Magic and Forbidden Knowledge at Joburg Theatre
19 October 2016
Joburg Theatre in Braamfontein has put together mouth-watering entertainment for theatre-goers as the festive season beckons.
The Mandela Stage, Space.com and The Fringe will between now and the end of the year be hosting a series of gripping, thought-provoking, mind-blowing and hilarious shows to add more excitement to the much-awaited end-of-the-year festivities.
“Forbidden Knowledge”, written and directed by Simphiwe Ntshingila and Katleho Sekhosana, has been receiving rave reviews since it debuted at the Space.com stage on October 7. It is expected to pack them in again when the final curtain closes on the play on Sunday October 23 after a feast of four shows.
One of the eagerly awaited shows is “Mo Magic”, which opens at the Fringe on Thursday October 20 and winds up on Sunday October 23. It captures moments of great significance in the transformation of the human race through acting and singing. It addresses pertinent issues such as violence, xenophobia and freedom. Tickets cost R70 and R80 per person.
“Thugz of Comedy”, which starts on Saturday October 29 and runs until November 26, is expected to keep audiences in stitches with skits flowing from SABC2’s “The Bantu Hour”.
In November, Janice Honeyman’s brand new pantomime adventure, “Robinhood and the Babes in the Wood”, tops the list. Honeyman’s colourful play opens on the Mandela Stage on November 6. The all-Mzansi cast includes funny man Desmond Dube, sexy Izak Davel, former “Idols” finalist Bongi Mthombeni and Kate Normington.
It has an exciting plot that combines the babes-lost-in-the-forest story with the legend of Robinhood.
Youngsters Hansel and Gretel visit their uncle, the Sheriff of Nottingham, who is plotting their demise. But they need not fear because Robinhood will come to their rescue.
Davel, best known as the arrogant Bradley Haines on “Isidingo”, plays Robinhood in his first appearance at the Joburg Theatre. Much-loved Dube plays the jovial Friar Tuck, while Mthombeni features in his fifth pantomime as the dandy Will Scarlet.
Normington, South African musical theatre’s leading, is back as Silly Sylviana, the Spirit of the Forest. Graham Hopkins stars as the villainous Norman, the Nasty Sheriff of Nottingham, and Phumi Mncayi appears as Chief Lieutenant of the Merry Men.
More than 30 000 tickets have already been sold for the pantomime. Tickets cost R220 each.
“Finding Melo”, a light-hearted and quirky one-man show starts on November 4 at Space.com. The play goes through an antic journey of being a young visionary in the new South Africa.
The creative team of Finding Melo comprises four young theatre makers. Writer Menzi Mkhwane is following in the footsteps of his legendary father Bheki Mkhwane. He has roped in TV personality and tap dancer Mlungisi Mathe of “Skeem Saam” fame. Director Mahlatsi Mokgonyana is the 2016 Theatre Arts Admin Collective Emerging Theatre Directors’ bursary winner and director of Athol Fugard’s “My Children, My Africa”. Actor, director and writer Billy Langa completes the team.
Shows start at 7pm on Fridays, 8pm on Saturdays and at 3pm on Sundays. Tickets cost R90 and R100 per person.
Tickets for all shows are available from Pick n Pay stores, Webtickets or by visiting www.joburgtheatre.com or calling 0861 670 670.