From Table Mountain to Table Bay, the Mother City boasts a contemporary mix of historic and modern landmarks. One of which is the Artscape Theatre Centre in Foreshore.
It’s a vibrant and multifaceted arts centre that showcases a world of performing arts and creative excellence. Whether you’re looking for a sophisticated night out, a good laugh, an evening of profound perspective or an appreciation of dance and music, there is endless entertainment at this iconic theatre.
Also read: City of Cape Town welcomes ‘World Cup’ of opera at Artscape
Check out the Artscape Theatre’s line-up for November: has something on offer:
Fietsry vir Dommies
This heartfelt Afrikaans production, with Eldon van der Merwe, portrays the challenges of Carl, a brown man still living in the ‘shiny cages’ of Rose Valley despite having a degree in construction management through rhythmic word and poetry.
Depressed and always placed on the bottom of the list when it comes to employment, Carl navigates through the sacrifices he must make for his family and community as Black Tax takes its toll.
Fietsry vir Dommies is produced and written by poet, playwright, director and radio broadcaster Tiffany Saterdaght, who aspires to give an honest voice to disadvantaged communities and is involved with organisations such as Awehness Creative Community and Klein Karoo Connect.
At the KKNK’s Karoo Maps project, which was awarded at the 2022 Kanna Awards for groundbreaking work, Tiffany was involved as a researcher, facilitator, playwright and director. Karoo Kaarte’s play On This Day received seven Kanna nominations.
- Date: 1 to 5 November
- Cost: R50 to R80
- Tickets: Quicket
Swing With The King
Swing With The King is a big band, gospel jazz and traditional music concert with an orchestra featuring some of Mzansi’s top artists, including the multi-talented Lois du Plessis, who will grace the stage with her mesmerising vocals and incredible talent as the vocal soloist for the event.
Also starring in the concert is Cape Town’s very own virtuoso, Jonathan Rubain, who will take on the role of bass guitar instrumental soloist, accompanied by a ten-piece horn section and an eight-piece string section with a five-piece rhythm section.
If that’s not reason enough to secure your tickets immediately, audience members can look forward to the likes of jazz guitarist Cameron Ward, jazz pianist Brathew van Schalkwyk and the Cape’s gospel singers Real Sisters, among many more.
Join in for an unforgettable musical experience – it’s going to be a swinging good time!
- Date: 10 to 12 November
- Duration: 3 hours including interval
- Cost: R200
- Tickets: Computicket
Ladysmith Black Mambazo Legacy Tour
This must-see musical showcase by five-time Grammy award winner Ladysmith Black Mambazo marks the first time in four years that the group will be performing in the Mother City.
The national SA legacy tour is a chance to reconnect with local audiences and represents a celebration of the group’s legacy and their musical journey of more than six decades. Alongside the legends’ classic hits and new songs from their latest albums, audience members can look forward to experiencing the talent of artists discovered by The Mambazo Mobile Academy: Abantakwethy from Gugulethu
- Date: 17 to 18 November
- Duration: 2 hours
- Cost: R250
- Tickets: Webtickets
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90 Day Comedian
Dalin Oliver is coming to the Artscape with a fresh take on life in South Africa after spending some time Down Under.
The award-winning comedian and award-nominated radio sports broadcaster just wrapped up a five-city tour of Australia, where he left audience members in Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sydney in stitches.
Capetonians and visitors from all over can expect side-splitting gags tight enough to get past border control and punchlines that hit harder than the exchange rate between the South African Rand and the Australian Dollar in Oliver’s brand new one-man stand-up comedy show.
‘Come find out why we love Mzansi even though it keeps trying to take away our power daily – literally,’ adds Oliver. ‘See you at the show, Awè????’
- Date: 21 to 25 November
- Duration: 70 minutes
- Cost: R120 to R150
- Tickets: Webtickets
Let’s Boogie
Embark on a musical/comedy romp down memory lane to the Motown Era, where the disco floors and power ballads that typified the 70s and 80s envelop the Artscape’s Opera House in this production.
Throw in a local live band, dynamic local singers and dancers, add a touch of local comedy, and the perfect evening is served.
- Date: 22 to 26 November
- Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Cost: R160
- Tickets: Computicket
Ubuhle Bengoma
This one-woman show is presented by Pam Lunguza, who believes that music is the purest form of art and the most direct expression of beauty that connects people from all walks of life.
In Ubuhle Bengoma, Pam will take audience members on a journey through music, giving them an insert into her musical upbringing through songs that she (and many others) grew up hearing and sang in gatherings at home alongside songs that she has written herself.
With the aim of showcasing how music breaks through boundaries and reaches across cultures and classes, concertgoers can expect to instinctively join in as the theatre fills with choruses of known songs and familiar jazz sounds intertwine with traditional Xhosa sound.
‘Music keeps hope alive while we wait for changes and a better life. Therefore, my intention for this project is simply to present my audience with a message of hope through the beauty of song (Ubuhle Bengoma) and hope that they carry this message to their families and communities’ adds Pam Lunguza.
- Date: 25 November 2023
- Duration: 2 hours
- Cost: R150
- Tickets: Quicket
And Then…
Acclaimed dancer-choreographer jackï job, alongside her long-standing collaborator José Dias on piano, creates innovative, organic performances inspired by the human breath that have riveted and moved people all over the world.
The duo intricately weaves set movement and structured improvisation techniques to create synergistic connections that carry audience members to a place of deep soul listening in their award-winning dance series And Then…
The dance series began in 2018 and has taken many forms since then, with each one planting the seed for the next, including a film that aired during lockdown in 2020. The series was nominated for a Naledi Theatre Award and won the UCT Meritorious Award for Creative Works in 2022.
In the series’ last iteration, set to take to the stage on 29 November at the Artscape, And Then… portrays a deeply personal (for both the audience and the performers), organic journey of desire, compassion, acceptance and love. The performance allows each individual to develop their own intimate interpretation, leaving audience members feeling awestruck and soulfully connected.
- Date: 29 November to 2 December
- Duration:
- Cost: R250
- Tickets: Webtickets
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Picture: Artscape / Facebook