Interview: BETWEEN MYTH AND MAYHEM

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THEATRE

By Diane de Beer
Pictures: Nardus Engelbrecht

Pay attention when internationally acclaimed director/author/designer Brett Bailey turns up at the Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees with two productions, The Stranger and FaustX. As one of South Africa’s most innovative directors and someone who pays attention to place and time, he was questioned by Diane de Beer about his choices.

With today’s easy access to almost anyone, interviews can sometimes become more enjoyable for the interviewer than for the artist being interviewed. But when your subject is Brett Bailey – racing between shows, juggling productions and somehow keeping it all together – you’re grateful for thoughtfully considered written answers that offer a glimpse into what he is trying to pull off. And, judging by his track record, probably will.

Starting with The Stranger, he came across the myth of Orpheus, the semi-divine poet-musician of Classical Greece whose “melodious music brings harmony to the natural world: olive trees inch towards him as he plays, fishes leave the streams to listen, birds and animals gather around him”.

“I was captivated by this image of a man singing in the wilderness, both bringing order to the world with his art, and revealing an underlying order in the cosmos,” he begins. “Then he goes even further by voyaging to the Underworld, where all the order is shown to be meaningless.”

For Brett, this is a myth that captures the beautiful fragility of life, of violence and of life’s ephemerality. The story haunted him for two decades, inspired him and pulled him in so many directions, throwing up so many images and confronting him with questions.

As a result, “in 2006 I created an outdoor promenade piece based on it called Orfeus, and another version a few years later which toured the EU. This is the third version, first performed at the National Arts Festival in 2024. Of all my works, The Stranger is the most meaningful to me.”

About the style of the production, he notes that ritualistic staging is something he has returned to periodically since his earlier days in the mid-1990s. “I find it particularly apt for works based in mythological content, where different realities intersect: the material and the dream worlds, the realms of people and gods.” 

This is a story of our time, of an immigrant who arrives in Stellenbosch bringing a gift of exquisite music that transforms all who hear it. And immediately there’s a connection for the audience. Three musicians accompany him, and a number of performers enact the drama, including the woman he falls in love with as well as Death.

Attending The Stranger, he advises, is like entering a ceremony in which a story is told in some remote village, or, even more enticingly, like entering someone else’s dream. How can one not accept that invitation?

The cast includes Nkosenathi Koela and others, and this is the second time this musician, who believes in the transformational power of African indigenous music, will be featured in this production, the first in 2024. “His music is truly deep and extraordinary,” explains Brett. “He was the natural choice for the role of Orpheus.”

They will be performing in what Brett describes as a gorgeous building almost ten minutes out of Stellenbosch, Die Boekklub.

“It is an old apple shed converted into a remarkable venue filled with antiques. Very special. The audience will lounge on vintage sofas on two sides of an intimate performance arena: an immersive sonic environment lit by candles and chandeliers.”

And he is delighted to report that audiences find the work very beautiful and moving.

No less exciting or challenging, FaustX was commissioned by Kunstfest Weimar in 2025 for the 250th anniversary of Goethe’s move to that city. “I was not aware then that there was a second part to Faust. It is a monster of a text, incredibly complex and full of poetic, philosophical, historical and mythological allusions: a full dramatisation would take over five hours,” the master reports.

“When I first encountered it, I had no idea what to do with it. Gradually, over a year, I cut it right down to around 90 minutes. It tells of a man who, in his drive to find meaning, opts for all possibilities of extreme experience in exchange for his soul.

“On my journey to find its contemporary relevance, I gravitated towards the tech barons who are currently steering our planet on a rapid course into the unknown, who are sacrificing the soul of the earth to Progress. Mr Musk, with all his glitches and complexities, became my primary focus…

“The work speaks of modern humanity’s insatiable drive to satisfy the self, to push beyond boundaries and limitations, to experience as much as possible, no matter what the cost. In our technologically rapacious era, the dangers of such an orientation resonate deeply. In a sense, it is a terrifying piece of theatre…

I’m a visual person, and my taste is very eclectic.

“Thematically I deal with European manipulation of African economies, the war in Gaza, Israeli settler occupation of the West Bank, Elon Musk’s fever dreams of technological domination and the colonisation of distant planets, the destruction of the planet’s ecosystem by out-of-control capitalism, and the rise of the far right in Europe.”

And if that doesn’t get you rushing out for tickets, it obviously is not your kind of theatre.

But that’s not the only thing that drives this piece. Who would not be intrigued by the fact that ChatGPT takes the honours as “dramaturg” in the festival guide?

Not unexpectedly, Brett would be one of the first to get the best from any new technology, even though he acknowledges the anxiety around the use of AI in the creative industries. “Many people feel threatened by it.”

But for this interrogating artist, it became yet another arrow in his quiver. He used it to bounce off ideas for several of his works and thus it has a thorough “sense of the network of threads that permeate my artistic vision”.

He insists that it doesn’t write his texts, yet it opens up avenues of exploration and helps him to make connections. Making his point twice over, he says: “In a work that looks at the dangers of technology run rampant, it feels conceptually appropriate to acknowledge ChatGPT as my dramaturg…”

And in short, Brett adds a lesson in AI for those interested.

Taking a closer look at FaustX, he views the work both as a visual artwork and a piece of theatre. “I’m a visual person, and my taste is very eclectic.”

Inspiration for FaustX comes from so many sources: Central African wood carvings and paintings, Japanese and East European films, Instagram, Tibetan Buddhist shrines, the colour palette of Mediterranean gardens, news channels and social media, rural European mask traditions, medieval Christian paintings, the work clothes of local farm labourers… it’s all in there, as in so many of his earlier works.

FaustX talks of the hubris of men who destroy anything in their path to satisfy their relentless need for more; The Stranger speaks of those who step in to attempt to heal what has been destroyed.

As he notes himself, Brett has worked with masks on and off for years, and now they feature prominently in the works he makes. “I love the sense of otherworldliness they bring to the stage, and the effect that they have on performers’ bodies. Using them allows several performers to play one character: four different performers play Faust, each bringing their own skill set to the role. I make the masks from cardboard and glue and paint: I love the rough, handmade quality.”

FaustX, he says, is also saturated from beginning to end in deeply beautiful music – from works by Handel, Purcell and Mozart, to modern composers like Arvo Pärt and Biosphere.

He views the two works as companion pieces, two panels of a diptych, each painted in a different style.

“FaustX talks of the hubris of men who destroy anything in their path to satisfy their relentless need for more; The Stranger speaks of those who step in to attempt to heal what has been destroyed. Both face their mortality in the face of an inscrutable and indifferent universe…”

For those who will not be visiting Woordfees, let’s all hold thumbs that these two works travel widely throughout the country. 

The Stranger
9, 10 & 11 OCT 19:30
Die Boekklub, Johannesdal
R180 | R210 at the door

FaustX
Unfortunately we will have to wait for another showing PLEASE BRETT!

DANEEL DEINS NIE WEG VAN DIE DUBBELDOOR

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SPIER TONEEL

Produksies: ge-gebergtes en Grootmeisie
Deur: Diane de Beer
Foto’s: Nardus Engelbrecht, Gys Loubser, Hans van der Veen

Daneel van der Walt saal ’n wilde perd op en speel die vroulike hoofrol in twee belangrike stukke by vanjaar se Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees: Rachelle Greef se Grootmeisie wat met die Reinet Nagtegaal-teksprys bekroon is, en Saartjie Botha se ge-gebergtes. Gelukkig, het sy aan Diane de Beer gesê, is daar mense agter die skerms wat ’n mens mooi oppas.

Om in twee stukke deur twee uiteenlopende maar uitmuntende skrywers te speel – Rachelle Greef se Grootmeisie en Saartjie Botha se ge-gebergtes – kan uitdagend en selfs skrikwekkend wees, maar Daneel van der Walt sien vir baie kans.

Saartjie se manier van skryf is heeltemal anders as Rachelle s’n, sê sy. “Albei van hulle het om baie uiteenlopende redes hulle stukke geskryf. Saartjie het geskryf uit wat sy ervaar noudat haar ma in die ouetehuis is en die stories wat sy daar gehoor het, terwyl Rachelle sê die stuk gaan nie oor haar nie, maar dalk tog ’n bietjie oor haar verlede.

“Saartjie het dus meer uit haar hede geskryf en Rachelle uit haar verlede. Die stukke kom as’t ware uit verskillende plekke van jou lyf, hart en psige, en dit raak jou ook op verskillende maniere. Die feit dat albei vroue is, is net ’n bonus. Dis vir my baie mooi dat ek twee vroue se stemme verder kan vat op die verhoog.”

Grootmeisie met Lee-Ann van Rooi as regisseur en Jefferson J. Dirks-Korkee, Wian Taljaard en René Cloete in die rolverdeling is die nuwer stuk. Rachelle skryf nie so dikwels vir die verhoog nie, sê Daneel, maar wanneer sy ’n drama aanpak, weet ’n mens hier kom ’n ding.

Dis g’n verrassing dat sy met die teks van Grootmeisie haar tweede Reinet Nagtegaal-teksprys gewen het nie.

Daneel speel die rol van die vrou om wie die stuk draai, en jy kan maar weet die poppe gaan dans met Lee-Ann wat gereeld vir Daneel sê sy “kan maar gooi”. “Dit is net die aanmoediging wat ek wil hê. Ek is so bederf met hierdie voortreflike span en vergaap my aan die talent op die verhoog,” sê sy. “Ek het ook lanklaas met ’n teks gewerk wat vrá jy moet gooi – boonop met die ondersteuning van die regisseur.

“Baie mense sal sê menopouse gaan oor hot flushes en estrogeen, maar dit gaan ook nie net oor die gewig wat jy aansit of die veranderinge in jou liggaam nie, want die proses verloop anders vir elke vrou. Vir party is dit hormonaal, ander ervaar dit weer totaal anders. Die vroulike liggaam is baie meer kompleks as dié van mans op wie alles getoets word. Die mediese veld is so agter as dit by die vroulike liggaam kom, ons leer maar bymekaar.”

Wat in Grootmeisie gebeur, is dat Daneel Merwe, beter bekend as Danny, vanweë al die verskuiwings in haar liggaam terugduik in haar verlede, en met die terugblik val sy uitmekaar.

“Dit is ’n complete en utter undoing, maar in daai uitmekaarval, vind sy weer haarself en keer terug as ’n mens wat baie meer gegrond is. Sy begin soos ’n warrelwind en eindig soos ’n boom,” verduidelik Daneel.

Dit is ’n complete en utter undoing, maar in daai uitmekaarval, vind sy weer haarself en keer terug as ’n mens wat baie meer gegrond is. Sy begin soos ’n warrelwind en eindig soos ’n boom.

Vir haar is dit ’n “mooi en mal” stuk, presies soos sy daarvan hou. “Ons doen dit op Brechtiaanse manier van weer terugval na jouself, as dit sin maak? Maak ek sin? Dit is ’n lyn uit die stuk,” gesels sy voort.

“Dit is lekker om op die verhoog iets aan te spreek wat nie juis aangespreek word nie. Eintlik moet ons skaam kry hieroor, soos wat ons veronderstel is om skaam te kry vir ons maandstonde of moet stilbly oor die vroueliggaam. Die wêreld is vol falliese simbole, maar praat oor vrouegoed? O nee, ons kan nie daaroor praat nie, ook nie oor depressie nie, want dit maak mense ongemaklik. Depressie gebeur ook met vroue en dis nie ’n skande nie, dis die lewe.”

Daneel sê sy is mal oor toneelstukke waar sy aan die einde totaal pê voel. “Ek hou daarvan om fisiek en psigies kláár te wees aan die einde van ’n stuk – en dis presies wat Grootmeisie doen.”

Saartjie se ge-gebergtes met Wessel Pretorius as regisseur is weer iets gans anders. Dit gaan oor ’n man, prof. Herman Delport, wat ná die dood van sy dogter en die moeilikheid om haar lyk van oorsee af terug te bring, ’n kombinasie van eensaamheid, frustrasie en absolute hartseer ervaar.

“ ’n Deel van die probleem is ook die moeilikheid wat ’n mens ervaar met tegnologie, wat ons almal uiteindelik ongelooflik isoleer. Oom Herman oorleef ’n selfdoodpoging en keer terug na die aftreeoord waar mense sukkel om dit te hanteer omdat hulle nie opgelei is om met psigo-sosiale stresfaktore te werk nie.”

Daneel speel die psigiater wat ’n bietjie moed verloor en afgetakel word deur die gebroke mense wat sy elke dag sien. Oom Herman se vermoë om sy verlatenheid te verwoord in sy gesprekke met die psigiater, maak haar ’n bietjie sagter.

Om nou teenoor ’n nuwe oom Herman te speel – Carel Trichardt het die rol by Nic de Jager oorgeneem – verander ook dinge. “Almal het hulle eie pas, ’n manier van doen en speel, en dis interessant om te sien hoe dit ook die ritme van die stuk beïnvloed,” verduidelik sy.

Dit is lekker om op die verhoog iets aan te spreek wat nie juis aangespreek word nie. Eintlik moet ons skaam kry hieroor, soos wat ons ons veronderstel is om skaam te kry vir ons maandstonde of moet stilbly oor die vroueliggaam.

By hulle laaste repetisie het hulle gesels oor hoe lekker dit is om deel te wees van ’n geselskap met mense wat so lief en wonderlik is soos Birrie le Roux (stel- en kostuumontwerper), Sylvaine Strike (choreograaf) en Charl-Johan Lingenvelder (komponis en musikale verwerker) wat so goed is met wat hulle doen.

“Dis ’n voorreg vir die spelers om vasgehou te word deur so ’n groot span wat Saartjie en Wessel Pretorius, die regisseur, insluit, en natuurlik Lulu Kieser, die verhoogbestuurder, wat altyd vir almal instaan en regstaan.

“Hoe gaan ek cope met twéé stukke? Wel, ek doen dit mos nie alleen nie. Ons akteurs word goed ondersteun deur die mense agter die skerms wat ons baie mooi oppas. Maar hoe ek gaan cope, sal ons moet sien!”

ge-gebergtes
3 & 4 OKT 10:00 | 5 OKT 19:30 | 6 OKT 10:30
Jammerlik reeds gespeel, maar hou dop vorentoe

Grootmeisie
9 OKT 20:00 | 10 OKT 13:00 & 16:00
Open Window-kampus
R210-R350 | R240-R380 by die deur
Geen 0.14

WOMEN CLAIM THE STAGE IN PRIMA FACIE

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By Diane de Beer

Pictures: Quaid Jones

PRIMA FACIE

DIRECTOR: Neil Coppen

PLAYWRIGHT: Suzie Miller

ACTOR: Danica De La Rey Jones

DATES: Until October 4

VENUE: Barney Simon Theatre at Joburg’s Market

From the second she explosively enters the stage, De La Rey Jones, as the sassy Tessa, a dynamic lawyer, has your attention. And that’s important.

This is a play that is all about taking power by giving women a voice which is loud and clear about a scourge which is too often ignored because of gender bias.

In a country with our high gender violence statistics, it should be seen in large numbers. Under prosecution is “The Law”.

Rape is at issue, and more specifically underlined is the fact that NO MEANS NO. It doesn’t matter when, it doesn’t matter how, when a woman says no, there’s no further argument to be made. Yet in most cases, everyone prosecuting the case is most commonly male.

The play constantly makes the point that the horrific statistics – one in three women fall victim to sexuall violence – tell the story. “Look to your right, look to your left,” Tessa repeats constantly to remind the audience that many of those witnessing this play, will have experienced this trauma.

Holding court is a confident woman who is sure of her role in the legal system until she finds herself on the other side and faces a law that has disarmed her in the most cruel fashion. She is put on trial; she has to defend her every move, and her rapist doesn’t even have to take the stand.

And what is forgotten in the process, is the effect of the violence she has endured, even two years on. Having to peel off the layers she has protected herself with since the rape, she is left completely vulnerable and has to explain where each limb was during the struggle and why she didn’t scream.

The only support she receives is eye contact with a young policewoman who clearly is familiar with these specific procedures.

During the play we could hear some male laughter, none from any women, which speaks volumes. There’s nothing funny when someone has to defend herself when she was the one traumatized. Even today, the statistics, which are so damning, are not a realistic reflection of what is happening out there. But why would someone who has been so viciously assaulted, take to the stand for yet another beating?

That is what the text does so masterfully. It puts the one who has been assaulted at the centre of the events which is what happens in the event of a sexual attack. She is the one who has to prove what happened, often without any witnesses or marks. And how many women will be willing, after a couple of harrowing years and possible healing, to again revisit those traumatic times?

There are no easy answers except that the whole process especially the Law should be revamped with the input of women, those individuals who experience daily assaults of the verbal and physical kind.

More than anything, to this day, there is still no understanding for the concept that no means no, no questions asked.

I have heard some talk about flaws in the text. We’re dealing with rape. Until you go through that devastating onslaught (and let’s hope those who have been spared can keep safe), we’re dealing with a pandemic which can offer no excuses.

Had the tables been reversed, the laws would read very differently and there would be much less discussion about causes and effects. For women it is simple, take my word for it, NO MEANS NO and that’s the only truth.

It’s a brilliant text, heightened by some clever local colour, a smart addition to the text, but without a complementary performance, it would have had little effect.

I have never seen Danica De La Rey Jones on stage and what joy, even (or perhaps especially) with a text this disturbing. She delivers every nuance in subtle or explosive fashion and throws her full body and soul into every moment.

She demands your gaze from start to finish in the way she moves, the way she changes her storytelling, turns the emotion on and off and simply exudes a vulnerability that is tough to resist.

She has you on the edge of your seat throughout as she tells the age-old tale of women at the mercy of unfettered power which is encouraged rather than restrained because it is never confronted.

It is a tough yet most extraordinary play and, with the genius of director Neil Coppen at work, it all comes together magnificently.

That is exactly what a topic seemingly so difficult to discuss demands. For all the reasons mentioned, miss it at your peril.

THE ROYAL COUNTESS ZINGARA WITH ALL HER GLAMOUR AND GLORIOUS SPECTACLE, IS BACK

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Jonny and Manual in full flight (picture by Spencer du Plessis).

SHOW: La Dolce Royal

DIRECTORS: Valentina and Craig Leo

CAST: A constantly moving spectacle is created with acts that keep changing with a show that is in its second month. To give you an idea:

Timekeeper- Andile Magxaki (SA/Joburg); Weeping Woman – Jenny le Roux (SA/Cape Town); Duo hoop – Jonny Grundy (UK)  Manuel Artino (Sicily); Contortionist – Lunga Buthelezi; (SA/Joburg) Feather balance act – Tatyana Babiy – (Russia); Rope act – Jenny le Roux; Axel Perez – rola bola (Mexico/Las Vegas); Bath act – Jonny & Manuel Havana; Aerial Cradle – Vicki Perez and Juan Pablo (Argentina)

CHOREOGRAPHY: Sam Kotze

VENUE: A glamorously dressed tent

Spectacular singer Megan Spencer(left) and the extravagant colourful Downtown Jonny (picture by Spencer du Plessis).

Get ready to party because that is what happens once you enter the amazing tent of the Royal Countess Zingara.

It doesn’t feel as if much has changed, even though it has been more than a decade since what feels like a travelling group of artists, has been to Gauteng – 2014, if my search is correct. And further reading shows that they first pitched their stylish tent in Cape Town in 2001.

That was why I was quite keen on a return visit. I had been a few times during their earlier seasons and, taking the passing years into account and the way the entertainment scene has evolved, I wanted to know how much they have had to adapt.

It was one of our coldest winter nights and we were wrapped up, but typically this organization doesn’t leave much to chance. The only time the cold got to you was during a trip to the restrooms or back to your car.

Everything inside the tent seemed perfect, and it didn’t feel as if they had changed much of the interiors or the concept. I recalled my initial excitement to what seemed like arty stained-glass windows and the clever composition of the food, with just enough variety and options to please even picky diners.

It is a long night, but they pace themselves, their performers and their guests. There’s never a dull moment. If you arrive early, there’s the fun of getting your face painted for a night of splendour – and no matter how dour your choice of couture, your face will light up the room.

You can also have your fortune read before the time, just in case you want to know about the millions in your future before you empty your pocket on the night.

But once seated inside with 380 guests scattered around the room, there’s more than enough to keep you intrigued. The serving staff, who are there to see that the night runs smoothly for each diner, are all dressed up as if having stepped back in time to ease your journey into this magical space.

The astounding contortionist Lunga Buthelezi

Breathtaking contortionist Lunga Buthelezi 

Think Berlin and the film version of Cabaret. Or perhaps our very own version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream staged with so much success at Maynardville a few years back that it even made a turn at The Market Theatre a few months later.

Some of the characters could also have escaped from the filmset of M*A*S*H or, if you want to go more recent, Harry Potter. And their attitude is as engaging as their attire.

The balance is perfect. While a four-course meal (Executive Chef: Emile Goliath) might sound extravagant, the portions are just right to keep you from wanting more and an exotic cocktail (alcoholic or not) is not excessive and lasts through the evening with a few glasses of water in between. (That is, when you drive rather than Uber).

But to get to the heart of the Zingara magic. It is the performers  – who, on the night, included Jonny Grundy and Manuel Artino, fantastic acrobats who have created a novel approach perfect for this particular venue; contortionist Lunga Buthelezi (from Joburg), who is probably the artist that impressed me most, because of the novelty and the artistry; the classy crooning throughout by The Clorettes, in solo and combination (from left to right, above) Edith Plaatjies, Andrea Anthony, Naz Leeman and Brandon Jonathan and Downtown Johnny (pictured credit Spencer du Plessis), whose name says it all. There are more and, during the run, certain acts are also changed but the style and spectacle is always there.

At the end of the night, I was ready to go home and yet again impressed by the creativity and the charm of this particular venture. It’s great to see something that has lasted through all kinds of fads and phases which has never lost any of its soul and lets you go into the night following an evening of revelry, the pace and passion determined by you.

They provide a venue that embraces, entertainment that holds you throughout, and a menu that works fantastically well while you set the tone.

I think it works especially well if you gather a group of like-minded friends to spend an enchanted African evening.

*The season runs Tuesdays to Sundays at the Melrose Arch Pavilion. Arrive early – gates open at 5pm – to explore the grounds, browse the Bijoux Boutique, get a tarot reading or have your face painted. The curtain rises on La Dolce Royal at 7:30pm and tickets costing from R1 360 per person include a welcome drink, a four-course dinner and the show. Booking is also open for end-of-year functions and special occasions. To book a VIP experience, email Vanessa@zingara.co.za

IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A GOOD HOUSE YOU NEED TO WORK ON THE FOUNDATIONS, SAYS AMY JEPHTA

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REVIEW BY DIANE DE BEER
PICTURES BY THANDILE ZWELIBANZI

A GOOD HOUSE

CAST: Homeowners Nhlakanipho Manqele and Lesoko Seabe (Bonolo), and their neighbours Jose Domingo and Mary-Ann Barlow, and  Christine van Hees and Conrad Kemp

I was listening to two American podcasters speaking about movies and television recently, talking about the lack of current events featured in any of their fictional TV series or films.

They pointed to Nixon and the Kennedys, for example, who have had so much filmed about their lives – in reality and fictionalized – but said nothing similar was being done about the Trump dynasty.

Fresh from witnessing Amy Jephta’s A Good House, currently playing at Joburg’s Market Theatre, it is all about current South Africa and accompanied by a strong local audience, all ages colours and genders, whose participation was as much fun as the play.

Lesoko Seabe and Nhlakanipho Manqele

I know we’re still a young democracy in global terms, but we’re moving on with some maturity as we head for our fourth decade. We certainly have stories to tell, time to reflect, discussions to be had and people who are still willing to talk to one another.

Are we one big happy family? Of course not. We would be idiots to think that is going to happen with alacrity, but we are busy moving away from those early rainbow phases simply to breathe more easily because we are all still alive and kicking.

In the international stakes though, we’re reaching for the top and it certainly isn’t out of our reach. And if anything, even with a group of cantankerous neighbours trying to make their way in Amy Jephta’s A Good House, it was easy to recognize what was developing on stage.

How good it is to smile at the things we get up to, the way we look at each other and the assurance with which we sometimes say something when we assume we know, but don’t have a clue.

From left: Jose Domingo, Mary-Ann Barlow, Lesoko Seabe and Nhlakanipho Manqele.

Three couples have chosen to live in one of the many gated communities which are such a part of our landscape. Apart from sizing each other up from every angle, what they have in common is their worry, in varying degrees, about a shack which has suddenly appeared on the periphery of their much valued and carefully selected suburb of Stillwater.

Jephta was already rewarded for the play when she was nominated for the prestigious international Susan Smith Blackburn Prize that honours women and writing for the stage. It was described as full of wit, humour, insight and exhilarating tension.

For her, it is a provocative exploration of the meaning of place, the contradictions of belonging and the definitions of community. Conversations are as fast and furious as change, according to the people in the room. It’s sizzling with all that predictable foot-in-the-mouth chatter crashing before its landed as husband and wife stare each other down, while carefully trying to navigate this sacred space which they can’t afford – financially or mentally – and have to try to make work.

Jephta latches on to the shifting terrain our country is still experiencing and has fun at everyone’s expense. No one escapes her sharp gaze, as she has picked her characters with care: men not used to even having to think about biting their tongue; women who know it all; those who feel entitled and those who don’t even know what that means; and others too scared to move.

Colour still looms large in our country and unfamiliar relationships still on shaky ground as people have to play specific games to make their world work. It’s specific algorithms, they say, or, in this instance, agendas. The difference is that they are historical and the patterns hardly noticed by those playing, so ingrained have they become.

Christine von Hees and Conrad Kemp.

Yet the fact that we are dealing, on whatever level, is already large in a world that turns its back on its horrific past as if the generations that follow feel it is their right to ignore or even wipe out the scars of those affected communities whose very existence depended on the goodwill of their enemies.

It is the kind of theatre that’s engaging and healing as writers refuse to let go of the ills of the past that have not yet been dealt with. It’s  not just a litany of fingers being pointed at the obvious perpetrators; it’s dealing with a legacy that still has an impact on a country that has survived so much that some say it is enough.

And yet, if you listen carefully, usually those arguing are not the people who have suffered, and thoeirs are the voices that should be listened to.

Jephta is an experienced voice who speaks her mind; her plays grapple with who we are and she bravely has an embracing and nuanced outlook which doesn’t simply take the easy way out. She lines us all up to pull together, no matter where we come from, but hopefully to build rather than break down our future. And all the while, she has us laughing at ourselves.

Congratulations to The Market as well as a production with a stunning writer/director and cast who stand their ground in a space so intimate, you cannot turn away.

SWAN LAKE THE PERFECT EXAMPLE OF CAPE BALLET AFRICA’S MAGNIFICENCE ON STAGE

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REVIEW BY DIANE DE BEER

CAPE BALLET AFRICA’S SWAN LAKE

TEATRO MONTECASINO until AUGUST 23

PRESENTED BY CAPE BALLET AFRICA AND GLOBAL STAR EVENTS with the superb Cape Ballet Africa’s presenting different principals in different performances

The first thing that popped into my head when watching Cape Ballet Africa’s in a packed Montecasino Teatro on a public holiday was Timothée Chalamet’s recent calamitous remark about nobody caring about ballet and opera anymore.

In case you missed the brouhaha that followed, it’s not as if this young actor is uninformed, his grandmother, mother and sister all danced for New York City Ballet. Seems to me as if this seemingly poor little-boy- lost was dealing with family intrigue, which should have been kept in-house rather than publicly declared and not even on topic at the time.

Nevertheless, it was aired worldwide and he got the attention he sought and deserved. Sitting right in front of me at the matinee was a young girl completely transfixed throughout the almost three-hour-long classic. I guessed her age at four, but when talking to her mother and ballet teacher who accompanied her, was actually seven.

And sitting next to me, the reason our little group of three were there, was my friend’s 14-year-old son, Heath Prior who has been dancing since the age of 6, but had never seen this particular ballet.

He remarked on the excellent quality of the dancing and especially praised the company for achieving the two purposes of ballet; the clarity of the story and the effortlessness of the performance.

With Cape Ballet Africa being the excellent company they are, we were all enchanted and in this corner of Africa, there was not a hint of ballet on its way out. In fact, at great expense and effort I’m sure, the company travelled from Cape Town to Joburg for a short season and they were rewarded with huge audience response.

From the moment the red curtains were drawn, it was sheer bliss. I had previouisly seen all the classics so often that I turned my back for a few years, but the reputation as well as witnessing two recent performances of this astonishing company at festivals, I knew it was time to revisit this exquisite ballet.

Not only was I reminded how uninformed Chalamet’s remark was, I was again swept up in the marvel of Swan Lake when so magnificently executed.

And when you read through the programme (which is well worth purchasing), it is the production of four standout women in the ballet world: the staging and choreography was by Elena Glurjidze, currently London based, whose credentials are too many to list, but the latest include the assistant artistic director for Nureyev, Legend and Legacy at London’s Drury Lane Theatre as well as a guest teacher at the Royal Ballet Upper School Summer Intencives for the past 10 years, as well as guest teacher for company class with the Royal Ballet from earlier this year and also staging Swan Lake for the United Ukrainian Ballet’s worldwide tour; Lindy Raizenberg, additional staging and choreography Act 3, currently a teacher, coach and choreographer with the company; Debbie Turner, artistic director of Cape Ballet Africa féted for her programming during her stint as CEO  and artistic  director of Cape Town City Ballet as she expanded the company’s artistic reach. Her current leadership embraces a broad, forward-thinking view of performance, repertory building, dancer development and dance education while remaining committed to preserving heritage and the traditions of classical ballet; and Diane van Schoor, patron, ballet master Cape Ballet Africa with additional staging and choreography Act I and II, whose teaching credentials in world ballet circles leave no doubt about her spectacular ability.

And while all this might sound over-the-top, it is simply the briefest of descriptions possible because these four impressive artists are the drivers and the result of the brilliance we see on stage. As you read through their numerous accomplishments, what you see on stage falls into place.

No one made a wrong step or wasn’t perfectly turned out all of the time. Everything was done with South African flair, from the casting showcasing excellent dancing from the principals and the rest of the company as well as a few guest artists for added swagger.

The masterfully-executed choreography, moody yet no-fuss sets and the costumes with Baron von Rothbart’s menacing outfit something quite spectacular as well as the shimmering jewel-coloured ballroom scene with the Queen in a regal midnight blue).

The stage is set for a Swan Lake to be remembered with pride and warm hearts. This is not easy to pull off in a time when ballet companies are seen as luxuries. The appreciative audience was testament that the dance community and following is strong and that when all of these components are in place, the performances will follow.

This is not a company who has you holding your breath in case someone is dropped or slips at an awkward moment. They can compete with the best and can be congratulated for this luxurious season of sheer wonderment.

Let’s hope that Gauteng audiences have confirmed that travelling companies who deliver the best will be féted and the attendances will be strong. Even with entertainment in abundance with ever-growing streaming services, when it comes to the arts, nothing beats a live performance. Cape Ballet Africa confirmed this, all the while stealing Gauteng hearts with classical genius.

THE ENORMITY OF STAGING A NEW WORK LIKE THE BACCHAE – AN AFRICAN CHORAL BALLET

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By DIANE DE BEER

PICTURES: LAUGE SORENSEN

This is a year of anniversaries, with theatres and institutions celebrating milestones. One of these is Joburg Ballet whose 25thAnniversary Season promises a monumental year of dance with a range of exciting productions that will showcase the company’s rich history, artistic vision and institutional growth, according to their CEO, Elroy Fillis-Bell at the launch of their milestone Silver Jubilee year. 

With this in mind and in partnership with Arts & Culture at the University of Johannesburg, a division of the Faculty of Art, Design & Architecture (FADA), is currently staging “a world-first Choral Ballet that reimagines Euripides’ iconic tragedy through a uniquely South African lens – The Bacchae: An African Choral Ballet”.

Kitty Phetla centrestage with the Joburg Ballet and the UJ Choir in the background.

And for this spectacular event, they have put together an extraordinary creative team which will excite art lovers across the country. There’s director Jay Pather with his second work on stage this month (see previous review of Constellations at Sandton’s Theatre on the Square), award-winning choreographer Mthuthuzeli November, and most impressively, composer Neo Muyanga, who conceptualised, wrote and composed this first African choral birthday celebration. On stage the Joburg Ballet came together with the UJ Choir and guest artist Kitty Phetla with a production team of note in the wings.

Muyanga started dreaming about the project a number of years ago when he first read a translation of Euripides’s text. “Later,” he writes in the programme, “I was able to locate versions of the story authored by the legendary Wole Soyinka as well as poet Anne Carson, and at each reading I found the story resonated deeply with expressions of worry I hear shared over the media as well as in my own personal interactions regarding what feels like an impending societal crisis, both locally and globally.”

The illustrious dancer Thando Mgobihozi, Joburg Ballet dancers and the UJ Choir in the background.

He describes The Bacchae as “a harrowing tale of what the ancient Greeks called Sparagmos – a festival of violence and mayhem involving the tearing of one another from limb to limb of spilling blood in order to work through periods of upheaval.” He explains that the ancient Greeks devised the genre of tragedy as a way of helping a troubled society navigate towards a catharsis – reaching a point of resetting the city and returning to the ‘right behaviour’.

He started the project by firstly writing a libretto that elaborates on the themes of magic, power, violence and seduction which feature powerfully in the original work to illustrate how these topics could be found in our own contemporary context: the spectre of a political force running roughshod over a systematically disempowered populace, but which is ultimately halted by a saviour figure derisively called ‘a foreigner’ by detractors.

He composed a musical score that hopefully speaks to the pre-eminence of ritual and trance, making deliberate use of brass, percussion and choral, which he argues are meant to reflect our own practices of ritualised worship in the African Christian tradition.

November, the choreographer, realised that for him, it was meant to be a sort of epic ballet. “It’s huge in scope but deeply human,” he emphasises.

“As an artist, I come from many different backgrounds, from traditional African dance, kwaito, pantsula, ballet, contemporary dance and have gone to a performing arts school. A lot of that then informed what felt important at what point.

“I believe this work is about community, and time and time again South Africans have been a strong community that comes together, to fight, to celebrate.”

Bringing it all together, director Pather views The Bacchae as an unbearably tragic story and sums it up as follows: “The slighted and banished God of wine, ecstasy and fertility, Dionysus” (in this instance cast as a woman, the statuesque Kitty Phetla) “returns to Thebes and exacts revenge on the autocratic ruler Pentheus. Swept up in the magical energy of Dionysus (also known as Bacchus), the citizens (who become Bacchae, hence the title) experience ecstasy and freedom as never before. But like all excess, this also has its toll and leads to clashes and violence.”

He notes that the work is variously seen as an ancient tale that demonstrates that disrespect for the Gods will have consequences. And it is also read as a metaphor for, and a warning that, oppressive patriarchal regimes cannot last forever, that they maintain that volcano beneath them at their peril and will explode.

We can all certainly agree that we are living in a world that is dominated by these kinds of excesses, with rulers who are more worried about themselves and their immediate family and friends than about their fellow countrymen.

It’s a glorious proposition to explore and one worthy of the spectacular production in the Joburg Theatre. It’s a chance to see our artists when they come together for a grand collaborative effort on a grand scale.

Personally, however, I felt it lacked that African spirit of originality which I was expecting. Theatre is my area of expertise, but I have always loved especially local music and dance. For me the production was magnificently staged and yet, being the first African choral and ballet of its kind, I was charmed by the performance but left wanting for something more explosively original and African, something that would blow my mind.

Even so, I would urge everyone to go. The fact that something like this was attempted on such a gigantic scale is magnificent. That it didn’t succeed for everyone is what happens in the arts when something new is attempted.

If you’re not constantly shifting boundaries, what’s the point? If anything, this production speaks volumes about the healthy state of the arts.

LOVE TAKES SOMETHING MORE THAN THE STARS

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REVIEW BY DIANE DE BEER

PICTURES: Daniel Rutland Manners

CONSTELLATIONS by Nick Payne

DIRECTOR: Jay Pather

CAST: Mark Elderkin and Mwenya Kabwe (pictured above)

VENUE: Sandton’s Theatre on the Square

DATES: Tonight, until Friday at 7.30pm and Saturday at 5 and 8pm

CONSTELLATIONS is an intriguing play about a couple and their relationship, told in a way that keeps the audience running around in circles.

How does one approach a story of love between two people in an original way without it becoming too forced or even trite? We have all witnessed many different relationships on stage and screen, and in literature, but the playwright’s sleight of hand is what adds the fizzle and pop to this one.

It’s all about time and different universes where the same scene unfolds over and over again with changes in tone, perspective and behaviour that flow flawlessly and without visible fuss.

It’s about small things that have a huge impact or slip by unnoticed when two people are involved. In Constellations, the playwright plays with ideas to tell a story that is as old as the hills yet finds angles and alleyways to add a different slant.

The key to unlocking the essence of the piece can be found in the interactions between the tiniest particles that turn every action into a seismic event between two people trying to forge a meaningful and possibly lasting relationship. It spotlights the fragility and the different ways people view their world and communicate their actions and feelings – or simply a single thought which can change the meaning of what they are trying to share?

It’s almost as if the writer is gambling with love. Is it even possible? How can they have such a tough time expressing their feelings to one another?

The concept is approached playfully, giving the actors a chance to play around with words and meanings, as would happen when rehearsing a play. Those of us watching will all be familiar with the wicked ways love can play with your heart, mind and sometimes hearing!

Yet even when you have a brilliant script, it is the actors who must breathe life into the words. And here, that is it, the actors and their words. That is what makes it all so enticing. The casting is both perfect and not obvious, but Kabwe (one of my favourite actors) and Elderkin (a new discovery) are the perfect fit with smart direction by Pather, who keeps it simple and to the point. It’s all in the script and how that is managed – and in this instance, magnificently.

It is the way the two actors switch demeanour in an instant, with every sentence making a difference and changing the temperature in the room smartly and swiftly time and again.

It is thought-provoking and charming, and keeps you on your toes. What more could you possibly wish for.

Well, for some, it’s also a compact 75 minutes long, the perfect breather in a long day.

REMEMBERING THE PAST TO HONOUR THE PRESENT

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Review by Diane de Beer

RISE ’76: THE STORY OF JUNE 16TH

WRITER/DIRECTOR: Tiisetso Mashifane wa Noni

CAST:  Deon Lotz (police commander), Sbuja Dywili (policeman) and Ben Albertyn (policeman), the three men at the back

With bottom row from left to right: Mfuneli Ntumbuka (teacher), Alex Sono (male pupil) Zilungile Mbombo (standing, female pupil), and Botlhale Mahlangu (headmaster)

With all of them playing many other smaller characters in the play

VENUE: Mannie Manim Theatre at Joburg’s Market

DATES: Until June 28

Can it be 50 years ago that our nation was confronted with one of its most devastating yet life-changing catastrophes?

In a country as diverse and divided (not only by law) as we were, everyone would have experienced that cataclysmic day differently and arguably, many older folk will think they remember it all too well.

And yet, because of the intimate setting, the small ensemble and the personal gaze of the historical retelling, it unfolds in waves of emotional information that often overwhelm you completely. For the audience, there’s no holding back, no place to hide. Whether you ‘witnessed’ the events or only heard about them many years or decades later, the full impact will catch you unawares.

That is what makes this such a masterpiece. So much has happened since the day the schoolchildren decided to take matters into their own hands. The focus has been dimmed and June 16 is a date remembered, but one that needs to be put out there in blazing colour and minute detail – not just the headlines.

Pupils Zilungile Mbombo (above) and Alex Sono (pupil), Sbuja Dywili (policeman) and Deon Lotz (police commander)

Because it had such an explosive impact and awakened the inevitable revolution, which was destined to follow, it is something that needs to be part of each generation’s psyche – and this certainly achieves that in a most courageous and daring fashion.

Whatever your political persuasion, you will be affected by this remarkable play and the choices made. Itis the full package that makes this work so magnificently, starting with the thoughtful and thought-provoking text.

This is then further cemented by the creative casting, with each member of the cast the perfect fit. And it shows in many different ways because most of them play many different characters, each one capturing the heart of the character they adopt. Ntumbuka’s teacher seems aghast at what she is expected to teach, for example. Imagine, she almost shrieks, that she is expected to teach maths in Afrikaans, a language completely foreign to her. And yet, when she appears as a mother, she’s calmness herself.

And the rest of the cast follow suit, slipping easily into whoever they’re expected to become next. The two youngster Zilungile Mbombo and Alex Sono, deserve special mention because they weren’t even born in ’76 and yet they capture the defiance and courage of that time with the energy required.

As you relive these traumatic times now almost a half-century ago, you cannot help but feel pride at the progress this country, which held such horror for such a large number of its citizens has already achieved. Much bigger countries (in fact, large chunks of the world) are suffering rough times and struggling with the animosity between citizens.

Nothing comes easily, but the work done these past 30 years is obviously paying dividends. With the  introspection that Rise ’76 brings, it reminds us where we come from and how much we have to cherish 50 years down the road on a continent and in a country that not many gave much of a chance to succeed.

Our outrageous systems of the past, with fortunately the most unattainable expectations of disempowerment of most of the nation, should never be forgotten even though we achieved miracles against all odds.

Those of us who lived through it should never lose the sense of wonder as we witness the cohesion that is starting to rear its head all over the show.

Many laughed at the notion of a Rainbow Nation in the early days. And while nothing is ever perfect, from my point of view, if you have a mixed populace turning up to something called the Pretoria Boeremark in the capital city every Saturday, we are doing something right.

And while comparisons are odious, as a nation we have to smile if 50 years on with many countries battling stability, we seem to be going from strength to strength.

FROM THE CHARL DU PLESSIS TRIO – WITH LOVE

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DIANE DE BEER

Soloist/accompanist/lecturer Charl du Plessis is all about music. He is constantly travelling all over the world, but everything is about the performance – or occasionally catching one of his cherished artists either in the classical or jazz genres.

His annual classical festival at the Fairtree Atterbury Theatre has become legendary in a very short time because of its innovative programming as well as the acclaimed artists participating.

Where he finds the time for everything he packs into his life, we all wonder, but not for too long, because all of those who share his musical bent, benefit from his crazy schedules which are always varied and adventurous. Similarly, this year, it will be difficult to choose from excellent programming, but it doesn’t happen more than once a year, so be generous and treat yourself.

Here is a rundown of the perfectly planned programming with a fantastic performance celebrating the Fairtree Atterbury Theatre:

Atterbury Klassiek 2026 21-24 May (Presented by Atterbury Trust Fairtree Atterburyteater)

VOX CHAMBER CHOIR: GLASS MUSIC

The Vox Chamber Choir, founded in 2017 by Franco Prinsloo, is a Pretoria-based ensemble of 40 highly skilled singers dedicated to performing and recording Prinsloo’s compositions.

Prinsloo, an internationally acclaimed composer, has played a significant role in shaping South Africa’s contemporary classical music landscape. The choir serves as a professional platform to bring his innovative works to life.

Fairtree Atterbury Theatre Thursday, 21 May 19:30 seatme.co.za (R190, R250) (duration 60 min)

Charl du Plessis Trio & Friends need no introduction. The celebration of two decades on stage reaches its pinnacle in what should be a spectacular concert featuring the trio  alongside a remarkable lineup of guest artists. The programme consists of a curated selection of works drawn from the Trio’s 10 albums, as well as brand-new material performed live for the first time. On offer is both a retrospective and a glimpse into the future, capturing the Trio’s signature blend of classical refinement, jazz energy, and crossover innovation. Joining them on stage are guest artists: percussionist and marimba virtuoso Magda de Vries as well as guitarist and long-time collaborator Juan Oosthuizen and iconic vocalist Nataniël. This is a celebration of musical connection, creativity, and the enduring life force of music itself.

Fairtree Atterbury Theatre Friday, 22 May 19:00 seatme.co.za (R330, R280, R220) (duration 80 min)

Introduction to the Orchestra: A Magical, Interactive Concert Experience for Children at Atterbury Klassiek 2026

Step inside the world of the orchestra in this vibrant and engaging concert-lecture designed for curious minds of all ages. It’s a musical journey through the different sections of the ensemble, uncovering how each family of instruments contributes its own colour, character, and voice. From the shimmering strings to the bold brass, this interactive experience brings the orchestra to life through live demonstrations, familiar musical examples, and moments of audience participation. Discover how composers combine these sounds, explore the building blocks of orchestral music, and gain insight into the creative process behind the music. Conducted by Richard Cock, whose engaging and audience-friendly style has inspired music lovers, this concert promises to be as entertaining as it is enlightening.

Fairtree Atterbury Theatre Saturday, 23 May 11:30 seatme.co.za (R100 children R200 adults) (duration 60 min)

Mozart’s Three Pianos

Three Steinway Grand Pianos will share the stage in an historic Mozart celebration at the Fairtree Atterbury Theatre. The concert will feature the Phoenix Co Orchestra under the baton of maestro Richard Cock. The highlight will be Mozart’s rarely performed Concerto for 3 pianos in F major, K. 242, an exuberant work that showcases the brilliance and interplay of three soloists performing together: distinguished pianists Charl du Plessis, Megan-Geoffrey Prins and Tessa Rhoodie – all faculty members of the University of Pretoria.

The programme also includes Mozart’s sparkling Concerto for 2 pianos in E-flat major, K. 365. Du Plessis will be joined by rising star Hermanus Schmidt, winner of the 2025 Atterbury National Piano Competition and the Hennie Joubert Piano Competition. Originally from Stellenbosch, Schmidt is currently a student of renowned South African pianist Mario Nell.

Fairtree Atterbury Theatre Saturday, 23 May 18:00 Sunday, 24 May 15.00 seatme.co.za (R330, R280, R220) (duration 75 min)

And to top it all, not strictly speaking part of the festival, yet landing with a celebratory blast off:

     
Fairtree Atterbury Theatre’s 15th Birthday Celebration with  Charl du Plessis – My Favourite Things — a personal journey through classical and jazz piano.  18 May | 19:00 | R200       Moving seamlessly between classical piano repertoire and jazz-inflected reinterpretations, Du Plessis creates a musical journey that balances elegance, spontaneity and expressive depth. The programme features works by Brahms, Chopin and Rachmaninoff with imaginative crossover arrangements of Mozart and Beethoven.   Well-loved melodies such as Salut d’amour, Rustle of Spring and Bésame Mucho are reimagined through Du Plessis’ distinctive pianistic lens, where lyricism and rhythmic vitality coexist effortlessly.   Also included are an improvisation on Somewhere Over the Rainbow from The Wizard of Oz and a sensitive arrangement of the traditional South African song Ntyilo Ntyilo, underscoring Du Plessis’ longstanding engagement with improvisation and musical storytelling.  
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