Tennessee Williams’ most autobiographical work, epitomises what so many of Williams’ plays do: that hope springs eternal even in the direst of circumstances. We wish and we yearn for the fantasies of each of the characters to come true, even when w...

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, ...

Ben Voss has come home with his show about moving away - BECOMING BENNO. This one-man show, directed by Michael Richard and dramaturgy by John van de Ruit, is full of heart and humour - and definitely worth catching as Voss tours around SA with it....

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 �...

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...