Matthew Krouse
Agfa Theatre on the Square, Sandton Square. Neil McCarthy returns to stage writing with The Great Outdoors, a tense but tender psychodrama starring Isidingo’s Jamie Bartlett. Tickets at Computicket (www.computicket.com) or Tel: 883 8606.
Barney Simon Theatre, Market Theatre complex, Newtown Cultural Precinct. Sweat on Somerset is a 70minute docuperformance about real life in a Cape Town escort agency. Take an “intimate tour” of the lives of two hookers played by Roshina Ratnam and Chan Marti. Directed by Canadianborn Cory McLeod. Until May 5. Tel: 832 1641.
Centurion Theatre, Amkor Road 123, Lyttelton Manor Extension,Centurion. Kaalvoet oor die Drakensberge is a musical production with Alexa Strachan and Petronel Baard. See it on April 27 and 28. Book at Computicket or Tel:(012) 664 7859.
Civic Theatre, Braamfontein. Until April 28 see Switzerland’s Zurich Ballet do The Goldberg Variations, created by company director Heinz Spoerli and accompanied by pianist Alexei Botvinov. On May 8, Broadway comes to Braamfontein when the classic, feelgood, holidaytime Annie arrives after much anticipation. Book at Ticketweb (www.ticketweb. co.za or Tel: 0861 400500). Tel: 403 3408.
Circus Maximus, Caesars Gauteng, 64 Jones Road, Jet Park, Kempton Park. The Bats are back in Batmania. For those who don’t remember, think Paul Ditchfield and Eddie Eckstein. At 8pm on weeknights and 8pm and 6pm on Saturdays. There is a matinee on Sunday.
Tel: 928 1044.
Globe Theatre, Gold Reef City Casino. African Footprint the songanddance spectacular that has enthralled princes and presidents has been extended until July. Tel: 248 5168.
Johannesburg Stadium. Grease: The Stadium Spectacular is here a massive production with Craig Urbani, Sandra Prinsloo, AmraFaye and Yvonne Chaka Chaka performing on a huge stage overshadowed by a giant milkshake. Book at Computicket for the two shows on April 27 and 28.
Laager Theatre, Market Theatre complex, Newtown Cultural Precinct. The success story of the last Zwakala community theatre festival goes professional. Called Betrayal, it’s codirected by Mncedisi “Barbershop” Shabangu and Zakhele Fishange. Until May 13. Tel: 832 1641.
Linder Auditorium, Johannesburg College of Education. Celtic Concert II includes the Johannesburg Welsh Male Voice Choir, the Chiquita Spanish Dance Company, the Irish Hard Shoe Dancers, the Delville Pipe Band and Dalriada. One show only on May 3 at 8pm. Tickets are R75 at Tel: 083 625 3208.
Market Theatre Laboratory, Newtown Cultural Precinct. Theatresports takes place on Sunday nights at 6pm. An allstar cast includes Toni Morkel, Kenneth Nkosi, Fiona Ramsay and Mncedisi Shabangu (R15). Tel: 836 0516.
Odin Bioscope/Theatre, Gold Reef City. Gold: The Story of Johannesburg takes a look at the life and times of the European pioneers and local workers who built the city of gold. Wednesday to Friday. Tel: 083 207 2914.
Off Broadway, Grant Avenue, Norwood. Beginning on May 10 is Absolutely Fabulously Broadway II. Tel: 403 1563.
People’s Theatre, Civic Theatre complex. Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit and Other Tails takes place Monday to Friday at 9am and 11am and on Saturdays and school holidays at 10am and 2.30pm. Ends on April 28. See www.peoplestheatre.co.za for more information. Tel: 403 1536.
Pieter Toerien’s Montecasino Theatre, William Nicol Drive, Fourways. Until April 28 see Terence Frisby’s comedy Funny about Love with Isidingo’s Dorothy Ann Gould. From May 3, see The Night They Invented Champagne, a production celebrating the music of Alan Jay Lerner, with Michael McGovern and Clare Marshall. On Sundays at 5pm and on Mondays at 8pm you can still see Tim Plewman in Defending the Caveman. Tel: 511 1818.
Sangita Barnyard Theatre, corner of Ring Road West and Fore Street, Alberton. Glory Days: The Magic of the Eighties is a musical courtesy of Duck Chowles and Ian von Memerty, featuring all those numberone hits from the 1980s. Vocalists include Kieran Rennie, Kerrie Hiles and Granville Michaels, backed by a fourpiece band. Wednesday to Friday at 8.30pm, Saturdays at 4.30pm and 8.30pm. Tickets are R65 for the show only, more to include buffet dinner or picnic. Until May. Tickets at Computicket or Tel: 869 2666.
The Showcase, Banbury Cross shopping centre, corner of Hans Strijdom Drive and Olievenhout Avenue, Northriding. Cape Town’s acclaimed drag ensemble Mince does Licence to Mince, taking the retro thing to new heights. See impersonations of Eartha Kitt, Barbra Streisand and Milli Jackson, to name a few. Until April 27. Tel: 794 4382.
Sound Stage, Midrand. Feelin’ Groovy! Take 2. Look back at a string of chart toppers that coloured your youth (or that of your grandparents) in this most recent revival of a revival of a revival. Tuesday to Saturday at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm and 7pm. There is a buffet prior to the show. Remember the lowprice previews until May 1. Tel: 315 5084.
Tesson Theatre, Civic Theatre complex, Braamfontein. Until April 29 see the Vita Awardwinning musical Mercury Rising that salutes dead rocker Freddie Mercury’s music by using it to tell the tale of a love triangle. Starring Duncan Royce (who also did the compilation), Tia Architto and Angela Kilian. Tel: 403 3408.
Wits Theatre, Jorissen Street, Braamfontein. The FNB Vita School of Arts Shakespeare Festival 2001 presents Malcolm Purkey’s hilarious student production of A Midsummernight’s Dream with a glorious design by Sarah Roberts. Until April 28. FromMay 1, see M’Pathe Phathe (Magnetic Moments), with young actors telling a tale of romance set in an African city. Until May 12. Tickets at Computicket or Tel: 717 1376.