Mzansi Theatre Review

Veteran actor Themba Ndaba plays the lead in "Breakfast with Mugabe" at The Market Theatre. Picture: Ngoma. Robert Mugabe, the former President of Zimbabwe, is perhaps one of the most polarising political figures of recent African history. His journey from an esteemed independence leader to a controversial tyrant is a story interwoven with policy, power struggles, and persistent criticism. Mugabe's legacy remains a topic of vigorous debate, especially when scrutinised through the lens of Western perspectives that often found him more enigmatic than amenable. Inspired by accounts that Mugabe once privately consulted a white psychiatrist, Breakfast with Mugabe is a fictionalised narrative that weaves a compelling dialogue between the fictional Dr Andrew Peric and the formidable Mugabe. This striking production marks a significant moment for multitalented director Calvin Ratladi, the 2025 Standard Young Artists Award winner for Theatre, as he steps into new creative realms...

Aldo Brincat performing his solo production at The Market Theatre, The Moon Looks Delicious From Here. Picture: Hoek Swaratlhe In a vibrant celebration of storytelling, the highly anticipated theatre production The Moon Looks Delicious From Here made its debut at The Market Theatre last week, captivating audiences with its moving exploration of identity, heritage, and sexuality.  This acclaimed piece has garnered attention both locally and internationally, drawing theatre enthusiasts into the intricate tapestry woven by renowned actor Aldo Brincat, who channels his personal experiences as a first-generation South African amidst the political upheaval of the 70s and 80s. Directed by the talented Sjaka Septembir, this multi-award-winning production juxtaposes profound contemporary themes with Brincat’s emotional depth and distinct narratorial flair, set against a backdrop of South Africa’s tumultuous history. The addition of soulful music composed by celebrated singer-songwriter Bon...

Monike Cristina and Bruno Miranda in Swan Lake, currently showcasing at the Joburg Theatre. Picture: Lauge Sorensen In the enchanting world of ballet, few tales are as universally recognised and revered as that of Odette, the tragic heroine who endures a powerful transformation under the weight of an evil sorcerer's curse. This gripping narrative, a masterful amalgamation of Russian and German folk tales, continues to resonate with audiences around the globe to this day, delivering themes of love, betrayal, and redemption, all wrapped in the elegance of dance. For the first time in nearly three decades, South Africa's two premier classical ballet companies, Joburg Ballet and Cape Town City Ballet, have joined forces to present the iconic ballet, Swan Lake . Since its debut in 1877, Swan Lake has transcended generations, weaving a tale of love, betrayal, and haunting beauty, solidifying its status as a cornerstone of ballet repertoire. The storyline unfolds across four captiv...

Modise Sekgothe performing 'Gabo Legwala' at the 2025 National Arts Festival. Picture: Mark Wessels In Modise Sekgothe’s poetry-led production, Gabo Legwala , the personal becomes political, the poetic becomes performative, and the stage becomes a space of reckoning. Gabo Legwala is derived from a colloquial SeTswana proverb: “Gabo legwala a gollewe,” which loosely translates: “there is no crying at the coward’s home”. The 2025 Standard Bank Young Artist for Poetry, Sekgothe, weaves together verse, movement, memory, and sound in this poem disguised as a play to craft a deeply intimate exploration of becoming. “This work explores the question of how a young man comes into his own, how he learns to become a man...” Set against the backdrop of Soweto, one of South Africa’s most historically charged and culturally rich townships, Gabo Legwala traces the formative years of a young boy called Ndish, Sekgothe’s childhood nickname, as he navigates a world marked by tenderness inside ...

Themba Ndaba plays the lead role as Robert Mugabe in the "Breakfast with Mugabe" play. Picture: Ngoma Ka Mphahlele  Premiering at the National Arts Festival in Makhanda on Thursday, July 3, Breakfast with Mugabe marks a daring departure for the 2025 Standard Young Artists Award winner for Theatre, Calvin Ratladi. Based on the award-winning script by British playwright Fraser Grace, the production reimagines late Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe not as the distant figure we’ve come to know through headlines and political discourse, but as a haunted man, navigating memory, grief, and the ghosts of power. "It's a meditation on the aftershocks of colonialism...the fragile humanity obscured by political power." In Grace’s fictionalised account, loosely inspired by reports that Mugabe once sought psychiatric help for his declining mental health, we find Zimbabwe’s former president in conversation with a white psychiatrist. What begins as a clinical session soon unr...