theatrelatest news & developments
Smooth ’90s: Boyz II Men’s tour promises an unforgettable night of
romance, rhythm and vocal brilliance. Photo: Supplied

Gig Guide: Boyz II Men return to South Africa, Giselle makes its way to the State Theatre and Rubicon showcases fashion with a purpose

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Dance is music: Lighting by Oliver Hauser and set design by Willy Cesar foreground space, line and form.
Everything, Maqoma says, is architectural. Photo: Arthur Dlamini

Gregory Maqoma’s ‘Genesis’ is not an ending

The renowned choreographer returns to the Baxter not as performer but architect, with Genesis, a daring meditation on beginnings, endings and Black consciousness

Smooth jazz: Gregory Porter music bridges eras and emotions with sincerity and grace. Photo: Erik Umphery

Diary: Gregory Porter in SA; Zeitz MOCAA symposium; DJ Bob Jazz Club

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Moving: Multi-disciplinary artist Aldo Brincat’s The Moon Looks Delicious From Here is a semi-autobiographical story.

Diary: Aldo Brincat at the Market Theatre, NYO Jazz releases new album and Kabza De Small set to release Kabza Chant 2.0

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John Kani in Nothing But The Truth. (Photo supplied)

Acts of resistance: The Market Theatre’s enduring power 49 years on

A stage where South Africa’s truth and imagination have lived for 49 fearless years

Taking off: Alice Viskat’s Flughafen is playing in Scotland.

Diary: 2025 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, The Fête de la Musique returns to Victoria Yards and Thandiswa Mazwai brings Belede and Sankofa to The Lyric Theatre

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Miriam Altman

Diary: The Black Circus of the Republic of Bantu, Rowlene’s Moments After and Altman’s take on Stevie Wonder

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Circle of life: Producer, songwriter and vocalist Lebo M, known for his work on The Lion King, is holding a concert in Cape Town on 18 April. Mi Casa, Soweto Gospel Choir and German film-score composer Hans Zimmer will be among the guests. Photo: Lesedi FM

Lebo M’s legacy goes live

The multi-talented South African musician is set to celebrate his career with a performance in Cape Town

Sea change: A scene from the musical theatre production Requiem for the Impossible.

The sea takes, the stage remembers

Production is a poetic, immersive elegy which turns loss at sea into theatre’s most powerful tide

Paint the town red: About 30 000 people are expected to view the work of more than 120 exhibitors at the Investec Cape Town Art Fair.

Diary: Investec Cape Town Art Fair, Protest theatre classic returns, Ayanda Jiya in Durban

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Kneedy: Janice Honeyman’s pantomime Beauty and the Beast is being staged at the Joburg Theatre. Photo: Corne du Plessis

Pantomime: The beauty of festive storytelling

Janice Honeyman’s production brings magic to Joburg audiences

Monkeying around: Andrew Buckland performs in Simon’s Town during the June tour of Unruly, a production aimed at helping to understand a divisive human-versus-animal battle on the Cape Peninsula. Photos: Odendaal Esterhuyse

A new species of performance for unruly play about Cape’s human-baboon conflict

Theatre offers an unlikely space for Cape Peninsula communities to connect and deal with the problem of living with baboons

More than history: A scene from Katanga, January 17, which tells the story of Patrice Lumumba, the first prime minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. (Oupa Bopape)

Actors carry Lumumba’s story in their bones

Katanga, January 17 is a recounting of martyr for African unity Patrice Lumumba’s life

Rebecca Cheptegei. File photo

Music, art and men’s involvement can prevent the deaths of women like Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei

Activists, governments and organisations, local and international, are working to end gender-based violence but theatre, song lyrics and street art can also be used

Challenging: Kgomotso ‘Momo’ Matsunyane’s play Ka Lebitso La Moya, on at the National Arts Festival, which starts on 20 June, explores themes of religion, love, betrayal, sexual abuse and politics.

Kgomotso Matsunyane’s latest play will ruffle feathers

Artist is set to captivate arts festival audiences with her fearless exploration of complex themes and profound storytelling

Sizzling show: One of the highlights of the upcoming National Arts Festival will be performances by Sipho ‘Hotstix’ Mabuse. Photo: Oupa Bopape/Gallo Images via Getty Images

The stage is set for a cracker of a National Arts Festival 

National Arts Festival continues to create platforms for creatives, 50 years later

Theatre luminaries, David Dennis, Michael Richard, and Zane Meas lead the cast alongside Astrid Braaf, Ziaphora Dakile and Melissa Haiden. They are guided by The Market Theatre’s award-winning Artistic Director, Greg Homann, who is celebrated for his cutting-edge direction of new South African work.  The production is designed by Lisa Younger with filmmaker Xolelwa ‘Ollie’ Nhlabatsi bringing a dynamic multi-media element to the production. Photo by Suzy Bernstein

Columnist Calland captures state capture for stage

A new play by a new playwright explores shenanigans in South Africa’s politics

The Brothers, Number One and a Weekend Special sports a strong cast, with the main characters Uncle (David Dennis), Tim Bell (Michael Richard) and the lawyer (Zane Meas), standing out. Photo by Suzy Bernstein

Aficionado notes brilliant use of music in state capture play

The political drama about corruption and power is clever, gripping and insightful

The way things stand: Journalist Marianne Thamm’s show Round of Applause – South Africa Still Standing is at the juncture between theatre, journalism and politics. Photo: Nardus Engelbrecht

‘Politics is theatre, after all’

A veteran South African journalist with a background in comedy is staging a unique new show of ‘performance journalism’

Imagination: The Terrified Talabalushi, a theatre piece with music for children, is on at The Market Theatre in Joburg. Photo: Suzy Bernstein

It is that stage of the year again ….

Put a visit to the theatre on your entertainment bucket list — and tickets would make a great gift