Arts Alive offers diverse dance and theatre for audiences of all ages.
? The current festival of popular Indian culture, Shared History, presents a remarkably successful play at the Jo’burg Theatre this week. Mahesh Dattani’s Dance like a Man has been doing the rounds on the international theatre scene for 13 years. It is about two Bharatanatyam dancers, Ratna and Jairaj, who scorn their daughter Lata, who is on the brink of establishing herself as a brilliant South Indian classical dancer. Her success creates tension within the family and Ratna, driven by ambition, becomes jealous of her daughter. Starring Suchitra Pillai, Vijay Crishna and Joy Sengupta.
The Fringe, the Jo’burg Theatre, Braamfontein, until September 10, at 8pm. Book at Computicket. For a Shared History programme, visit www.sharedhistory.co.in
? The Jo’burg Zoo is not exactly a well-kept secret since it sits on expansive kilometres of land virtually across the road from the homes of the president’s various wives. But what many don’t know is that the zoo has an ongoing programme of events with family appeal.
This year’s Arts Alive festival presents Shakespeare Dreaming in what the zookeepers hope will be a “relaxed and magical al fresco picnic atmosphere”. According to the publicity material: “The trees will rustle up an aerial dance act, buskers will delight with their poses and postures and face painters will get kids in the spirit of it all amid a dramatic backdrop of song, sonnets, dance, poetry and the delivery of short excerpts from some of the Bard’s famous romantic and comic works.”
Compiled by Robert Whitehead, Vanessa Cook and Mark Hawkins and starring these performers, dancers Mari-Louise Basson and Craig Arnolds, comedian John Vlismas, Leeanda Reddy, Kim Engelbrecht and Omphile Molusi.
The Johannesburg Zoo bandstand on September 10 at 5.30pm, September 11 at 5.30pm and 7pm. Tickets cost R70 for adults
and R40 for children under 12. Book at Computicket.