Discover new stories and revisit old favourites that will make you laugh, cry, sing, or dance, as these theatre productions transport you to a new world.
Here are 7 reasons you should get out to the theatre in 2017:
1. West Side Story
After a sold out in Cape Town, the musical theatre masterpiece travels to Johannesburg in January to kick off the year. Jonathan Roxmouth is Tony and Lynelle Kenned is Maria. A smashing production, don’t miss out.
2. Blue Man Group
Making their way to South Africa next year is this explosion of music, percussion, lights, and spectacle. Get a taste of what’s to come here.
3. The House of Truth
Sello Maake ka Ncube pays tribute to the late great Can Themba in this play that comes to the Market Theatre in 2017. The show is a biographical look at the writer’s life and what inspired his most intriguing works.
4. Priscilla Queen of the Desert
One of the most wonderful, colourful celebrations of life, this story that started out as a film comes to the South African stage for the first time. With a wonderful selection of music and dance numbers, it is likely to be a winner.
5. Into the Woods
KickstArt Productions, the creative team that brought us this year’s best musical production, Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, as well as Cabaret and Venus in Fur, brings Steven Sondheim’s masterpiece to SA audiences. The dark and moody production follows the adventures of beloved fairytale characters and is likely to be a winner too.
6. Hamlet
If you haven’t yet seen the work of Fred Abrahamse and Marcel Meyer, don’t miss this latest adaptation that premiered at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown in 2015. Previously, they have toured America with their version of Tennessee Williams’ Desire Under the Elms, and they’ve adapted a number of Shakespeare plays, including Othello.
7. La Traviata
The Joburg Ballet opens the year with a performance of La Traviata, the ballet set to Verdi’s music. It hasn’t been performed since 2008, so it makes a welcome return. Get into the mood with a teaser of a Russian ballet company performing the same ballet.