International R&B stars Toni Braxton and Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds.
Johannesburg
- Comedienne and actress Celeste Ntuli is back with her stand-up show Home Affairs 2. She is dubbed the queen of Zulu comedy and is one of the women breaking boundaries in comedy. WHEN August 28. WHERE The Lyric, Gold Reef City. TIME 8:30pm. TICKETS From Computicket and Gold Reef City’s box office, from R150. INFO Visit goldreefcity.co.za
- A performance by the Amandla Freedom Ensemble with Strings and the Chamber Orchestra of Johannesburg will perform original and new material. Some musicians in the ensemble include Bonolo Nkoame on drums, Ariel Zamonsky on bass, Mandla Mlangeni on trumpet and soloist Oscar Rachabane on saxophone. WHEN August 30. WHERE The Orbit. TIME 6pm. COST R120. INFO Visit theorbit.co.za
- The Shore Break, winner of the audience choice award for best South African documentary at the Encounters International Documentary Film Festival 2015, is making its way to the Bioscope. The film tells the story of two cousins who have plans for their ancestral lands on the Wild Coast. One envisions ecotourism while the other dreams of a mining town. WHEN August 28 to 31. WHERE The Bioscope. COST R45 to R120. TICKETS From tickets.tixsa.co.za INFO Visit thebioscope.co.za
Gauteng Opera stars (from left):
Phenye Modiane, Khumbuzile Dhlamini and Kagiso Boroko
- The Gauteng Opera and Joburg Ballet are coming together for a night of dance and music to celebrate Africa and its heritage. The night features opera classics, the Flower Duet from Lakmé and the Casta Diva from Norma. The programme is directed by Gauteng Opera’s Marcus Desando, with Laetitia Orlandi on piano, choreography by Thoko Sidiya and Joburg Ballet, and lighting by Simon King. The cast is headed by Khumbuzile Dlamini, Kagiso Boroko and Phenye Modiane and also includes guest artists Annemarie Steenkamp, Khayakazi Madlala, Pretty Skhosana, Solly Motaung, Nkosinathi Malamane and dancers from Joburg Ballet. WHEN August 29. WHERE Joburg Theatre. TIME 8pm. COST R200. TICKETS and INFO Visit joburgtheatre.com or call 0861 670 670.
Durban
- International R&B stars Toni Braxton and Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds will treat audiences to some of their classic 1990s hits and their recent love songs during their Southern Africa tour. Braxton is known for the song Unbreak my Heart and Edmonds for the hit Every Time I Close My Eyes. Their album, Love, Marriage & Divorce, received a Grammy this year for the Best R&B album. WHEN August 28, Harare (Borrowdale Racecourse); August 30, Durban; September 1, Cape Town; and September??3, Johannesburg. TICKETS Start at R450, from ticketpro.co.za
- The Kyle Shepherd Trio will kick off their Southern African tour in Durban before heading to Mozambique, Botswana, and other cities in South Africa. The jazz trio features the recipient of the Unisa National Piano Competition award (2015) and band leader Kyle Shepherd on piano, Shane Cooper on bass and Jonno Sweetman on drums. WHEN September 2. WHERE Howard College Centre for Jazz and Popular Music, University of KwaZulu-Natal. COST R15 to R50. TICKETS At the door. INFO Visit music.ukzn.ac.za or kyleshepherd.co.za for the rest of the band’s tour dates.
Kyle Shepherd Trio ( Pic: Gregory Franz)
Cape Town
- The Artscape Theatre Centre raises the question of identity in its 2015 heritage festival. The theatre hopes people will rekindle and reclaim stories about our country’s heritage. The programme includes poetry, a new piece by Indoni Academy Dancers, Inkundla (August 27 to 30), and Siembamba (September 3 to 12), a multilingual play about the life of a black domestic worker and the white child she helped to raise. Freshlyground’s Zolani Mahola, rock artist Karen Zoid and soprano Zanne Stapelberg will perform in Zanne, Zoid and Zolani. WHEN August 28 to September 27. WHERE Artscape Theatre. TICKETS From Computicket or Artscape Dail-a-Seat on 021 421 7695 . INFO Visit artscape.co.za
- Fracking comes under the spotlight in the collaborative art installation Karoo Disclosure. The exhibition explores notions of heritage, culture, ownership and legitimacy in the political and economic landscape. The exhibition comes after news that the government has given the fracking assignment in the Karoo the go-ahead. Included in the exhibition are the film Karoo Disclosure, artefacts and fossils from the Iziko natural history collection found in the Karoo and works by the artists Deborah Weber, Damien Schumann, Elgin Rust, Gina Waldman, Margaret Stone, Maxim Starcke, Lisa Bauer, Michelle Liao, Tom Glenn, Peet van Heerden, Hendrik Dudumashe and Paula Kingwill. WHEN Until November 15. WHERE Iziko South African Museum. INFO Visit iziko.org.za