Johannesburg has a tradition of leadership in the arts and when this is allied
to the output of Pretoria
 the situation is unassailable. The region boasts three full
symphony orchestra, numerous theatres, several ballet and dance companies
two ad-hoc opera companies as well a museums ranging from history to beer!
Art Galleries abound and there are workshops and academies aplenty (one
of which won an Oscar recently).Then,too, the shopping malls have
vibrant entertainment happenings,
while many restaurants offer live
music ranging from classical to jazz. Like most great
cities Johannesburg after dark lights up!
The lineup looks like this for
THEATRE
CHICAGO: The Broadway musical nears the end of its third revival in
an acclaimed production.
THE CHILLI BOY is Geraldine Naidoo's take on what
happens when a South African Indian grandmother is re-incarnated as
a white gangster. It ends its run only to be followed by the same
playwright's
HOOT: another satirical glimpse of Gauteng
DEFENDING THE CAVEMAN continues its long run poking fun at the
male of the species, to the delight of the tenderer (?) half
CHESS-the musical featuring lyrics by Lloyd Webber's original partner
Tim Rice but music by pop phenomenons, Abba. has moved in for a long
stay while smaller musicals:
Rocking all over the world and Rock me Amadeus take care of
supper club theatre.
The Soweto Opera Quadro end their run of BROTHERS IN
SONG
Broadway star, Christine Pedi, tops the bill in GREAT DAMES a
grand musical featuring the legends of stage and screen while oldies
of more recent years find brand new revivals of "The Rocky Horror Show"
and "Saturday Night Fever" rocking and rolling along while, opening
soon is another retrospective of the legendary "Queen": "It's a kinda
Magic"
Finally non-musically KAROO MOOSE is another grand local
offering from S.A. stalwart writer/director lara Foot Newton while The
Lion and the Jewel as well as Silent Voice play the National State
Theatre in Pretoria
OPERA AND DANCE
AUTUMN ENCHANTMENT features the S.A.Ballet theatre and the Black Tie
Ensemble in a programme of excerpts form popular operas,musicals and
ballets while the gloriously-voiced Sibongile Khumalo features in REWIND
a "cantata for voice, tape and testimony"
Paco Pena's Flamenco Group opens at the Civic Theatre
POP MUSIC
JOHNNY CLEGG (The white Zulu) brings his fusion of European traditions
and Indigenous sound to the concert stage for a short season
KIPPIES continues its tradition of Township and Afro-Jazz with a lineup
of local artists
The Soweto Opera Quatro use their classical training and fine voices
to cross-over the various genres in "Brothers in
Song"
Us Rappers 20 Cents and G-Unit have a sort stand at
Northgate's Dome
MOVIES
African and South African movies get pride of place
"BAKGAT" a knock-about farce about Rugby -in Afrikaans (with
English sub-titles) is ending its very successful run as "MORE THAN JUST
A GAME" opens. This is based on the real life struggle of political prisoners
in the notorious prison, Robben Island" to get permission to form and field
soccer teams and the effect a simple game had on their lives.
BEST OF THE REST
Kite Runner
No Country for old men - another Coen Brothers hit
The Other Boleyn Girl
Mad
Money
GIG GUIDE
Carnival city hosts The Johannesburg Symphony orchestra and a lineup of the
cream of SA's top Pop vocal talent in "Carnival Pops". This annual
event is a not-to-be-missed spectacular. |
