There’s a wide range of theatre to choose from, including dance and magical physical theatre.
- The story they tell goes: nearly 28 years ago, in a North London attic, three beautiful sopranos dreamed of fame, stardom and the bright lights of the Opera House in Milan. At the same time, in a rather grubby sitting room in British West Hampstead, an out-of-work actress called Dillie Keane was suffering from a hangover and trying to persuade a couple of chums to sing with her at the local wine bar. She succeeded, and Fascinating Aida was born. Billed as Noël Coward meets Ab Fab as sung by the Andrews Sisters, this British comic opera trio uses witty lyrics, satire and smut with regularly updated songs “that will make your mother blush”.
Until March 5T at the Theatre on the Bay, 1A Link Street, Camps Bay. Book at Computicket. Tel: 021 438 3301. Website: www.theatreonthebay.co.za
- Ever since they were an instant hit at the Avignon Festival, the phenomenal Swiss theatre group, Mummenschanz, founded in 1972 by Italian-American Floriana Frassetto and the Swiss Bernie Schürch and the late Andres Bossard, have been touring the world. Their ambition – to create a theatre that transcended cultural and linguistic boundaries. Throughout the show, there is neither artificial nor human sound. The faces of the cast are never visible. The four acrobatic mimes are always inside weird and wonderful creatures created out of giant slinkies, balloons and concertina tubes with colossal inflatable heads, full and half-body masks. What ensues is a witty but wordless dialogue between the creatures and between them and the audience. Part of the fun is trying to work out which end of the artist inside is up. This company takes the meaning of costume drama to a new level.
From March 1 to 19 at the Main Theatre, Baxter Theatre Centre, Rondebosch. Book at Computicket. Tel: 021 685 7880. Website: www.baxter.co.za
- From the producers of the knock-off comedy Big Girls Don’t Cry, comes the latest comic, dancing-duo, crowd-pleaser – Big Boys Don’t Dance. Or do they? Ashley Searle and Bradley Searle certainly twirl their way through this adventure of far-out farce and foolishness. Caught between braai tongs and tutus these Pretoria boykies say they have set out to challenge the clichéd view of the ‘male dancer’ in some South African circles. It’s acrobatic, energetic fun. Their last appearance produced excellent word of mouth.
From March 1 to 5 at On Broadway, 44 Long Street, Cape Town. Tel: 021 424 1194. Website: www.onbroadway.co.za