Litnet

"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.

"The world of Cats is truly immersive, and the illusion of talented humans portraying these delightful feline characters will hopefully be more than enough to hold the audiences’ attention for a few hours of theatrical magic."

"What an interesting and peaceful place. There is a strange quiet about this city that caught me off guard. It almost feels as if one is walking in an old movie set in a studio mimicking a city."

"The rural Western Cape town of Porterville came alive on 23 and 24 September with the second iteration of the Purple Mountain Heritage Day Festival, a free, 36-hour celebration of heritage through art, poetry, storytelling, traditional food, music, photography and astronomy."

"As associations representing writers who contribute to and are dependent on the arts and culture eco-system that these festivals serve, we see the arbitrary and sudden withdrawal of government support as damaging and ill advised."

"The moment it starts feeling like a lecture, you’ve lost the audience. The key is to create compelling characters who want something and who drive the story forward. If the drama is truthful and the characters are engaging, the history or the message comes through naturally."