South Africa Theater Reviews Page 4

Review: THE RANGERS at the Masambe Theatre Makes for a Riveting and Explosive Directorial Debut
by Jaime Uranovsky - March 21, 2023

THE RANGERS is a new play written and directed by Daniel Newton in his directorial debut. The 80 minute psycho-thriller is one of the most tension-wrought plays I have ever seen – and I absolutely loved it....

Review: TOM, DICK AND HARRY at Milnerton Playhouse Is Filled to the Brim with Hilarious Tomfoolery
by Jaime Uranovsky - March 21, 2023

Milnerton Playhouse’s most recent offering is the hilarious TOM, DICK AND HARRY – a farce that takes place over the course of one day in a London home. The play opens in the home of Tom (Anton Schäfer) and Linda (Grace Brain), a married couple, who are frantically preparing for the arrival of the he...

Review: A Kaleidoscope of Afrikaans Queerness In MY HART IS 'N MUURBAL (EN ANDER GEDAGTES)
by Klara van Rooyen - March 17, 2023

It's 2023 and homophobia in South Africa still rears its ugly head in our cultural landscape far too often. Although on paper South Africa seems to be a haven for LGBTQ+ members, it is still a challenge for many queer Afrikaners to reckon with their identity and feel accepted. MY HART IS 'N MUURBAL ...

Review: SUMMERSNOW at Maynardville Open-Air Festival Delights and Entrances
by Jaime Uranovsky - March 05, 2023

The 2023 return to the Open-Air Festival at Maynardville ends with a captivating double-bill production presented by Cape Town City Ballet. LES PATINEAURS and LES SYLPHIDES are the perfect one-act ballets to be staged at Maynardville, the lush foliage of which adds to the magical element of these pe...

Review: Sandra Prinsloo is masterful in MASTER CLASS at Theatre On The Bay
by Faeron Wheeler - March 01, 2023

I should probably start this review by stating that I am a huge fan of Sandra Prinsloo and the play MASTER CLASS. When I heard the two would be coming together this year – I was incredibly excited. I’m even more excited to tell you that this production is one for the history books. Prinsloo is simpl...

Review: BREAKING THE CLOSET: PRIDE EDITION 2.0 VARIETY SPECIAL at Waves Theatre Café Provides a Safe Space for the LGBTQIA+ Community
by Jaime Uranovsky - February 28, 2023

BREAKING THE CLOSET, conceptualised by Nicola Hetz and Eugene Mathews, is back! This offering, now in the form of a variety show, provides members of the Cape Town LGBTQIA+ community the opportunity to share their coming out stories in a safe space, through the art of performance....

Review: Heartbreak and haunting music from VINCENT – HIS QUEST TO LOVE AND BE LOVED
by Faeron Wheeler - February 28, 2023

I’ll start off by saying wow! I had goosebumps from the very beginning, all the way through. Vincent van Gogh is one of my favourite painters and this is largely why I was so excited to seen VINCENT – HIS QUEST TO LOVE AND BE LOVED when I first saw it advertised last year. It took me a while to get...

Review: CALLING US HOME at Artscape Provides World Class Performances
by Jaime Uranovsky - February 18, 2023

CALLING US HOME is a heartfelt musical that explores, among other things, the concept of home: What is it? Where is it? Can we ever really leave one home and create another? ...

Review: CINDERELLA at the Artscape
by Faeron Wheeler - February 09, 2023

OK, so you don’t go to see CINDERELLA for the plot. What you do want to see is all of the gorgeous costumes, the brilliant set and the dancing to an incredible score. If you pick the right performance, you also get the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra playing live as the dancers move on stage. It al...

Review: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM at Maynardville Open-Air Festival is an absolute treat
by Faeron Wheeler - February 09, 2023

A trip to Maynardville to see Shakespeare under the stars is a great night out. With the excellence of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, you’re really getting a night to remember....

Review: THE GRASS WIDOW Ensnares and Entertains at The Baxter Theatre
by Klara van Rooyen - February 05, 2023

Watching THE GRASS WIDOW at the Masambe Theatre feels like visiting a well-kept secret. Sitting in the intimate auditorium, elbow-to-elbow with other audience members, the anticipation is palpable for Louis Viljoen's latest production....

Review: HANSARD is Beautifully Crafted Theatre That is a Pleasure to Watch
by Faeron Wheeler - January 31, 2023

The text is superb, the actors accomplished professionals at the top of their game, the direction tight and the package a reminder to us to live without regrets, to keep our loved ones close and that 'I'm sorry' should never be left unsaid....

Review: SONGS OF SHAKESPEARE at the Maynardville Open-Air Theatre
by Klara van Rooyen - January 27, 2023

'Gosh, I haven't been here in years,' a fellow audience member uttered with glee at Maynardville's SONGS OF SHAKESPEARE. Shakespeare in the Park is back in Cape Town, and it is a return to form for many local audience members. Sitting between the trees, underneath the starlight, Jose Dias guides the...

Review: CALL ME A FOOL at Studio 3, LAMTA Captures First Love with Earnestness, Comedy and Depth
by Jaime Uranovsky - December 19, 2022

Theatre allows us to escape but it also allows us to recognise parts of ourselves and our (often universal) experiences mirrored in a work – which in turn makes us feel validated and seen. This fresh, new musical does just that. CALL ME A FOOL centres around two twenty-something year old women navig...

Review: STAR+CROSSED: A New South African Musical
by Klara van Rooyen - December 18, 2022

STAR+CROSSED follows the interwoven tale of Billy and Bess. Bess, who is based on Elizabeth Klarer, meets Billy one evening on Flying Saucer Hill in the Natal Midlands. The two children form a connection that spans nine decades, from 1910 until 1994. Billy and Bess' stories are intertwined but also ...

Review: THE SECRET GARDEN Blooms at The Star Theatre
by Klara van Rooyen - December 14, 2022

What did our critic think of THE SECRET GARDEN at The Star Theatre?...

Review: SLEEPING BEAUTY at the Masque Theatre Is a Vibrant and Energetic Retelling of the Classic Story
by Jaime Uranovsky - December 13, 2022

In all honestly, I have never been a fan of the story of SLEEPING BEAUTY. The 1959 Disney film put me off and none of the recent Maleficent-centred adaptations tempted me. But writer and director, Faeron Wheeler’s fresh, 21st-Century take on SLEEPING BEAUTY is nothing like these… and it is great! Re...

Review: THE NUTCRACKER at Artscape Opera House Is an Enchanting, Top-Class Production
by Jaime Uranovsky - December 12, 2022

THE NUTCRACKER, one of the world’s most celebrated ballets, needs little introduction. As a Christmas-time favourite, it has come to be synonymous with the festive season. Now, on the 130th anniversary of the original production’s premier, producer Veronica Paeper and Cape Town City Ballet deliver a...

Review: AUNTY MERLE: THINGS GET REAL at the Baxter Theatre Centre Is Destined to be Another Smash Hit
by Jaime Uranovsky - December 07, 2022

My family and I have been avid fans of the AUNTY MERLE musicals since the first of the three productions graced the Baxter stage in 2017. When AUNTY MERLE: IT’S A GIRL came out in 2019, my brother and I adored it so much that we saw it twice. So, when I heard that there was a third instalment in thi...

Review: A CHRISTMAS CAROL is a festive must-see at Theatre On The Bay
by Faeron Wheeler - December 05, 2022

This beautiful adaptation by the team from VR Theatrical is pretty much just what the doctor ordered for the festive season. It combines song, animation, puppetry, voice overs, beautiful acting and a healthy dose of humour to warm the heart....

Review: Catharsis and Reflection in HE HAD IT COMING
by Klara van Rooyen - December 02, 2022

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Review: LOVE AND MISTLETOE at Milnerton Playhouse Is a Fun Seasonal Comedy with Loads of Laughs
by Jaime Uranovsky - November 28, 2022

Just like that, all the tell-tale signs are here to tell us that the festive season is upon us: terrible Cape Town traffic, warmer temperatures and great opportunities to return to the theatre for seasonal shows! To welcome in the holiday spirit, head on down to see LOVE AND MISTLETOE at the Milner...

Review: BEING STEVE at Theatre On The Bay Crackles with Talent, Energy and Ambition
by Jaime Uranovsky - November 19, 2022

BEING STEVE, featuring the music of Stephen Sondheim, Schwartz and Flaherty is a celebration of some of the most prolific contributors to musical theatre in history – all of whom happen to share a first name. This high-energy revue, performed by the current students of Luitingh Alexander Musical The...

Review: HOLD STILL at the Baxter Flipside Theatre pushes you to ask if you really are a good person
by Faeron Wheeler - November 16, 2022

HOLD STILL holds up a mirror and quite deftly questions whether or not you’re as good a person as you think you are. It’s a jarring question to be faced with and the four characters on stage are left reeling in the wake of getting their answers....

Review: ALCINA at Artscape is a Sumptuous, Atmospheric Spectacle of an Opera
by Jaime Uranovsky - November 13, 2022

It is imperative that I begin this review by admitting that before viewing ALCINA, I was an opera-virgin. Well, this production was the perfect introduction to the genre. Firstly, what a magical experience to be back in the Artscape after a lengthy COVID-induced hiatus. The excitement and anticipat...