A Little Perspective

A love letter to loneliness. Theatre review By Bruce J. Little Photo credit: Daniel Rutland Manners Judging by the exceptional Sunday evening attendance in such an expansive venue, this production hardly needs my endorsement—it’s already a triumph. Cape Town audiences embraced it, and now Johannesburg seems to be following suit. See it before it sells out.  Around me, the audience was visibly swept up in the narrative—an ideal response. They took every step of the journey that this immensely talented creative team laid before them. I won’t delve too deeply into the plot (so no spoilers here), because this is a production best experienced firsthand. Instead, I’d rather highlight what makes this show so extraordinary. Credit: Daniel Rutland Manners There are already several beautifully crafted reviews circulating, so I won’t rehash the basics. But here’s what you need to know: The cast is both immensely skilled and deeply gifted. Their natural talent is undeniable, but so too is the ...

A Doll’s Life: More Than Mere Child’s Play Although it shouldn’t be confused with Henrik Ibsen’s classic A Doll’s House , Micaela Jade Tucker’s one-woman show, A Doll’s Life , shares more with the antique Norwegian drama school staple than just a toy reference. Both works serve as feminist parables, grappling with the challenges women face in their quest for sovereignty, authenticity and independence. Micaela is a riot. However, while Ibsen’s Nora contends with the overtly patriarchal constraints of the 1870s, Micaela’s sharp, outrageous, and delightfully raunchy autobiographical production highlights the more insidious inequalities, double standards, and hypocrisies of today—reminding us that, despite supposed progress, stigma and misogyny are alive and well in 2025. A woman's body and what she does with it should be her business. Why is this still being debated? The show does a great job of showcasing the absurdity of policing female bodies.  Serious subject matter but still se...