The best theatre picks this week make full use of the creative possibilities of the stage.
■ Edges is not a traditional musical; it is a show about four people seeking simple truths in an increasingly complex world. Who am I? Where am I going? Who will I become? Written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, this contemporary song cycle explores coming of age in the new age of social media.
Confronting emotions, escaping expectation and deciphering complicated relationships, the songs cover love, commitment, identity and meaning.
■ Following last year’s successful production of Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro, the University of Cape Town Opera School presents a workshop production of La bohème, which showcases the depth and breadth of the school’s talent. Its lyrical beauty makes it hard to go wrong with Puccini’s most loved, almost plotless opera — in short, it is suitable for a concert-style version.
The Concert Hall, Baxter Theatre, Main Road, Rosebank, until May 28. Book at Computicket. Tel: 021 685 7880. Website: www.baxter.co.za.
■ The tale of a love affair between a dancer and a poet, Ouroboros is told utilising one of the greatest strengths of puppetry — the central characters are able to appear as multiple versions of themselves. Their lives form a web of relationships, revealing the interdependence of past, present and future. Janni Younge’s original production has been expanded in this collaboration with the Tony Award-winning creators of War Horse, Basil Jones and Adrian Kohler of the Handspring Puppet Company. The performances on June 7 and 8 will be followed by a question-and-answer session with the creators, and the performance on June 9 will be preceded by a screening of the documentary film, The Making of War Horse, the puppet company’s West End hit.
The Main Theatre, Baxter Theatre Centre, Main Road, Rondebosch, from June 1 to 11. Book at Computicket. Tel: 021 685 7880. Website: www.baxter.co.za.