DATES: Tonight (7 pm), tomorrow 3 and 7pm, and Sunday at 3pm. The show has been extended until February 22
The times they are a changin …
And that is why this was such an excellent choice to launch the 50th anniversary of one of our country’s icons, The Market Theatre.
Marabi is the kind of show which celebrates and recalls a past which many would rather forget yet must be a constant reminder of where we come from. When Sebotsane is asked about his character’s name, July, he casually responds that it’s the month he was born.
His interrogator laughs and responds that had he been born later, it could have been August. And we are reminded how even names were loaded during those harsh years.
The balance of this mostly joyous production is perfect. Because it is rooted in the music of the time, there’s a nostalgic element which while telling a harsh story of survival, always leans on the music to hold onto the dreams while fighting the good fight.
That’s what has always been part of this country and its people, especially during the darkest times. Marabi reminds us how life was and where we are today. And that we will always have the music, perhaps the most haunting element of the show.
The cast is a big one with mostly seasoned actors and you need that with this production, which needs the full cast to be accomplished actors, dancers and singers.
Even though we are reflecting on times when most people in the country had no rights, looking back has a certain bravura to it. We’ve made it through. When watching it the first time, that luxury was not available and The Market was one of the few theatres allowed to have mixed audiences … lest we forget.
Director Molepo was part of the original cast and the perfect choice. He gets the mood right, allows a clever text to have impact while softening the blows with a glorious mix of music and movement.
The lighting is also used magnificently, sometimes bathing the stage in shadows so that the singing is the standout performance.
Theatre is such a fantastic barometer of life and what is happening around us. It helps to put the world in perspective, allows the emotions to bubble over in a safe space and, more than anything, reminds us the importance of artists and storytelling.
These are different times, but the world outside our borders is a precarious one. Marabi is a reminder of how much we’ve changed – and also of how much we still have left to do. Yet more importantly, while everyone seems to be moving backwards, we must keep forging ahead. Of course, there are bumps in the road but we have battled many before and won.
This is one for those of us who lived through the past, but also for a new generation who doesn’t quite understand or even believe where we came from. If nothing else, the music should be part of our memories. Even the youngsters in the audience were singing along, which is evidence that we can cherish some key elements of the worst times.
And hats off to the genius piano player who kept us tapping our feet from when we entered the theatre up to the curtain call!
Presented by Joburg’s Market Theatre in partnership with Hattiloo Theatre from Memphis Tennessee
CAST: Chastity Alliston, Zan Tarria Edwards, Jamille Hunter and Grant Kee
DATES: Until February 22 at Joburg’s Market Theatre
This Tony-nominated musical states that it celebrates blues, jazz and gospel classics, and their connection is with love, resilience and especially the emotional lives of Black women.
It is described as a scorcher in which the soul of the blues wails out full and strong through hot and torchy numbers. It also weaves the sweet, sexy, and sorrowful stories of three women entangled with a lying, cheating man.
For the record, songs by legends such as Bessie Smith, Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen, Alberta Hunter, Jimmy Cox, Ida Cox, and more feature but probably what surprised me more than anything was how little I knew of any of the music performed.
It’s as if we (or perhaps that’s simply the shows I saw) focused on only a few familiar numbers like the title song as so much of the music was unfamiliar to me. But, instead of this being a negative, I found that exciting.
The performers are perfect for this musical challenge. The powerhouse Edwards, with a voice that seems to go on forever, is masterfully complemented by the sweet-toned Hunter and the smoky Alliston, while the solo male singer Kee, carrying the burden for the rest of his absent gender, uses his voice and jaunty presence to do the talking.
Not only was I witnessing an unfamiliar cast, it was also the music that overwhelmed me from start to finish. The first half felt a bit like a journey through the world of blues music, while the second half upped the rhythm as well as the vocals, which gave the audience a nudge to swing with the party.
This is music that was created to illustrate the pain of oppressive times, and like here, music was usually the platform where artists could express themselves. This show was picked specifically for Black History Month, which marks its 100th year in 2026.
The centenary calls for “an honest reflection on memory, healing, culture, as well as the condition and position of Black bodies in a still increasingly divided world.”
This milestone further coincides with The Market Theatre’s 50th anniversary, a powerful connection that presents a rich opportunity for representation and amplification of unheard voices. It is directed and choreographed by Emma Crystal, with musical direction by Dr. Ashley K. Davis.
And while on relevant dates, this is also the 70th anniversary of the historic August 9,1956 Women’s March, focusing the spotlight even more sharply on that especially neglected group, Black women.
Founder and CEO of Hattiloo Theatre, Ekundayo Bandele, and Artistic Director of The Market Theatre Foundation, Greg Homann, recognised and embraced the common histories between the two theatres in staging socially engaged works that prick at their respective nations’ collective conscience.
“From South Africa to the US, generations of oppressed people have sung their way up against discrimination, racism, subjugation and dispossession as an unstoppable wave. This year as we proudly present Blues in the Night for its African premiere, we also celebrate music’s ability to remind us of our shared humanity despite our fractured times,” shares Homann.
They aim to keep this exchange going – both to the advantage of performers and audiences.
*Playing alongside also at the Market is our own musical theatre classic Marabi, which will be reviewed later this week.
SOMETIMES I HAVE TO LEAN IN Choreographer & Performer: Alan Parker Director & Performer: Gerard Bester Dramaturg: Gavin Krastin Text (“Wallflower”): Gwydion Beynon VENUE: POPArt Theatre DATES: Today at 3pm
It’s difficult to let people know in time to catch one of the shows at Joburg’s POPArt, because they have short runs, but that’s also the purpose of their theatre. It’s for an easy yet discerning theatre crowd who like seeing something unusual and probably not available at a more traditional theatre. It’s one of the delights of theatre that it offers such diversity. And this particular venue is a great example. This present production has been around for a while starting as a commissioned work for Dance Umbrella in 2018 before playing at the Live Art Festival in Cape Town and most recently in 2024 for the National Arts Festival in Makanda. Gerard Bester and Alan Parker created this delightful physical theatre piece playing with ideas that possibly featured in their own lives as ageing performers which begins as soon as you pass through that first theatrical endeavour. Rather than focusing on age, it’s looking at two performers who have been in the industry for some time and are leaning in to find not only themselves and each other but also a way to be creative – not only on stage but also, hopefully in the world. There’s a sweetness and a melancholy to their approach which might seemingly come across as quite lowkey, yet delivers a strong emotional punch. It’s the unusual way they both move, sometimes leaning against a wall or in-between each other or simply trying their best to lean over while being held tightly by the ankles. It’s about bringing those emotions into the light so that you cannot resist embracing the storytelling as well as the performers. Perhaps co-director of POPArt, Hayleigh Evans says it best: once she saw it a few years back, she knew she had to present it at POPArt. It’s exactly right for this neighbourhood venue that’s easy to access, casual yet professional in its approach and yet another fabulous way to experience theatre at its most pleasurable. With Bester and Parker’s experience, their easy approach and their individually original style, it’s yet another way to access life and all the challenges thrown our way. Simply lean in!
Based on Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats by TS Eliot
Associate Director and Choreographer: CHRISSIE CARTWRIGHT
Musical Supervisor: PETER MCCARTHY
Assistant Choreographer and Director: MATT KRZAN
Musical Director: LOUIS ZURNAMER
Resident Director: DUANE ALEXANDER
Sound Designer: DAVID GREASELY
Lighting Designer: HOWARD EATON
Cast: A MARVELLOUS ENSEMBLE OF 20 PLUS PERFORMERS with a FANTASTIC BAND OF MUSICIANS led by LOUIS ZURNAMER
It’s pretty much a flawless production, this latest version of CATS, which has been staged 25 years after the first production was showcased locally.
How far we’ve come and how much we’ve seen and yet, this remains one of the best musicals staged locally with much of the praise due to a fantastic cast and production team including the musicians.
In a production of this size, it takes the very best to pull it off and that’s exactly what we have here. When looking through the cast list I was surprised that I didn’t recognize too many familiar names and yet the full ensemble was phenomenal with not a weak link to be seen.
I’m not going to single out any names because they simply all shone from start to finish and this is not an easy show to pull off. Not a paw or a whisker out of place. And the magnificent, choreographed movement and music sung to perfection made you part of this feline gang revitalizing and reimagining their lives.
Further enhancing the production is the dazzling lighting, which in turn enhances solo performances, spotlights sudden appearance or embraces the production full on.
But the clutter of classy cats are the centre of the attention and this clever musical based on TS Eliot’s poems adds innovative flair to this most unusual musical performed by cats.
That is what makes it so intriguing and mesmerizing and as this production pulls you in, it’s easy to see how hard these performers have worked to get this one right. It’s not an easy ask but they have met the challenge full on and we, the audience, are the winners.
I can hardly remember the production all that time ago but I do know that this is perfectly staged, with a cast that leaves you breathless. As someone remarked, they have been rehearsed to an inch of their lives.
It does, however, take that kind of performance to make this work. If we don’t get swept away by the performances and the music, it simply won’t work.
It is a young cast but one that has mastered the skill of presenting a show that never flags for a second. From the first furry paw and big back-stretching arch, we’re right there in the junkyard where this scrappy yet classy coterie entertains us with their memories and magical mysteries.
Pieter Toerien has long been the puppet master of local musical standards with shows that equal the best in the world. This one does his own high expectations proud.
Don’t miss seeing this breathtaking cast give a dazzling display of how to manage one of the toughest theatrical endeavours with ease. And as much as you admire the ensemble that makes it happen, it is also that the production team have encouraged each individual performance to be a standout.
It’s a musical put together of many magical moments with each individual performer creating their own gold standard. It starts with brilliant casting, young performers who achieve magnificence and breathe life into every move their feline characters make and a production team who reached for the stars.
With these performers grabbing the opportunity to show their best, it also looks towards the future of local musical theatre.
When I was first handed Lanie van Reenen’s latest novel with the unusual title Vandagsedag (translated as Today’s Day), something sounded familiar but I wasn’t sure.
I was asked to have a chat with her with an audience in attendance, so I was keen to explore her third book. She’s adamant that she doesn’t do fiction; she tried, and (she believes) failed miserably.
But her unusual life, not strictly planned, was what first started her writing. She kept notes on her life to make sense of what was happening, which started with the disintegration of her marriage – unexpectedly.
To help her get through this painful experience, she wrote her first book, C’est La Vie, which told the story of her French sojourn, dominated by a castle turned into a guest house, which turned into a disastrous enterprise because of the worldwide financial crash, amongst other things.
This was when she discovered the strength of putting her thoughts on paper, which then turned into a book. “I don’t write what I write with the intention of publishing,” she notes. She insists she isn’t a writer. When she simply writes to deal with her tumultuous feelings, she finds it healing. If she should sit down and do it intentionally for a book, her writing feels self-conscious.
Lanie van Reenen, the reluctant yet invigorating writer.
Whatever she is doing, it obviously works. I absolutely loved the writing and the way she engages readers with her life. It is the way she achieves writing about herself yet embracing the world. That and her determination to move forward and on when disaster strikes. She writes well and because of her adventurous drive, she is constantly finding herself in some kind of pickle or another, which she then battles to solve in a way that works for her and harms no others.
In this latest offering, she pinpoints a few themes. Probably the most dominant, is the focus on her mother’s last years. Who of us have not had to deal with that, or will in the future – especially women?
“My mom was blessed because she had five daughters all living quite close to her at the time.” In her case, she was living in Stanford, her mom in Hermanus, so she could pop in quite frequently.
But the daughters were also lucky to have a mother who took advantage of life and the fact that she was still living. On her 90th birthday she jumped from a plane. I’m not sure many of us would do that at any age.
It also explains much of Lanie’s spirit. How could one not embrace life with a mother like that! “She was really special,” says Lanie. But at this stage, her mom knew this was her last season.
And that is how this latest book made its first appearance – or at least the title. “She asked one day when she thought she was ready to let go, ‘How difficult can it be? What else do you have but today’s day? (vandagsedag)’”
Chatting about her writing process, especially one that doesn’t lead specifically to writing a book, Lanie does make An effort to document her life. Whenever something special happens (a wale turns up right next to her while she’s having one of her regular swims in the open sea), she writes it down as soon as she can.
In her younger days she was given a special notebook by a special friend, the late Merwede van der Merwe, a television producer in the early days of local television. This became part of Lanie’s life and one that she has always stuck to.
“I also regularly attend writing schools,” she says, “in the hope that I will actually learn to write. It’s about those of us who feel we cannot write.” Here the participants are given special writing exercises, like creating something about their earliest memories for example.
Busy with her third book, and yet another life crisis she had to deal with, she decided she would include these earliest memories throughout the book to give readers an inkling of who she was as a youngster and then grew up to be.
Lanie (right) and Diane pictured by Janetje van der Merwe.
And because these pieces were written to be read aloud the following day in front of a group of would-be writers, she threw herself into every piece. “Luckily, because of that they were usually well written,” she explains.
“I realized there aren’t that many stories about my adult life I have yet to tell.” And as this was to be her last book, she thought that she might as well go back to the beginning, which she did.
She is still amazed at how she managed to publish three books, which she attributes to her years and years of detailing her own life. “Even if I’m on the road, I will stop and write it down,” she says. And we all know how you think you will remember that last thought before you drift off at night …
The next morning it’s gone and you can’t believe that you let those brilliant words go. Each time Lanie decided she would attempt another book, she turned to her notes. “If you want to heed the discipline of writing a book, you have to make a daily appointment with yourself and you have to turn up,” she admonishes.
Following the reading of her first book many years ago and this last book for our conversation, I also read the middle book which completed the circle. I am convinced Lanie isn’t yet finished with her writing. It has become a part of her life, something she turns to when she wants to make sense of her life.
In the meantime, for those of you who haven’t yet discovered her particular oeuvre, explore and enjoy. Hers is an unusual life and one worth reading about.
A personal journey of South African people and places by DIANE DE BEER:
Recently I finally made a dent in my few bucket list items – a west coast/Namaqualand flower trip.
For years now I have been dreaming of seeing this annual phenomenon, a desire I don’t really understand. I’m not your nature kind of girl. As explanation, these feelings have probably been fueled by a partner who feels once you have seen one dusty animal, you’ve seen them all.
I’m not quite that extreme but mostly I rely on others to supply me with these once-in-a-while nature excursions. Of course, living and traveling in South Africa, much of our lives is dominated by nature, and it’s hard to resist. I love spending time in my garden and a few years back, a cousin who is married to a Kiwi invited me along on their Kruger National Park trip. I loved every second.
I was fascinated by the evolution of the park which I had not visited for a few years and I loved going with a couple who travel to this country especially for one of these game park trips. It thrilled me to know that this was one of our best attractions luring many foreign visitors to this country.
Menues and memories at the Springbok Hotel
So when we set off via Springbok as our first stopover and initial sightings of the flowers, I had very specific pictures in my head. It was very different to what I had expected, yet I wasn’t at all disappointed.
I had always thought that the whole area was covered in flowers. I knew certain years were better than others and I have a special friend, Martie-Louise and her husband Albie Hunlun, warm and generous people, living in that area who had gifted us their holiday cottage in Strandfontein and who kept me posted on the date we needed to leave – which we did.
Our first glorious encounter with the Namaqualand splendour was the day we spent on a circular drive in the Springbok environment. It blew my mind and if these were the only sightings to be had, I would have been happy. But I knew there would be more.
The floral splendour of Namaqualand.
Apart from the flowers, geographically this part of our country is quite spectacular. With the sea always close by, the landscape has a constant backdrop and if nature dominates my life in any way, it is the sea that most enchants me. It’s part of my childhood and while I have lived in Gauteng for most of my life, my most dreamy times are always when I go bodysurfing, something I do whenever I have the chance. With this trip both the weather and the chilly seas were a deterrent, but I had known that would be the case.
Our second day filled with the magnificent sight of flowers was in the Posberg area. While the whole Namaqualand area has sightings of flowers, there are specific spots where an abundance is more visible – in my mind’s eye, I thought the whole Namaqualand would be covered in flowers like I witnessed in these specific areas. It was a revelation but no less spectacular than I imagined.
We were blessed in all kinds of ways. The area in which people travel is quite vast, so we were never overwhelmed by traffic or tourists. I suspect because it isn’t contained to one specific area, the adventure is relatively unspoilt and clearly focused on the flowers. All the amenities are available if you want, but Namaqualand hasn’t been turned into a theme park – yet – which could so easily have happened.
The magnificent west coast.
The people of the area are also unique. There is a spontaneous warmth and friendliness in every encounter and while my partner was flummoxed by the absence of his much loved cappuccinos, for me it underlined the charm of this spectacular part of our country which changes into a wonderland annually for a few weeks – and yet, they have kept it as untouched as possible in a world driven by financial opportunity.
Nature at its best.
Because of the distance we had to travel, I expanded our road trip, and our final destination before heading home was at Gert Van de Merwe and Jaco Jansen van Rensburg’s Die Langhuis. In 2020, en route to Cape Town, the couple took a detour and found themselves in Barrydale where they discovered, and impulsively bought, what is now their destination. Die Langhuis has changed into something quite breathtaking by these two creatives.
Gert and Jaco with their doe-eyed Weimaraner Alexiaas well as their exquisite enterprise here and below.
I kept in touch with all the happenings around the evolution of their lives moving from the city to the Karoo, Gert’s letting go (almost) of his design business and Jaco managing to create a new hairdressing spot in quite marvelous fashion.
Not unexpectedly, the designer in Gert is unstoppable, yet he has shifted his gaze from couture to something more eclectic combining his love for exquisite objects and fabrics as well as the treasure trove he discovered in India, which they visit regularly.
An escape to dream of and if you’re blessed, experience.Die Langhuis in all its splendour.
All this is displayed in their new joint venture which culminates in Die Langhuis countrystore, café and magnificent bed-and-breakfast country cottages. It’s difficult to capture the essence of what they have created to share some of their new-found Karoo magic with the rest of the world. It’s the ultimate escape in what feels like the lap of luxury while all the time wallowing in the expansive creativity of these two artists, both in their own right.
The magic of Magpie, one of the exquisite treasure troves in a gem of a small town, Barrydale.
You leave Die Langhuius and Barrydale with a feeling of fulfillment, even if small-town living isn’t what you wish for yourself. It is exciting to witness others who have found the lifestyle they were craving without realising that’s exactly what they wanted. When it then turns into something they share with like-minded travelers and allow you to have just a taste of what they lost their hearts to, it’s something more than money can buy.
I’m almost reluctant to share too much of this special little town, but because it is quite hidden and you have to make a very specific detour, they’re probably safe from too much exposure. Keep it in your back pocket for a day when you feel like a breakaway weekend wrapped in a charm that feels as if it isn’t from these harried times.
It’s your chance to do some local time traveling. And if you’re blessed as I am, you will also be meeting some of the best people I know.
CAST: Katlego Nche (Pinocchio); Gina Shmukler (Bella Bouboulina – the Blue Fairy); Sandi Dlangalala (Jiminy Cricket (Gepetto Spoletto); Lesedi Rich (Lampwick Spaghetti); Brenda Radloff (Madame Ill’Fortunato – The Fox; Camilla Waldman (Madame Pussy Galore – The Fat-Cat); Tiaan Rautenbach (Dame Arletti Spaghetti ); Mark Richardson (Senor Napolio Strombolio – (Puppeteer/Gambvling Lord/Donkey Pirate); Luciano Zuppa (Fiddelomino – Traindriver/Donkeydealer); Noluthando Mathebula (Dainty Dolly – a puppet); Dale Ray (Benny Basie Blue MD);and the ensemble of 15 performers
DATES: Until December 24
A colourful explosion.
Oh Janice! Why am I not surprised? This your 38th outing … I think? And you’re still pulling it off? There’s simply no end to your genius, is there?
I know you can do many other shows as well and you have the CV to prove that. But Gauteng audiences simply refuse to let you go.
Not only do you pull it off year after year, you also have the perfect team, led by Timothy le Roux, assistant director, who has introduced his own stage charm to the proceedings as well as holding on to all that panto knowledge you have imparted since those very early years.
Doesn’t matter when you go … as we did on a Sunday at noon. You simply pack them in … young and old, it doesn’t matter, they all love it. And I was sitting in the perfect chair to catch the show as well as the audience. They’re having so much fun it’s almost a show on its own.
The colours capture the emotions of the panto.
And there’s a reason for that. You have honed your skills through the years. You never sat back thinking you’ve made it. With each outing you set the bar higher.
You know how to cast, both the veterans and the fresh young things. They’re all rehearsed to an inch of their lives, yet there’s nothing mechanical. They, it seems, are having as much fun as the audience. Even on a day when they will be back in 90 minutes for a second show, it’s all systems go go go.
Let’s start with the costumes! Those colours simply smash it! It’s bright and cheery with a strong Italian flavour of green, red and white running through, but that’s augmented by the brightest brights so that every one on that stage is shining as bright as can be. It’s as happy as well as hip, which immediately sets the tone and the flavour of what’s to come.
A cast of colourful characters.
There’s the cheery Pinocchio (Katlego Nche) and his perky puppet friend (Noluthando Mathebula), Jiminy Cricket (Sandi Dlangalala) with the exquisite voice, the two foxy madames (Brenda Radloff and Camilla Waldman), so deliciously delightful, old hands Mark Richardson and Luciano Zuppa who skate through a cast of characters with ease, as well as another wise and wittty veteran Tiaan Rautenbach who knows how to dazzle as Dame Arletti Spaghetti – and how could you not with a name like that! There’s also Gina Shmukler’s sassy Bella Bouboulina, the Blue Fairy, and a supporting cast who bounce with the exuberant energy that keeps the audience on their toes.
Through the years the magic tricks as well as the sparkle and splendour have doubled in size and grandeur and expanded with advances in technology, but what Janice has done so magnificently is hold onto the spirit of the traditional panto.
Every year she enhances what could have become tired tropes. She adds all the necessary and unexpected dazzle, but her brilliance lies in her holding tightly onto the heart.
“It’s about how we become an ensemble, whether we are performers, audience members, or neighbours. It’s how the city performs itself through us, and also how we choose to perform the city. Johannesburg is a place that requires a collective navigation, a mutual reliance, a particular call and responses.” Neo Muyanga, Impressario of the Centre for the Less Good Idea in Maboneng.
Dancer Thulisile Binda
By DIANE DE BEER
The best would have been to attend all the evenings of the 11th season to experience the full impact of what co-founder and director of The Centre, Bronwyn Lace describes as a multi-limbed, complex organism which she believes is what the Less Good Idea has evolved into. “…our arms reaching into various directions but connected to the same robust body. It makes sense for us to share a season at the end of this year, because we have an abundance of new strategies, forms, and artworks to test, show, and celebrate.”
Pianist Jill Richards with vocalist Pertunia Msani.
And it certainly was all of that, exploding with a sense of creative abandon in two hours of exuberant performance which ranged from the glorious musically driven showcase by classically trained improviser Jill Richards who performed magnificently with the Benin drummer, percussionist, composer and arranger Angelo Moiustapha accompanied by the melodic voice of Pertunia Msaniiwith Marcus Neustetter’s digital storytelling adding yet another dimension to the experience. The musicianship was breathtaking.
It set the tone for what was to come as the audience moved to William Kentridge’s studio to experience a collection of mindblowing artists, starting with the spiritually immersive Vincent Mantsoe, one of our finest choreographers/dancers in one of his rare local appearances. Translike in his movement and tearing at the soul of those witnessing his deep level of engagement, the evening merged from one artist to another as Kentridge stepped from one stage to the next as he expressed his creativity with body and soul.
It was all about the merging of art and movement, Moving the Mark, as the event was titled, exploring the relationship between visual art and dance. What they wanted to achieve was to explore the relationship between these unusual pairings and what would emerge.
Vincent Mantsoe in action with percussionist Micca Manganye
How would the pure art of collaboration determine new creative decisions for an audience to experience and absorb? What happens when a dancer like Mantsoe mimics the ink stains of an artist like Kentridge, or from a different vantage, when the painter choreographs their brushstrokes?
Artist Penny Siopis took to the air in almost trapeze-like fashion, painting her canvas on the floor from up high while choreographer/dramaturg Shannel Winlock-Pailman worked her magic below in mesmerizing fashion, the two artists in total union while expressing their heightened emotions.
All the while, the musical accompaniment captured the experience of the moment, enveloping the audience in the round, some wrapped in black bags to protect them from the explosive expression of art as artists flung paint creatively with fearsome flair.
The Centre for the Less Good Idea is all about the collective voice expressed in collaborative pairings, artists who work in different mediums but have creativity and exploration that binds them, pushing the boundaries, trying different ways of making new work to excite themselves as artists while also challenging and stimulating audiences constantly searching for art and creativity exploring the evolving world we live in.
Curator Neo Muyanga (left) and Kentridge (right, in the left corner) choreographing with brushstrokes while Mantsoe is on stage following the moves.
It’s exciting when artists go beyond the expected, and are given free rein to explore their storytelling genres. How can they beat that drum differently? Given the chance to fail is often the best way to reach excellence but the restrictions are many. And more than anything, it is the encouragement to stretch far beyond the boundaries, to take that leap and to experience the beginning of experiments which are allowed to grow and flourish.
This first sold-out performance of the 11th season proved that the audience is willing and determined to experience artists moving the mark. The rest of the season sounded as extraordinary and my wish would have been to witness the full week of extraordinary creativity encouraged to dare to go beyond the expected.
How blessed are Gauteng audiences (who showed their appreciation) to experience these glorious experiments inspired and empowered by William Kentridge who could have staged them anywhere in the world. Kentridge gives us the opportunity to grow together and to expand our idea of what anything and everything is. Step into the void and see what happens comes to mind.
A walkabout of the newly installed exhibition 2020 Through the Eye of a Needle: Remembering the Covid-19 Pandemic in 2025 curated by Julia Charlton, senior curator at WAM (Wits Art Museum), reminded everyone who was present how quickly we move on from events that change the world dramatically. DIANE DE BEER gives her impression of the way women rule the charity world:
As Professor Brenda Schmahmann — South African art historian and current South African Research Chair in South African Art and Visual Culture (SARChI) at the University of Johannesburg’s Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture (FADA) — was in conversation with Julia, I was again reminded of women and the way they participate in the world where people are negatively impacted simply because of their circumstances, not because of anything they did wrong.
Living in Africa has many advantages, and for me, one of them is the constant reminder of how the real world functions. Privilege is usually something that is bestowed on you at birth and in a sense with the roll of the universal dice, it could just as well have been the other way.
But listening to these women as they share reflections and insights into the embroideries on exhibition, created by members of the Mapula Embroidery Project, a community art collective of women embroiderers based in the Winterveld and Hammanskraal, I again witnessed the part three women played and in the process changing the lives of many families in the Winterveld.
It’s as though the time since Covid passed in a flash, but this year marks five years since the World Health Organisation declared Covid-19 a global pandemic.
We all know how the disease has devastated the whole world. There was the astronomical loss of life, terrible emotional strain, extreme social disruption and economic devastation. We were also reminded of the impact of so many things in personal lives: first year students who in the end never had the opportunity to experience campus life and live lectures; exacerbating the horror of the high number of deaths, no one could attend funerals which had to happen in isolation; and following that time, we’ve simply had to get on with recapturing some of the life we had lost.
This exhibition on the five year anniversary offers an opportunity to reflect on that time by considering an interactive exhibition of embroidered textiles dealing with Covid-19 and its impact on a community. Without the Mapula project, it would have been an even worse catastrophe for this community and other groups also part of the Mapula family.
When engaging with the exhibition it is clear that the women use these hangings to depict their own lives. One of the first things you notice in the Covid panels for example, are the people featured all wearing masks, a vivid reminder of a time we had to isolate from others.
The hangings also serve as an historical document of a specific time. Whether it is the floods in Mozambique, the pandemic or even the tsunami in different parts of the world, these events are first captured by different artists in the group and then the individual women get sewing to create these artworks, hence the title Through the eye of the needle.
Other themes that pop up are food parcels during the pandemic, which were made up out of samp, rice and sugar, the absolute basics. Many of the cloths are also inspirational, not depicting what their lives are, but what they would like them to be.
What would we be as human beings without dreaming? “There’s always a focus on positive things,” noted Brenda
Janetje, who is involved with the embroiderers on almost a daily basis, explaining the logistics of keeping this group going. Because distances are sometimes huge due to the past, it takes planning and organizing to purchase the raw materials, get them delivered and establish pathways amongst the women to make it all work and come together.
In today’s hectic lives with family demands another obstacle, many women would have thrown their hands up in the air.
But these three are amazing examples of how women often work tirelessly to improve the lives of people who, but for the grace, might have been any of us.
Go and remind yourself in the coming months. Entrance is free and no booking is required.
It’s an enriching experience which the whole family can witness and enjoy. And along the way, a few lessons are imparted with quite a few fun interactive features, which will get everyone participating.
Museum hours: Tuesday – Saturday 10am to 4pm with the exhibition on until 13 September 2025.Physical address University Corner, Corner Bertha (extension of Jan Smuts Avenue) and Jorissen Streets, Braamfontein, Johannesburg. 011 717 1365 (Week-days) and 011 717 3158 (Weekends) E-mail: info.wam@wits.ac.za
JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TERCHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT BY TIM RICE AND LLOYD WEBBER
DIRECTOR: Anton Luitingh and Duane Alexander
CHOREOGRAPHER: Duane Alexander and Jared Schaedler
MUSICAL SUPERVISOR: Charl-Johan Lingenfelder
MUSICAL DIRECTOR: Amy Campbell
SET, COSTUMES AND PROP DESIGN: Niall Griffin
LIGHTING DESIGN: Oliver Hauser
SOUND DESIGN: David Classen
PRODUCERS: Pieter Toerien and Lamta
CAST: Lelo Ramasimong (narrator), Dylan Janse van Rensburg (Joseph), Chris Jaftha (Jacob/Potiphar/Pharaoh)
DATES: Until the end of September
This iconic musical had its first performances 50 years ago and if we take the current revivals, it’s still going strong. And with reason.
It’s always worth watching what Luitingh, Alexander, Lingenfelder, Griffin and Hauser are doing. They know how to breathe new life into what might have become a tired musical without losing its soul.
It’s a young and exciting cast who are being given wonderful opportunities to shine but they have also been gifted the tools to make it work.
From start to finish, the clarity of what they wanted to present and achieve was clear and that’s a joy to behold.
From the clever and uncluttered design which works in these smaller theatres to the choreography which flows and adds to the energy, everything is thought through and then executed to perfection. There’s just no leeway for things to go wrong.
Even when it comes to the look, it’s the way they have selected the costumes. Many were bought rather than freshly designed and, in this instance, a good choice not opting for the traditional dungerees the brothers more typically used to wear.
The only one that had me flummoxed was the narrator. Ramasimong’s blue jeans and shirt with the oddest jersey/jacket was an eyesore rather than using some imagination. Perhaps just a simple flowing robe would have had more impact. She plays a major role, is probably the one who has the most stage time and yet, she sticks out for the wrong reasons visually.
Fortunately she’s a marvelous performer and soars in her role as narrator. She has an unusual voice and a lovely stage presence. She knows this is where she belongs.
And so do the rest of the cast. One has to start with Janse van Rensburg’s Joseph, after all he is in the title role. It’s quite a responsibility on young shoulders in such an intimate large theatre. There’s nowhere to hide and if you don’t bring the goods as well as the charm, you’re in trouble. Janse Van Rensburg has already proved himself in challenging shows like Spring Awakening and he does it again here. He has a strong voice and a vulnerability that works in this part.
And someone who played his part in stealing some of the limelight is Jaftha, who had fun with his trio of roles as Jacob, Potiphar and in particular Pharaoh, the rocker who has a large moment in the musical which has rocketed other local actors (think Alvin Collison) to fame.
It’s a tricky role, but Jaftha has charisma and sass and was more than willing and able to step into any large shoes.
But as much as there are solo moments, it is a musical that involves the full cast because of the nature of the story – a bunch of brothers, for example – and then you have to balance that with the other roles.
If you’ve lived with a musical as long as I have with this one, it’s not easy to catch my attention. But I was stunned. I have seen a few musicals by this production team and I know they usually deliver. From the casting to the costume (bar one!) to the ensemble performances, the singing, the cast in full, it had a joyous feel about it in what can only be described as difficult times.
As well as the music, which was spirited into the new millenium as only Lingenfelder can do. “It was my third production of Joseph and I really didn’t want to do it,” he says. But when he was given the chance to pull the emphasis back to the story and to make sure everything worked for this time, he stepped on board. And it shows, with a score that’s as familiar as it is musically edgy. It’s something he achieves with astonishing regularity.
With the right people, that’s what entertainment can do in times of trouble. It offers respite and has you singing along with a bunch of brothers who hatch a plan to get rid of their father’s favourite son. An unlikely story but many decades ago a clever collaborating team started a much-envied partnership with this one as their first worldwide success.
And if you get it right, it still works. As it does in this latest version.
De Beer Necessities 