Litnet

"For almost a year, my daughter has been counting down the days to the Michael Jackson biopic. Unlike most people, I am not ashamed to admit that she inherited her love for Michael Jackson from her parents."

"If earlier films sought to explain Winnie, this one insists that explanation will always be inadequate when confronting a character of such magnitude, or a period of such intensity. As a work of rigorous, morally serious documentary filmmaking, it demands moral engagement rather than passive consumption. For anyone interested in South African history, political memory and the ethics of liberation, it is essential viewing."

The Suidoosterfees 2026 expands beyond the stage with a rich programme of cultural offerings at Iziko Museums, creating the opportunity for festivalgoers to explore art, history, science and storytelling between performances. From 29 April to 3 May, six Iziko venues across Cape Town open their doors with a diverse array of activities that deepen the festival’s theme Home by inviting audiences to discover where heritage, creativity and belonging intersect.

"All of our vendors are residents of Jamestown, and we are incredibly proud of our talent within the community – from Shirley September’s well-known tripe and trotters (pens en poot) curry, to Julian Meyer’s very delicious cakes and Lorraine Cupido’s gevlegde koesisters (braided doughnuts)."

Set on a remote hiking trail, Meeting Murphy follows a middle-aged man who comes face to face with his teenage bully. What unfolds is a gripping, darkly funny confrontation that interrogates masculinity, memory, and the lasting scars of schoolyard cruelty, while challenging easy narratives of victim and perpetrator, revenge and reconciliation and nature versus nurture.

"It is about perceiving the world from another perspective, about documenting war while dreaming about opera, about seeing someone’s tears and twirling in a stunning dress in front of them to make them smile, about knowing that all that matters is love. It is about not giving up."

Fresh from winning the prestigious award, Silver Lion, at the 2026 Venice Biennale Danza and being named a finalist for the 2026 Salavisa European Dance Award (SEDA), South Africa’s internationally celebrated dance icon and choreographer Mamela Nyamza is bringing her global triumph home in the most joyful way possible.

"The world is in a terrifying state right now, and it’s frankly depressing. I think Rocky Horror provides an escape from that and invites you into a completely different world, where anything goes and you can be as outrageous as you want. That’s what this show has represented to people since 1975: a safe haven to be different or queer – to let loose, to go against the grain. Not just to dream it, but to be it."

In a South Africa where citizens are permitted only 140 spoken words per day, two young lovers must learn to live with silence – and to fight with words.

Canticum Novum presents the South African premiere of Jubilate Deo by Dan Forrest.

The 10th Stellenbosch International Piano Symposium will bring top international artists to South Africa in 2026, with an exciting lineup of five evening concerts between 25 and 29 March.

"To get into this role as a dancer, I really have to take my head and body into the world of Dracula and make myself believe in him. This is why the rehearsal process is so crucial, as it takes a couple of weeks to find that depth. I merge with the character slowly but surely, and at times I catch myself feeling a slight emotional imbalance, because I’m diving so deep and adding layers to the character, as we build up to opening night on 13 March."

The Iphulo drama festival productions start on 23 February and will run until 27 February, offering three days of wonderful theatrical performances.

The signs is a dynamic, Broadway-style musical written and directed by Midlands creative Audrey Mbuyazi. This original production offers a fresh and unexpected retelling of a well-known story – from a provocative new perspective.

The Endler Concert Series opens its first season of 2026 with an ambitious February to March programme in Stellenbosch that combines international star power with some of South Africa’s most compelling performers and ensembles.

"Hier is ’n Nuwejaarsgeskenk aan alle LitNet-lesers. Klik hier om vier gratis toneelstukke af te laai en te lees. Die tekste van hierdie vier eenmanvertonings ('one man shows') sal jou aan vroeëre tye herinner, jou laat wonder en jou hoop gee. Ons is hier, ten spyte van alles!"

Following a record-breaking run in Johannesburg, The Nutcracker comes to Cape Town in February 2026 for seven performances only.

"In the end, I hoped to create a show that honours Andersen’s emotional truth while offering a version of the story that feels honest, contemporary and welcoming to a 2025 South African audience."

For November’s play reading, we’re delving into Love in the time of Labarang Hajj by Tasneem Daniels.  The evening will include a table read of the play by actors, followed by a discussion of the work. The discussion will be led by Melanie O’Connor Horn and a panel of experts. Input from the audience is most welcome! 

"What would Nick Cave do?" Conrad Jamneck, beloved festival director and sound engineer, delves into his lifelong relationship with Nick Cave’s music and writing. A Nick Cave affair – produced by Jamneck and featuring James Smith, Jake Gunn, Anjulie Nock and a special appearance by Andra – will be performed at the PJ Olivier Art Centre in Stellenbosch on 21 November 2025.