A Little Perspective

Last night, my mom and I found ourselves in the hushed darkness of the Market Theatre for the opening of Empatheatre's "The Last Country." I loved it. Straight-up, one of the cast members, Faniswa Yisa, is among my most cherished friends. We studied together and even shared a humble home in Woodstock years ago, so I'm biased. Despite this, her destiny as a powerful presence on stage is undeniably mythical in nature, so this isn't a review. This is a story. And stories, I've come to believe, are our salvation. A Safe Space to Feel You must see this play. Not just because its message about migrant women in South Africa demands your awareness, but because watching it will likely affect you as it did me. Amid the noise of my generic busy week, something magical happened in that theatre — I felt something. The alchemy of masterful storytelling swept away the cobwebs from my neglected heartstrings, leaving them clean and resounding. My empathy and compassion emerged...

Production: The Good White Playwright: Mike Van Graan Director: Greg Homann Cast: Vusi Kunene, Renate Stuurman, Shonisani Masutha, Russel Savadier Venue: The Market Theatre Dates: Showing until June 1, 2025 Wake Up Call From the moment "The Good White" begins, the audience is confronted with an aggressive demand to "wake up!" – a powerful call to action that sets the tone for what follows. Set against the backdrop of the turbulent 2016 Fees Must Fall protests at the University of Cape Town, Mike Van Graan's play dives headfirst into South Africa's most uncomfortable conversations about race, privilege, and the nation's ongoing struggle with inequality. Masterful Complexity Van Graan once again demonstrates his exceptional talent for presenting politically charged and contentious issues in ways that feel profoundly human and relatable. What distinguishes his writing is his refusal to deal in simple binaries or easy answers. Instead, he creates character...

Circus Sensation in the Suburbs Janice Honeyman Brings Moon Magic to Randburg Who would have thunk that nestled in the heart of suburban Randburg, between the chemists and coffee shops of Cresta Shopping Centre, you'd find a slice of cirque-theatre magic? Yet there it is – "Malo and the Moon Maiden," a whimsical circus spectacle that had the little boy sitting in front of me lost in a world of wonder with no smart devices in sight. This production is classic Janice Honeyman AKA Mama J, and as expected, South Africa's theatre luminary brings her particular flair for local-flavoured jokes and playful rhyming couplets to this boutique cirque stage. The result? A heart-warming tale of forbidden love between a lovelorn clown and a celestial moon maiden that manages to enchant both youngsters and ‘vintage’ youngsters alike. The cast is universally talented, and Daniel Buckland as Malo gives a charming portrayal of the besotted clown who has seen better days, although Dan st...