Three fringe musical theatre offering are lined up for The Alexander Upstairs over the next three months, with the first of those shows due to close this weekend.
Running until tomorrow, 30 September, at 19:00, 50 Shades of Fairytales stars Titilayo Adedokun under Heike Brunner‘s direction. A whimsical and quirky song revue, 50 Shades of Fairytales depicts the journey of two women who evolve through their personal experiences of love, its challenges and its consequences. The show features a collection of witty and thought-provoking songs that will leave audiences laughing, crying and identifying with the characters.
Die Konings, which runs from 22 – 27 October at 19:00, features texts by Louis Roux and the company, and music by Talita Beyl, with direction by Andrico Goosen. In addition to the fact that Die Konings is the newest and hottest thing in the Afrikaans music industry, they are also very talented – or so they believe. This cabaret draws on the traditions of drag and improvisational comedy, with Anoecha Krüger, Marelize Viljoen and Elisha Zeeman using male alter egos to create a satire dealing with sex, religion, politics and everything in between. The audience’s contribution promises to make each show a unique experience.
Finally, from 21 November – 1 December, The Good, the Bad and the Fugly returns to the Alexander Upstairs. Inspired by true South African stories that seem too ridiculous to be true, this tongue-in-cheek musical comedy explores social interactions behind the safety of our screens. Exposing all the hilarious consequences of online personas, strong opinions and bad behaviour, this production promises to give audiences an opportunity to laugh at themselves with three women, three social media accounts and three times the drama. Written by Louise Newman, who performs in the show with Lee van Der Merwe and Chané Otto, The Good, the Bad and the Fugly is directed by Nathalie Vijver and sets out to embody the complexities of being a South African in today’s social networking fiasco.
Tickets for 50 Shades of Fairytales cost R120 if booked and prepaid online or R130 if paid on collection at the bar, with tickets for Die Konings (which carries an age restriction of no under 16s) costing R100 if booked and prepaid online or R110 if paid on collection at the bar. Tickets for The Good, the Bad and the Fugly cost R90 if booked and prepaid online or R100 if paid on collection at the bar. The Alexander Bar, Café and Theatre is situated at 76 Strand Street in the Cape Town city centre.
A brand new edition of Sarafina Magazine: Live! will take the stage at The Alexander Upstairs tonight. Known for bringing womxn’s stories to the forefront, the live editions of the popular online platform are hosted by its founder, Candice Bernstein, and feature discussions with South Africa’s leading womxn artists and arts industry professionals. Audience members are encouraged to engage in the discussion through a Q&A session at the end of the talkback.
South African Musical Theatre Archive 