David Fick

Athol Fugard's THE ROAD TO MECCA is back on stage in South Africa in a major production mounted by The Fugard Theatre. At the helm of this new staging of the classic play is Greg Karvellas, who shared his thoughts on directing this well-loved South African play in this week's edition of 'Five on Friday' for BroadwayWorld South Africa.

The current season of WEST SIDE STORY - produced by the Fugard Theatre in the Artscape Opera House - is still as grand as it was in 2015, but is even better in 2018 than it was before - an emotional rollercoaster that is second to none. When I look back at the various productions and performances of WEST SIDE STORY that I have seen to date, this is the one I will remember.

Since establishing Sarafina Magazine in 2016, South African blogger and actress Candice Bernstein has featured over 150 womxn, drawing readers from over 90 countries. She took some time out from preparing for her upcoming Sarafina Magazine: Live event to take part in this week's edition of 'Five on Friday' for BroadwayWorld South Africa.

There is something thoroughly fabulous about watching a performer who knows exactly who they are doing what they were born to do. THE FABULOUS CERI DUPREE SHOW offers Capetonian audiences an opportunity to see just such an artist at Gate69, with Ceri Dupree having returned to South Africa for this limited season at the Mother City's Purple Palace on Bree.

There is something utterly inspiring about IMMORTAL, the theatre experience currently playing two shows a night at the Castle of Good Hope in Cape Town. Billed as the first-ever immersive theatre production of its kind in South Africa, it is exciting to see a new company going out on a limb to offer local audiences an innovative night of performance art.

There is a great deal about AUNTY MERLE THE MUSICAL that deserves to be recognised. Most importantly, it is a homegrown musical created largely by people of colour with a significant number of roles for people of colour. It attempts to connect with contemporary South African social dynamics and issues using a medium that not only has wide appeal but which can also give voice to ideas in an often unexpected and effective ways.

It is an incredibly fascinating experience watching EVITA in South Africa at this time, particularly given the events that have transpired in Zimbabwe over the last month. This musical will speak to the world for as long as the struggle against colonialism and its legacy of inequality continues.

As hilarious as it is unsettling, KIDCASINO is a candid exploration of some of the ideas that have taken hold in contemporary popular culture. Perhaps the reality of what it means to take gamble will come as no surprise to you. No matter, you will still be tickled pink by this show. You can bet on it.

IMMORTAL, the first performance of the first immersive theatre experience of its kind in South Africa, took place at The Castle of Good Hope last night, and it is all the brainchild of writer-director Joshua Ackerman. He took some time out to chat to us about the production in this week's Five on Friday.

MOEDERTAAL is the latest in a welcome series of Afrikaans theatre productions in The Fugard Theatre's annual line-up, with Naskrif Produksies presenting this poetic meditation on life, love and loss at the popular venue in the Mother City through the beginning of December.

With the first stop in Johannesburg drawing to a close next week, the international tour of EVITA is ready to transfer to Cape Town, where it will play the Artscape Opera House throughout December and into 2018 until 7 January.

Cape Town-based actress Masali Baduza is passionately in love with theatre and film. Right now she is working with The Furies, a collective whose focus is creating space and opportunities in the theatre industry for marginalised womxn, on NASTY WOMXN, and she took some time out to chat with us for this week's Five on Friday.

In many ways, it comes as something of a surprise that DIE REUK VAN APPELS has not made its way to the stage until now. Theatrerocket's presentation of DIE REUK VAN APPELS is top class South African theatre, not only a reminder of our painful collective past but also a recognition of our current collective pain.

'I - will have poetry in my life. And adventure. And love. Love above all,' says Viola de Lesseps, the woman who is destined in SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE to win the titular Bard's heart. 'Not the artful postures of love,' she continues, 'but love that overthrows life.' In this most memorable of quotations lies metaphorically, at least the conundrum of translating the 1998 Oscar-winning film to the stage.

An extraordinary talent is currently onstage at Gate69, Cape Town's 'Purple Palace', which continues to deliver on its aim of being a complete sensory experience and South Africa's premiere cabaret theatre. This time, Cathy and her Trolley Dollies present the phenomenal Christina Bianco.

This week's Five on Friday focuses on Gideon Lombard, who performs in DIE REUK VAN APPELS at The Fugard Theatre from next week. Based Mark Behr's 1993 novel, the solo play tells the coming-of-age story of Marnus Erasmus, the eleven-year-old son of a South African Defence Force general during the apartheid era.

Roxane Hayward will play the role of Viola de Lesseps in the South African premiere of SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, which starts performances at The Fugard Theatre next week. She took some time out to talk to BroadwayWorld South Africa in this week's Five on Friday.

An appeal to help talented South African actor Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who had needed an emergency surgery following this year's National Arts Festival, has been made to assist him and his family while he is on medical leave while he recuperates.

As reported on BroadwayWorld yesterday, the complete cast for the US National Tour of Harvey Fierstein and Cyndi Lauper's smash-hit musical, KINKY BOOTS, has been announced. Featured in the cast in the role of Don is South African-born Adam du Plessis, whom audiences may recall seeing in productions like THE LAST 5 YEARS, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, THE BOYS IN THE PHOTOGRAPH and CATS.

Stuart Lightbody's UNIQUE WONDERS closes today after a dream season at the Alexander Bar, Theatre and Cafe. The popular Capetonian sleight of hand artist and psychological illusionist's newest show has been a sold-out smash success, with bookings filling up far in advance of the nightly performances.