The festive season might be over but Joburg theatregoers can still enjoy some holiday cheer with Mzansi Ballet’s "The ABBA Show: A Cinderella Story.”
Running until next week, the production fuses the timeless music of the iconic Swedish pop group with ballet as well as the age-old fairytale to deliver a whimsical play.
This comes after its festive season run from December 26, where it enchanted the audience with its vibrant offering of music, dance and holiday cheer.
With the expert choreography of Angela Revie, Cinderella’s journey is told through dazzling dance numbers set to ABBA hits. They include "Dancing Queen", "Mamma Mia" and "The Winner Takes It All".
The show will also feature the talented Mzansi Ballet dancers, who bring vibrancy, romance and unforgettable ABBA melodies to the stage.
“Whether you’re a ballet aficionado or an ABBA fan, this production promises to be a feast for the eyes and ears,” the producers said.
Mzansi Ballet CEO and director Dirk Badenhorst recently raved about the show to “The Citizen.”
“It’s a ballet but in a more populist way in that it has audience participation, it has the opportunity of singing along and people just know the music so well," he was quoted as saying.
Where: Pieter Toerien's Montecasino Theatre.
When: Runs until January 19.
Cost: Tickets range from between R200 to R350 and are available through Webtickets.
“Musical Chairs”
This production tells the story of how modern society interacts with social media and the digital sphere as a whole.
Using the premise of a childhood game, the play blends traditional theatre with physical theatre and dance to highlight different parts of the online world we live in today.
It seeks to chronicle certain power dynamics as well as trends and even how we find love and how to navigate relationships in this modern world.
The production is written and choreographed mostly by Genesis Shirindza of The Locksmiths Collective.
In order to convey the production’s message, Shirindza has made use of various street dance styles such as amapiano, hip hop, house and campbellocking to deliver a highly relatable piece of social commentary which seeks to revolutionise the local theatre industry.
It also features classical music, along with very intentional lighting, as it allows the performer’s movements to tell the story while having other senses activated.
It will also engage the audience’s mind as it calls for them to decide how the story ends.
Shirindza explained that “Musical Chairs” will take theatregoers “on a journey on how we fight for power against platforms which inherently have all the power.”
“They form a big part of our lives today and have a bigger influence than what we are brave to admit.”
He added: “We see our dancers tell a story of acceptance, rejection and love.”
Where: The Theatre On The Square.
When: January 22 to 25, and then from January 28 to 31. All shows start at 7.30pm.
Cost: Tickets range from R150 to R180 and are available through Webtickets.
“Isandlwana Lecture: The Musical”
This thought-provoking production is a story about the Battle of iSandlwana and the conquest of the Zulu nation over the English at the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879.
It is executive produced by Mbuso Khoza who uses the show to deliver a stellar theatre piece about South African history.
The show chronicles a twenty thousand strong spear-carrying and barefooted Zulu Regiment disgracing and defeating Sir Henry Chamsford’s gun-carrying English Regiment.
“The Zulus won the battle but lost the war,” a statement explained.
“It is these remnants of loss from iSandlwana that are retold in order for the young to learn the truth of what truly transpired spiritually and socioculturally for uZulu at the Battle of iSandlwana.”
Meanwhile, “Isandlwana Lecture: The Musical’s” underlying themes are conveyed in this production and the story of iSandlwana is those of a relentless pursuit for power and conquest of Zulu kings including a history of bloodbaths on their trail to the ascension to the throne.
This is equalled with that of colonisation of the English as well as their culture erosion and dispossession of peoples of the world by the English.
Where: The Lesedi at Joburg Theatre.
When: From January 22 until 26. Show times differ, depending on the day.
Cost: Tickets cost R400 and are available through Webtickets.