theatre JOHANNESBURG
Matthew Krouse
Agfa Theatre on the Square, Sandton Square. Harry Sideropolous appears as himself in yet another return season of the one-man show No Sugar, Canderel Please! about the ins and outs of being a fatty. Directed by Lynne Maree. Until September 15. See Theatre Pick of the Week. Tickets at Computicket or Tel: 883 8606.
Barney Simon Theatre, Market Theatre complex. Makana is physical theatre on a historical theme and was a success story of the National Arts Festival this year. With Andrew Buckland and Bekhi Mkhwane. The show forms parts of the venue’s 25th birthday celebrations. Book at Computicket. Tel: 832 1641.
Breytenbach Theatre, Gerhard Moerdyk Street, Pretoria. The Technikon Pretoria drama department presents the French pantomime Beauty en die Bees. The new translation is by a team that includes Stephen van Dyk, Woutrine Theron and Dries Botha, in conjunction with faculty students. Until September 8. Book at Computicket. Tel: (012) 440 4834.
Dance Factory, Newtown Cultural Precinct. The dance programme of the Arts Alive International Festival is usually the highlight of the event. This year it is divided into seven parts that include three collective performances called Springboards, as well as a contemporary African dance evening, the Mnyombe troupe from Nigeria and a Best of the Region traditional dance event. A highlight is Scapino Ballet from Rotterdam with choreography by Ed Wubbe, which has a final show on September 7. The general programme runs until September 28. Book at Ticketweb. Programme information: Tel: 833 1347.
Globe Theatre, Gold Reef City Casino. African Footprint, the song-and-dance spectacular that has enthralled princes and presidents, has been extended until the end of September. Tel: 248 5168.
Market Theatre, Newtown Cultural Precinct. Barney Simon’s legendary play Woza Albert, workshopped with Mbongeni Ngema and Percy Mtwa, is directed by Sello Maake ka Ncube. With Siyabonga Twala and Tony Kgoroge. From September 12 to 30. Book at Computicket. Tel: 832 1641.
Market Theatre Laboratory, Newtown Cultural Precinct. Theatresports takes place here on Sunday nights at 6pm. An all-star cast includes Toni Morkel, Fiona Ramsay and Mncedisi Shabangu (R15). Tel: 836 0516.
Nelson Mandela Theatre, Civic Theatre, Braamfontein. Opera returns to this venue from September 7 with Giuseppe Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera (The Masked Ball), directed by Hans van Heerden and designed by Andrew Botha, whose Rigoletto was so acclaimed in June this year. Book at Computicket. Tel: 403 3408.
Off Broadway, Grant Avenue, Norwood. Currently showing is the follow-up Absolutely Fabulously Broadway II, with Keith Smith, Ansie du Plessis and Dominic Pacaut. The show has been extended into September. Website: www.peoplestheatre. co.za. Tel: 403 1563.
People’s Theatre, Loveday Street, Braamfontein. Jill Girard presents Storybook Theatre, a gathering of tales by Hans Christen Andersen. Choreographed by Keith Smith, with Francois Theron, Xolani Mali and Alta Kriel. Until October 6. Tel: 403 3408.
Pieter Toerien’s Montecasino Theatre, William Nicol Drive, Fourways. Coming up from September 14 is Marie Jones’s Stones in His Pocket starring Jeremy Crutchley and Tom Fairfoot. There are evening shows from Tuesdays to Saturdays. Still showing is David Auburn’s Tony and Pulitzer award-winning Proof with Bianca Amato and Michael Atkinson. It’s about an extraordinary father-daughter relationship. Shows at 2.30pm and 5pm onSundays only untilSeptember 23. Look out for the return of Tim Plewman’s Defending the Caveman from September 30. Book at Computicket. Tel: 511 1818.
Rostrum Theatre, Du Toit Street, Pretoria. Technikon Pretoria presents Anton Chekov’s The Proposal, directed by Rene Tredoux. A non-traditional casting incorporating students from diverse backgrounds proves that anyone can do the classics. Until September 8 at 7pm. Tel: (012) 318 6130.
Sangita Barnyard Theatre, Ring Road, Alberton. Currently showing is the musical revue Hot Chocolate, with a Motown, disco-funk and reggae spin. Book at Computicket. Tel: 869 2666.
Sandton Convention Centre, Maude Street, Sandton. Umoja is back until the end of September. Created by Tod Twala, Thembi Nyandeni and Ian von Memerty, this showcase of urban dance is a lively contender to the popularity of African Footprint. Visit www.gigs.co.za/umoja. Tel: 482 3671.
Sankopano Hall, 12th Avenue, Alexandra. The Alexandra Children’s Festival forms part of the Arts Alive Community Festival and takes place on September 15. See a diverse range of youth groups that includes Alexandra’s Sunrise Group, the Thunjana group from downtown Jo’burg and the Vukani Community Theatre from Katlehong. Tel: 407 6374/5.
The Showcase, Banbury Cross Village, North Riding. On September 7 there is an la carte menu accompanying the salsa sound of Ritmo Latino. On September 12 see Amor Vittone. Ritmo Latino returns on September 14 and Yolande Kruger does Blouklip on September 15. Website:www.theshowcase. co.za. Book at Computicket. Tel: 794 4382.
Sound Stage, Midrand. Feelin’ Groovy! Take 2. Still going is this show that looks back at the chart toppers that coloured your youth (or that of your grandparents) in this revival of a revival of a revival. Until the end of this month. Tuesdays to Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 2pm and 7pm. Book at Computicket. Tel: 315 5084.
Tesson Theatre, Civic Theatre complex, Braamfontein. Paul Slabolepszy and Bill Flynn recycle the characters we met in Heel against the Head for their new work, Running Riot. See Tjokkie Hetherington and Crispin Wentzel do much more than just the Comrades marathon. Directed by Tim Plewman. Until October 6. Book at Computicket. Tel: 403 3408.
Theatre pick of the week
No Sugar, Canderel Please!
Agfa Theatre on the Square
Until September 15
I have only listened to Highveld Stereo’s breakfast show The Rude Awakening once, and then for only a few minutes it was all I could take of the vacuous ramblings of Jeremy Mansfield.
So, to me and I am sure many others, Harry Sideropoulos who is part of the breakfast team is simply a fat Greek on a stage.
Now, this is a good thing not being a fat Greek (though, of course it is not necessarily a bad thing), but the fact I was not negatively influenced by Sideropoulos’s contributions to The Rude Awakening.
If not already apparent, No Sugar, Canderel Please! is about being fat. And while it is mostly a light-hearted look at obesity, the play also makes a stand against society’s treatment of the fat, and even more so against society’s vain obsession with vacuous and thin idols.
“I’m fat, but I’m thin inside. Has it ever struck you that there’s a thin man inside every fat man, just as they say there is a statue inside every block of stone?” wrote George Orwell. And it is this that No Sugar, Canderel Please! highlights.
Or is it?
Sideropoulos first blames his obesity on being Greek according to him being Greek means being fat, which certainly changes my image of the Athenian physique and living the Greek lifestyle.
Later we are served a more psychological explanation an obsession, that may well have been instilled as a Greek youth where Sideropoulos had to “take his shoes off in the presence of moussaka”.
Sideropoulos’s documentary-like performance is superb, befriending the audience with his cuddly persona while taking us through his life. Sadly the script becomes a little repetitive. In his own words, “Greek food is nice, but not seven times a week.” Peter Townshend, Artslink