February 24, 2006
By Tabisa Mntengwana
VALENTINE'S Day may have passed, but the spirit of love, laughter and music is still with us, thanks to Joburg's theatres.
Fall in love again to a musical performance by Fanie Fouche and Shaky Russell, or take a trip down memory lane with Grease and Yesterday Once More.
Be moved when Meisie, a blind Afrikaans woman, has a vision, or be hypnotised for the last time this week. Enjoy the company of the little people at the Johannesburg Youth Theatre or at the People's Theatre, which have a host of new productions on the drawing board.
The Market Theatre
The iconic theatre was opened in 1976 by the late Barney Simon and Mannie Manim, in the city's original fruit and vegetable market. Out of this, three theatres have grown: the Barney Simon, the Main and the Laager.
Address: Cnr Bree and Wolhuter Streets, Newtown Cultural Precinct
Tel: 011 832 1641
Website: Market Theatre www.markettheatre.co.za
The Main Theatre
Interested in finding out how the leopard got its spots? The Ballet Theatre Afrikan will answer that question along with others such as how the rhinoceros get his wrinkly skin, in the production
Just So, a play based on the fables Rudyard Kipling heard as a child growing up in India.
Other stories are sourced from the shores of the Red Sea, Australia and South Africa. The show is choreographed by Martin Schönberg, Christopher Kindo and Thoriso Magongwa and is on from 24 February until 12 March.
Barney Simon Theatre
Hear and Now is a play about betrayal, relationships and the baggage brought into the present as a result of crippling pasts.
The show is directed by Lara Foot-Newton and Gerhard Marx and runs until 5 March.
The Laager Theatre
Full Circle is a hard-hitting drama about power, identity and transition. Meisie, a blind Afrikaner, has the same vision as Nongqawuse had in 1856.
Nongqawuse was a young Xhosa prophetess who persuaded her people to slaughter all their cattle and destroy their crops, promising them that the sun would rise in the west and the white settlers would disappear into the ocean.
The show, from Friday, 3 March to Sunday, 2 April, is directed by Charmaine Weir-Smith and written by Kobus Moolman.
Johannesburg Civic Theatre
The Civic in Braamfontein is one of the city's leading entertainment venues. It has three theatres – the Nelson Mandela, the Tesson and the People's Theatre.
Address: Loveday Street, Braamfontein
Tel: 011 877 6800
Website: Show Business www.showbusiness.co.za
Nelson Mandela Theatre
The Carl Rosa Opera Company returns to South Africa with a production of the Franz Lehar operetta
The Merry Widow. The show is about Hanna, an elegant widow, who plays a dangerous dating game but finally has to choose between love and money.
The show is directed by Peter Mulloy and choreographed by Steve Ellias, and is on until 4 March.
Tesson Theatre
Macbeth, one of Shakespeare's most famous tragedies, is on until 11 March. It explores witchcraft, ghostly manifestations, murder and revenge and is presented by the Actors Centre.
People's Theatre
The Gingerbread Man is the first production of the year at the People's Theatre. It gives a fresh, fun take on one the most enduring children's fairytales and engages children of all ages to become interactive characters in the audience and on stage.
The show is directed by Gill Gerard and Keith Smith and is on from 6 March until 22 April.
Pieter Toerien's Montecasino Theatre
The Montecasino Theatre opened in December 2000 with only one theatre, the Main Theatre. The Studio Theatre opened in July 2003. The former seats more than 300 people, while the smaller Studio seats 150 people.
Address: Montecasino Boulevard, Cnr William Nicol Drive and Witkoppen Road, Fourways
Tel: 011 511 1988/1818
Website: Montecasino Theatre www.montecasinotheatre.co.za
Main Theatre
Rumours fly and complications multiply for the reverend's wife in the hilarious farce
See How They Run, after actress Penelope marries Reverend Lionel Toop. The show is directed by Rex Gardner and is on until 18 March.
Studio Theatre
After a four-year absence, Andre the Hypnotist is back. The one-man show, or rather the one-man-and-a-few volunteers show, is known for its ability to make people jump around on stage.
Volunteer to be hypnotised and let your friends watch you speak in moon language, forget your name or impersonate a chicken. The show is on until 27 February.
Following that, Glass Roots comes to life. The play is about Mona, the mother from hell, and her feisty daughter, Jocelyn. Mona interferes in Jocelyn's life at a critical moment in her career as an advertising executive.
Starring Diane Wilson and directed by Roy Sargeant, the show is on from 1 March until 9 April.
Barnyard Theatres
The Barnyard Theatre concept was the brainchild of Louis Moller and his wife, who own the franchise. The first theatre was established in a converted barn on their dairy farm – now there are four theatres around the country.
Broadacres
Address: Broadacres Shopping Centre, Cnr Cedar Avenue and Valley Road, Fourways
Tel: 011 467 6983
Website: Barnyard Theatres
www.barnyardtheatre.co.za
Grease comes to life, tracing the teenage lifestyle of the 1950s, when boys had ducktails, sported motorcycle jackets and pegged pants and girls had beehive hairdos and wore pedal pushers and spongy white bobby socks. The show is directed by on Ian von Memetry and is on until Sunday 30 April.
Cresta
Address: Cresta Shopping Centre, Beyers Naude Drive, Randburg
Tel: 011 280 4370
Website: Barnyard Theatres
www.barnyardtheatre.co.za
The Cliff Richard Show pays tribute to the Peter Pan of Pop, Cliff Richard, with a few of his hits such as Summer Holiday, Livin' Doll, Young Ones, Do You Wanna Dance and Wired For Sound.
The show runs from 28 February to 12 March.
Liberty Life Theatre on the Square
The theatre has been running for over seven years and has received more than 25 Naledi nominations and several awards for theatre excellence.
Address: 121 Nelson Mandela Square, Sandton City
Tel: 011 883 8606
E-mail: tots@artslink.co.za
Romance is a hilarious and provocative play that makes fun of the American judicial system, exposing the hypocrisy surrounding personal prejudices and political correctness. It is directed by Alan Swerdlow and is on until 1 April.
The Sound Stage Theatre
The Sound Stage was founded in 1989 by Richard Loring, to give the audience a vibey dinner – theatre experience, at an affordable price. The theatre seats about 300 people.
Address: 239 Old Pretoria Road, Constantia Park, Midrand
Tel: 011 315 5084
Website: Sound Stage Theatre www.soundstage.co.za
Yesterday Once More takes the audience on a nostalgic journey through time, with tracks from the Carpenters like Close to You, Rainy Days and Mondays and Please Mr. Postman.
The show starts on 9 March and runs 31 May.
Johannesburg Youth Theatre
The Johannesburg Youth theatre was established in 1990, with Joyce Levinsohn as the director. It presents plays based on well-known classics, four times a year.
Address: 3 Junction Avenue, Parktown
Tel: 011 484 1584
Website: Johannesburg Youth Theatre www.jyt.co.za
The World of Beatrix Potter is a terrific treat for the kids. The play is a humorous adventure of colourful characters, marvellous puppets, Peter Rabbit and Jemimah Puddleduck.
The show runs on from 13 March until 29 April.
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