JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience features a cornucopia of cutting-edge new choreography and dance from South Africa, Africa and abroad.
? Aimed at nurturing local dance, the JOMBA! New Works programme this year features two innovative artists, Mlu Zondi and S’fiso Magesh Ngcobo, whose growing body of dance-theatre work has critics and audiences sitting up and taking notice. Gregory Maqoma brings from Johannesburg his celebrated Beautiful Me, a dance work that has travelled the globe to critical acclaim. One of South Africa’s best internationally recognised choreographers, Maqoma has worked with creative input from Akram Khan, Faustin Linyekula and Vincent Mantsoe to create this fiercely beautiful solo work.
Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre, University of KwaZulu-Natal, August 31 to September 11. For full programme details and ticket sales, visit www.cca.ukzn.ac.za.
? Outrageous comedy troupe the Dingalings bring their brand-new farce, Dings, Flings and Other Things, to two top venues this week. The much-anticipated sequel to their hit comedy Chops, Choons and Spano Dops, the play is directed by Yugan Naidoo. It features Dingalings comic favourite Henry Ramkissoon; the talented Senzo Mthethwa from The Boolulu Uncle fame; husband-and-wife comedy stalwarts Koobeshen and Kumseela Naidoo; Verushka Odayen; and newcomer Sharika China. Ravi Subramoney has composed the score. The story unfolds at the guys’ matric reunion, where they take a nostalgic trip back to the good old days of the 1980s — complete with all the favourite hits from that era. But matters quickly go hilariously haywire when wives, girlfriends and old flames show up.
Golden Horse Casino, Pietermaritzburg, August 26 at 8pm. Suncoast Cine Centre, Durban, September 2 at 8.30pm; September 3 at 5.30pm and 9pm. Tickets for all shows are R100. Tel: 031 328 3349 or 082 892 2249.