Hot off the heals of their acclaimed season at Europe’s largest and most prestigious Shakespeare Festival, Fred Abrahamse and Marcel Meyer return to the Mother City to present their thrilling take on “Hamlet”, which is arguably the English playwright and poet’s greatest play.
As part of their internationally-recognised independent theatre company, Abrahamse & Meyer Productions, the award-winning duo are renowned for their innovative approach to Shakespeare as it they make it more accessible to modern audiences.
Known for their creativity and attention to detail, they bring fresh energy and new perspectives to the play.
With spectacular designs, this breathtaking production promises to be a must see for all theatregoers.
It tells the tale the late King of Denmark’s ghost informing his son, Hamlet, that he has been poisoned by his brother, the current king Claudius, who now wears the crown after marrying his widow, Gertrude
Hamlet then vows to avenge his father's death but to avoid any suspicion, he feigns madness and hires a theatre troupe to act out his father's death to confirm Claudius's guilt.
Before Hamlet can act on the new evidence, he is arrested for the death of Polonius, the king's top advisor. He is then banished to England, where Claudius has planned his assassination, but he manages to escape and returns to Denmark.
Laertes, the son of Polonius, returns to avenge his father's death, only to discover that his sister, Ophelia, has committed suicide by drowning.
Claudius and Laertes' plan to kill Hamlet is foiled, ending in the deaths of Laertes and Gertrude.
In the end, Hamlet kills Claudius before he himself dies, begging Horatio to tell his story.
The production promises to be visually stunning, with spectacular designs that bring the world of Elsinore in Denmark to life.
Where: The Artscape Theatre in Foreshore.
When: From Thursday, July 18, to July 26.
Cost: Tickets cost R100 and can be purchased from Webtickets
“Growing Old Disgracefully”
Join internationally-acclaimed cabaret artist and comedienne Tonya Koenderman for her uproarious show, "Growing Old Disgracefully".
This light-hearted and candid performance offers a hilarious take on the trials and tribulations of ageing.
Enjoy a glass (or six) of wine and indulge in an evening packed with laughter and a few touching moments.
The show’s producers explained that theatregoers can expect to hear some of their favourite songs with a cheeky twist.
This includes the timeless classic from “The Sound of Music”, "A Few of My Favorite Things“ by Oscar Hammerstein II and Richard Rodgers, which gets a humorous update with themes like Xanax, alcohol and men covered in toffee.
Meanwhile, Meghan Trainor’s "All About That Base" transforms into a celebration of make-up, Botox and other anti-ageing secrets. The classic "Memory" from the musical "Cats" is also reimagined to reflect the challenges of remembering.
Koenderman’s solo cabarets include hits like "A Night In Paris", "When Jazz Was King", "The Sound Of Musicals", "Liza with a T", "Bassey and I", "Born To Diva" and "Growing Old Disgracefully."
She also performed in the look-alike, sound-alike show "Stars in Your Eyes", impersonating her favourite artist, Liza Minnelli, which ran for two seasons at the The Carousel Casino in Hammanskraal in the North West.
Koenderman has worked extensively with Sun International and had the honour of being the only local artist to star in the Sun City sensation "Beyond Belief".
She once again impersonated Minnelli for this production which ran for 16 months at the Sun City Extravaganza.
Where: The Drama Factory in Somerset West.
When: From Friday, July 19, to Sunday, July 21. Show times differ, depending on the day.
Cost: Tickets start from R160 and are available from Webtickets.
“Heat Festival CABARET: Freshly Squeezed“
Provocative and quirky drag cabaret, Pichi Keane's performance explores femininity and patriarchal influences in their life as a gender-queer drag artist.
As a non-binary person in a female body, Keane has always felt that traditional femininity was something they performed, much like drag.
Through drag, they have explored gender, found comfort in expressing their femininity, and gained a platform to advocate for social justice and healthy sexuality.
With humour, wit and song, Keane playfully encourages audiences to rethink their views on gender, sex, and taboo. Their show "Ripe n Ready" received the Silver Standard Bank Standing Ovation Award.
Keane describes themself as a singing queen, glamour clown and pleasure activist. Since their debut in 2019 in Hong Kong, Keane quickly became a fixture in the local queer scene.
Collaborating with their drag sister Trash Queen Doris, they co-produced events like Get Trash’d and Big Bad Bingo Bonanza and formed the band, Pichi Keane and the Swing Machine.
They have also just released their debut single, "Came Here To Dance" and performed as a soloist on the main stage of the Cape Town Pride Festival Mardi Gras.
Now based in South Africa, Keane is set to wow audiences with "Ripe n Ready" which seeks to portray fresh new perspectives.
Where: The Wave Theatre in the Cape Town CBD.
When: Thursday, July 18, at 8.30pm.
Cost: Tickets cost R90 and can be purchased from Quicket.