A grand production of the musical West Side Story, opens at the Artscape Opera House on July 23. Presented at Artscape by Eric Abraham and the Fugard Theatre, West Side Story, is the musical masterpiece created by Leonard Bernstein, Arthur Laurents and Stephen Sondheim based on an original conception of Jerome Robbins. Continue reading
Artscape Opera
New shows heading to Cape Town
Theatre-goers in Cape Town are in for a treat courtesy of these new shows heading to the city.
West Side Story will run from July 23 to August 23.
Perhaps the best musical ever written – West Side Story – explodes onto the Artscape Opera House stage in the winter of 2015. This Eric Abraham and Fugard Theatre production is brought to you by the award-winning creative team behind the smash hits The Rocky Horror Show and Cabaret.
Wie’s Bang vir Virginia Woolf? can be seen from July 28 to August 8.
Starring Sandra Prinsloo and Marius Weyers, Saartjie Botha, in association with the Fugard Theatre, will present an Afrikaansversion of Edward Albee’s drama Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? at the Fugard Theatre.
The Fugard Theatre is in Caledon Street, corner of Buitenkant Street, District Six, Cape Town. Tel: 021 461 4554.
Exciting season ahead for Cape Town City Ballet
Dance lovers across South Africa can get ready for another exciting season of thrilling ballet productions presented by the Cape Town City Ballet. Continue reading
The Imperial Ice Stars return to SA
THE world’s premier theatrical ice skating company, The Imperial Ice Stars, returns to South Africa with a dynamic new interpretation of its award-winning masterpiece Swan Lake on Ice.
Opening in December for a limited season at Johannesburg’s Teatro at Montecasino before moving to Cape Town for a season at Artscape Opera House, the acclaimed production is part of a world tour celebrating the company’s 10th Anniversary.
Performed in the intimate setting of a frozen theatre stage, to Tchaikovsky’s famous and well-loved score, this production of Swan Lake on Ice introduces a new prologue to the classic tale, humanising the legend of a princess turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer. The show features exhilarating new choreography and some of the world’s most stylish dancing on ice from Artistic Director Tony Mercer, widely regarded as the world’s leading creator of theatre on ice.
“Inspired by my research into Tchaikovsky’s original score and intentions for the story, I wanted to create a more realistic interpretation of this much-loved tale, with an ending that was more plausible and left no unanswered questions. I also wanted to transpose the story onto ice, creating a new art form in the process – ice dance in a full theatrical setting,” explains Tony Mercer. “I always felt it was a natural fit, to have swans gliding on ice.”
“I created our original Swan Lake on Ice in 2006 in a classical style with elements of contemporary ice dance. With this production I’ve significantly re-worked the choreography to incorporate even more contemporary skating manoeuvres, including elements that have never been seen in the world of figure skating before, and challenged our skaters to reach for new heights!”
The 24 Olympic, World, European and National Championship level skaters, who between them hold more than 250 competition medals, tell the timeless tale through mind-blowing high-speed leaps and throws – and daring manoeuvres so complex they haven’t yet been named – coupled with graceful and sublime ice dancing.
In addition awe-inspiring acrobatics, aerial gymnastics and spectacular new pyrotechnic effects add drama and mystery to the theatrical experience.
The costuming has also been refined for this new production, with some dazzling and sophisticated designs from renowned costumier Albina Gabueva of Moscow’s Stanislavsky Theatre, and made by the famous Bolshoi Ballet’s costume cutters.
The Imperial Ice Stars last performed in South Africa from December 2013 to February 2014 with The Sleeping Beauty on Ice, garnering outstanding reviews and raves from local audiences.
Whether you’ve seen The Imperial Ice Stars’ Swan Lake on Ice before or have yet to experience the thrill of world-class ice skating in the intimacy of the theatre, this dramatic new ice interpretation of one of the most popular ballets will have you on the very edge of your seat.
NEED TO KNOW
JOHANNESBURG: The Teatro at Montecasino – 3 December to 10 January
Tickets: R400, R350, R325, R275, R250, R200, R150 and R100
Performances: Tue – Fri at 7:30pm, Sat at 2:30pm and 7:30pm, Sun at 2pm and 6pm
CAPE TOWN: Artscape Opera – 14 January to 31 January
Tickets: R400, R350, R325, R275, R250, R200, R175, R150, R125 and R100
Performances: Tue – Fri at 7:30pm, Sat at 2:30pm and 7:30pm, Sun at 2pm and 6pm
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