Cape theatre picks: April 1 2011

Comedy and theatre for children ensure that everyone is catered for this week.

• Popular cult comic duo David Isaacs and Oscar Petersen return for a two week season in Joe Barber 5 – School Cuts with their much loved creations Boeta Joe and Boeta Gamat, Gamat’s wife Washiela and the picaresque Outjies. Directed by Heinrich Reisenhofer and with music by Jitsvinger, this folk comedy explores all those familiar stories from the first awkward day at school wearing a uniform that was two sizes too big to the highs of matric and interschool sports; your first school crush; being sent to the principal’s office for punishment, sometimes with cuts. A highlight includes a beautifully choreographed scene miming relay-running at the interschool athletics.

  Until April 9 at the Main Theatre, Baxter Theatre Centre, Rondebosch. Book at Computicket. Tel: 021 685 7880. Website: www.baxter.co.za

• For the April school holidays there are several children’s theatre productions to choose from.

  After a three year hiatus, Muizenberg’s Jungle Theatre Company return to the stage with The Whale Show, a story about two characters, the Wondering Whale Watchers, who are on a quest to become like whales. This high-energy performances sees them juggle to catch food, bubble under-water music, and receive ‘e-whales’ from a giant puppet called Wanda. They discover that the ocean is under threat and get everybody involved in taking care of the sea and saving the whales. The Whale Show is one of many environmentally themed plays written and produced by this Cape Town based company that uses family theatre as a vehicle for environmental social and cultural education. Written and directed by Vincent Meyburgh, it is performed by Unathi Speelman and Meyburgh.
  
  On April 2,3,7,8 and 9 at the Kalk Bay Theatre, 52 Main Road, Kalk Bay. Book at: Tel: 073 220 5430. Website: www.kbt.co.za.

• The Lilliput Players present the fairytale Red Riding Hood, the story of the naughty girl who disobeys her mother and, instead of taking the safe road to visit her granny, goes into the wood, where she encounters a big bad wolf (in this adaptation a rather stupid Loopy-de-Loop type who is an ex-Music Hall star). Red Riding Hood learns some important lessons along the way and, as in all fairy tales, lives happily ever after. Highlights of the show include a Rock-and-Roll Granny and the Wolf’s striptease, which should have the kids rolling about. Adapted and directed by Elton John Duffy with music and lyrics by Pippa Duffy, choreography by Nikki Louw.
  
  Until April 9 at the Main Theatre, Baxter Theatre Centre, Rondebosch. Book at Computicket. Tel: 021 685 7880. Website: www.baxter.co.za

• The Stagecraft Drama Studio present Beatrix Potter’s The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Mrs Rabbit lived in her cosy burrow underneath the roots of a very big fir-tree. She had four little ones, Flopsy, Mopsy and Cotton-Tail, who were her good little bunnies, and Peter, who was sometimes rather naughty. Their neighbour, Mr McGregor, grew carrots, radish and lettuce in his garden. The rabbit family would love to have gone into Mr McGregor’s garden to eat the yummy vegetables, but Mrs Rabbit had forbidden her family from going there since their father had had an ‘accident’. One day naughty Peter decides to explore the garden instead of going to school. Adapted for the stage by Dudley Glass, it is directed by Cheryl Abromowitz with music by Anton Luitingh and choreography by Duane Alexander.
  
  From April 1 to 9 in the Artscape Theatre Foyer, Artscape Theatre Centre, Foreshore. Book at Computicket or Tel 021 421 7695. Website: www.artscape.co.za.