Stage and Screen Stage and Screen is an online publication offering the latest Entertainment news of Productions on Stage, and on Screens.

These Kinky Boots are made to kick some closed-minded butt!  by Betty Bangles   Daaaahlings! I took a trip down to Cape Town and with lots of thanks to The Fugard Theatre and Stage and Screen, I got to see Kinky Boots, and now I have something to say…. I first saw Kinky Boots two years ago on Broadway and fell in love with the ...

A Raw, yet Intense Manipulation for the love of the Stage. by Louw Mulder During the last 12 odd years, I have written ample reviews about entertaining theatre shows that effortlessly tell the story, requiring no effort from the patron to understand the subject matter. But this is certainly not the case with Peter Shaffer’s Equus, which I saw this weekend at Pieter Toerien’s Montecasino ...

Rhythm, rhyme and rapturous laughter guaranteed during the holidays. By Jaco Lotriet With the school holidays now in full swing, one cannot wonder whether parents are dreading this break, or embracing it? While Johannesburg offers a myriad of different entertainment options for both young and old, serving as a most welcome reprieve from boredom, one entertainment option seems to be overlooked by most families: The ...

The History and Sounds of Cape Town create this Perfect Mosaic of Musical Theatre. by Louw Mulder The wonder, awe and art of theatre is very special to the team at Stage and screen. When I visited the Fugard Theatre in Cape Town this past December, the level of specialness was magnified in such a way, that the theatre outing in its whole became one of ...

From Page to Stage: Matilda is the musical of the year! By: David Simmons There is a refreshing satisfaction when one leaves a theatre after a musical with children at its core. Think back to the timeless musicals you have seen not only as a child, but also more recently on our South African stages. The Sound Of Music comes to mind with unique and ...

High-Adrenaline, Full-Voltage Tap Tour kicks off in SA! by Louw Mulder After kicking myself in 2013 for only seeing the show once, I was delighted to have learnt that Dein Perry’s Tap Dogs would return to South Africa this year, to showcase the very best in Tap at Montecasino’s Teatro as well as a limited run in Cape Town. This week, I had the privilege ...

If you’re good to Betty, Betty… still won’t be good to you! By Louw Mulder Late in 2016, we ran a story on Menopause, a successful drag show presented by the Beefcakes franchise, which is still running every Friday night at their Illovo restaurant. Now, almost two years later, with the new Burger Bar in the chain which opened in Pretoria, the Dare-to-Drag and Love-to-Love ...

Innovative Theatre Showcasing More than Meets the Eye by Louw Mulder Avenue Q… there’s actually so much to say about this production, currently on stage at the Pieter Toerien’s Montecasino Theatre. It’s a puppet show, but it’s an adult play, it’s a superbly composed musical, but it is also a presentation of the fact that South African Theatre is ready to take the next steps ...

A Nostalgic, Delightful Presentation for Total Enjoyment By Louw Mulder The Teatro came alive, with the Sound of Music, when this musical opened at Montecasino last week. This run comes after what is believed to have been a hugely successful World Tour, forcing audiences onto their feet in Manila, Singapore, Macau and Colombo. Now, in Johannesburg, the stage production of the World’s most loved musical, ...

Scrooge comes Alive on Stage this Christmas by Louw Mulder The age old tale of the miserable Scrooge in Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol, is evergreen and familiar to theatre goers worldwide especially with the silly season in full swing! For the first time ever, the tale of goodwill and cheer, has been adapted for the stage by Elizma Badenhorst, with the aim to entertain ...

Very Funny, Somewhat Dirty, but Let’s Rock! by Louw Mulder There are only a few things better in life than to leave a theatre production where you have hit the epiphany of sheer entertainment. Taking nothing away from all the other brilliant theatre productions that stunned audiences this year, but with reference to Rock of Ages, now showing at the Lyric theatre in Gold Reef ...

Reawakening the magic of an age-old fable by David Simmons I am always in awe of the Joburg theatre, especially how year after year, when the silly season snakes its way through the city, we are treated to another enchanting piece of Pantomime magic! The 2017 offering brings a nostalgic and somewhat meaningful story to life, where we get to experience a rollicking ride of ...

A Tale Twisted, Sheer Entertainment. by Louw Mulder I often hear all the whines and the moans from Cape Townians and Durbanites who complain about top shows only coming to Johannesburg. However, lately I am constantly seeing marketing and promotional material of quality productions staged in Cape Town, which never get to see the backstage of a Johannesburg theatre. At this moment, I am referring ...

Powerful Classic brought to life by Vibrant Modern Cast By Louw Mulder After 39 years, when the Original London Cast took to the stage for the inaugural performance of Evita, I was honoured to attend the opening performance of the same production at the Teatro in Montecasino, by Pieter Toerien Productions and David Ian Productions. Knowing the music very well, but with very little knowledge ...

A New Age Homage to an Age-Old Classic! By David Simmons The Brothers Grimm fairy tale of the naïve princess who falls into the trap of the evil queen comes to life in the 2017 Joburg Ballet production of Snow White. If you’re waiting for the part where those 7 quirky Dwarves are mentioned, think again, as this Ballet is a total reimagining for a ...

Greenpoint gets Enchanted in the Spiegeltent by Jaco du Plessis It’s a cold and windy evening in the Mother City but that didn’t stop the magic from happening at the Circus. This however isn’t your normal circus, it’s an Enchanted one! The magic takes place in the moonlight shadow of Green Point stadium in what is called the Spiegeltent. For those of you that paid ...

A reawakening of South Africa’s rich history by David Simmons Let’s reflect for a few moments and take a brisk walk down memory lane. It’s 1959 Johannesburg. Sophiatown is a melting pot of culture, vibrancy and not forgetting the impenetrable sounds of Jazz. People come and go, the streets are bustling in true 1950’s style and the gossip at the local bus station imbues a ...

South African Talent delivers Superb Original Musical by Louw Mulder The Nelson Mandela Stage at the Joburg Theatre made history when it staged the World Premiere of Calling Me Home, presented by Shy Music. This production, 100% local, is one of the finest gems ever produced on an SA Stage. It weaves different cultures, different musical genres, into one classical masterpiece. Based on her own ...

Ballet meets its Modern Match By Jaco Lotriet A lot has been said recently about collaborations and the effect it can have on the power of the final product. This theory has yet again been proven on the Mandela Stage of the Joburg Theatre when Joburg Ballet collaborated with Vuyani Dance Theatre and Moving Into Dance Mphatong to create the energetic, vibrant and commanding dance ...

Eight Characters, Two Actors… and Irma Vep… By Louw Mulder You see the posters, two of South African Theatre giants in drag. You get convinced to go see this show, just because of VR Theatrical’s reputation. Half way through the first act, you think, “What am I watching”. At the end, when the actors take their final bow, you are saying: “I have to come ...

Mr Uys, F@k is spelt with an F not a V! by Jaco du Plessis If there is something we South African’s know how to do, it is to laugh at ourselves. We always see the funny side of this rainbow nation of ours, and one man has been a leading force behind some of the best, yet sometimes controversial laughs. Pieter-Dirk Uys stands like ...

Peter gives Wendy a house at Canal Walk By Jaco du Plessis Ask every young boy what superpower he desires and the answer you will most likely get, is to fly! We all know of a young boy who can do just that, Peter Pan. This classic, originally created by author J.M. Barrie in 1904, gets a revival from Fred Abrahamse and Marcel Meyer, just ...

War cannot break Love… By Jaco du Plessis In a world where war and violence have become a daily feature, from the news to our social media, one has to ask if we really need to take this subject matter to the stage. My answer is a definite YES! Yes, because of a show like Cheers to Sarajevo, co-written by Aimee Mica Goldsmith and Lidija Marelic, ...

Fabulous Funny Fanny at the Fugard by Louw Mulder It is not the first time I have had the privilege to review a Fugard Theatre Production, but it is the first time I am writing about a production performed at the Fugard Theatre. Being in Cape Town is always an experience for a Gautenger like me, and to see a professional musical like Funny Girl  ...

The Legend of King Arthur meets Saturday Night Fever, in a zany highschool pantomime By Jaco Lotriet Stage and Screen has had the pleasure of reviewing many great stage productions over the last 10 years. When Hoёrskool Randburg invited us to their pantomime production, Ar-Fur, I couldn’t resist. Not knowing what to expect, I nestled comfortably into my seat at the Roodepoort Theatre. What was ...

Priscilla, Phenomenal Fabulous Fun!! by Louw Mulder. After a sold-out season in Cape Town, with raving and praising reviews, it was time for Priscilla, Queen of the Desert to embark on its Johannesburg journey. Its run at the Artscape Theatre set the standard very high, and after the opening night in Johannesburg, Priscilla, the Musical, matched all expectations. Over the years, the South African Theatre ...

A Play where Organised Chaos is Perfected By Louw Mulder The scene is set. It is opening night of the Northriding Polytechnic Drama Society’s production of Murder at Haversham Manor. The actors in this play are dedicated, loyal, and also very excited to perform. Everything is ready, the lights go out, the director makes his opening speech, and then everything just goes wrong. Stomach-spasm laughter ...

A Live Evolution from Madness into Magic By Louw Mulder I was fortunate enough to get invited to the opening performance of the world acclaimed Blue Man Group show for their South African tour at the Teatro in Montecasino. Never ever have I experienced something like this, but what remains a fact, is that I experienced Awesome. It would be close to impossible to categorise ...

A Majesitc, Memorable, Magnificent Musical By Louw Mulder In the mid-nineties, in the middle of my high school career, I took a fieldtrip to the Sand du Plessis Theatre in Bloemfontein to see my first ever musical, West Side Story. Not only was I bowled over by the magic a stage production can enchant, but also the decisive factor was, that it made me fall ...

Laugh, Dare, Drag by Louw Mulder Yes, they lip-sync, and boldly also admit to this fact early on during their performance, but as they say: “At least we do it better than Britney!” But a performance you can expect from the men of Menopause or rather extravagant drag artists in the true sense of the word, is nothing short of sheer entertainment. This show is not ...