SHALL WE DANCE: REVIEW

 

(Above: Martin Ricky aka Lisa Bobbert and Cast - pic by Val Adamson)

31 Years of Shall We Dance - A glittering, Joyous celebration! (Review by Shannon Kenny)

What better way to usher in springtime in Durban than the 31st anniversary of Shall We Dance, the annual showcase that has dance enthusiasts returning to The Playhouse Opera each year. This year, international guest stars and seven dance schools from Durban take to the stage performing Ballroom, Latin, Indian, Modern, Hip Hop and Ballet.

The fabulous Lisa Bobbert brings extra sparkle and all the laughs as our genial MC - first appearing as kindly car-guard Delphine - with a few more surprises for the audience throughout the show, featuring the supremely-talented students of the International School of Performing Arts (ISPA), of which Bobbert is a director and tutor.

The individual numbers in each half - where each company had their moment to sparkle and shine - were bookended by glittering cast numbers that had the thrilled audience whooping and clapping and singing along.

(Right: Khulu and Sthe – pic by Val Adamson)

Khulu and Sthe’s opening waltz, to Billie Eilish’s Hostage was elegance personified, eliciting wistful “aah’s” from the audience members in the seats behind me, while it was their quickstep in the second half that clearly won them fans for life.

Mark Wilson Dance Studio’s mellow rhumba contrasted the fast-paced Latin energy that international stars Darren and Marina brought with their number, Magalenha and the contemporary punchiness of Abracadabra by the Young Dancers’ Project.

The Young Dancers’ Project tap and Hip Hop fusion We Found Love was a crowd-pleaser, as was Mark Wilson Studio’s sultry samba Slo Mo in the second half.

What would a dance extravaganza be without a little bit of Bob Fosse?

Razzmatazz’s I Wanna Be a Dancing Man and Nowadays and the ISPA’s They Both Reached for the Gun were a fitting tribute.

The ISPA’s first and second year students brought a wonderfully characterised and timed theatricality to their performance, putting firmly in the spotlight their triple threat singing-dancing-acting chops, with James Armstrong featuring as Billy Flynn, Grace McIlroy as Roxie and Jenna van Eyssen as Mary Sunshine.

Strictly Ballroom wrapped their Le Jazz Hot performance in a swirl of pink candy and later, their graceful celebration of The Sound of Music came to the stage in emerald shimmer.

Rudra Dance Theatre brought classical and contemporary Indian dance in an explosion of colour, energy and amazing grace, led by the dynamic Pavishen Paideya in Garaj Garaj and Punjabi.

Dance Basic’s Conga chacha in the first half and Love Don’t Love Nobody jive kept their audience firmly onside with their joy and hips that didn’t lie.

 

(Above: Creative HeArts – pic by Val Adamson)

Young choreographer, Darren Lee Hutchinson and his Creative HeArts dancers are new to Shall We Dance – and a clear crowd favourite. Their effortlessly fun, humorous and skilful classic Hip Hop in Modern Nostalgia with a dash of Amapiano in Project: Dynamite in the second half have made me a fan of theirs. I certainly I look forward to seeing more of them in future.

International dance champions and Hong Kong-based guest artists, Darren Hammond (South Africa) and Marina Steshenko (Ukraine), brought every ounce of talent and energy to the stage, spinning, charming, and enchanting at every turn and flourish. As one patron, in awe of Marina put it, “she dances from the tips of her fingers to her toes.”  From the fast-paced Penny Whistle in the first half to the cheeky chacha and sensual rhumba in the second, they’ve certainly left Durban audiences wanting more of their artistry and inexorable verve.

MC, Lisa, is a consummate and generous performer, whose bang-on Girl on Fire and Proud Mary included the ISPA students as backing vocalists and dancers.

One of my favourite aspects of a trip to the theatre is the planned and unplanned meet-ups with friends and the shared delight of being transported for an hour or two to another world. This night delivered in spades.

Playhouse CEO, Linda Bukhosini’s programme notes are a reminder of Neville Letard’s decades-long legacy as teacher, inspirer and promoter of Latin and ballroom dancing, even during a time in our history when diversity, equity and inclusion were actively suppressed.

Neville, together with Caryl Cusens and their team of choreographers, Ryan and Janelle Yunnie (Dance Basics); Mark Wilson (Mark Wilson Dance Studio); Minette De Klerk-Weir (Young Dancers’ Project); Pam Gandy (Razzmatazz); Pavishen Paideya (Rudra Dance Company) and Farren Lee Hutchinson (Creative HeArts); and the entire production team gave us another dazzling, joyous show and we look forward to the 32nd edition in 2026! – Shannon Kenny.

EUROPEAN FILM FESTIVAL IN SOUTH AFRICA 2025

 

(A scene from “Unicorns”: Jason Patel as Aysha)

 

Cinematic Journeys Without Borders.

Cape Town, Johannesburg and online October 9 – 19, 2025

 

The 12th European Film Festival in South Africa is a cinematic journey in search of love, identity, family, and belonging. Ten contemporary European films reflect on the realities of Europe and its place in the world now. Their strong characters in unusual situations, carefully-crafted stories, and breathtaking landscapes make these films a road trip for the heart and mind.

The Festival takes place in Cape Town and Johannesburg, from October 9 to 19, 2025, with a smaller curated programme online in Southern Africa.

In Le Mohican, an unlikely hero, supported by his Corsican community, is on the run from the mafia and ruthless property developers who threaten to take his land. His resistance transforms him into a legend. (France)

The North has been called “the best hiking movie to date” and the power of its energy – feel the wind, touch the water and endure the frustration of setting up a tent in a storm – underlies the journey of “humans who need to reconnect with nature, themselves and grow through friendships.” Set in the breathtaking mountains of the Scottish Highlands. (The Netherlands)

 

(Right: A scene from “Sirat” @QuimVives)

The brothers, Pedro and Agustín Almodóvar, are part of the producing team of Sirat, an unusual journey of a father accompanied by his son, searching for his daughter through the remote southern Moroccan desert; with the soundtrack leading the way in this ''odyssey between life and death." (Spain)

 

In Unicorns, rising star Ben Hardy plays a mechanic and a single father who falls in love with a South Asian drag queen; a film which reminds us of what it takes to transform and cross borders, whether physical, mental, or spiritual. The directors are Sally El Hosaini and James Krishna Floyd. (United Kingdom)

The film Great Yarmouth: Provisional Figures deals with travelling of a different kind – economic migrants and the fantasy of escaping one's situation – it has been described as “a chilling exploration of modern servitude.” (Portugal)

In Real Faces, Julia an ambitious casting agent, relocates to Brussels after a breakup. Struggling to build a new life, she masks her insecurities behind a façade of success and happiness. She meets reclusive microbiologist Eliott and forms an unexpected, authentic friendship that inspires her to break free from societal expectations. (Flanders)

Fuori, meaning “outside,” is written and directed by Mario Martone, about the controversial feminist writer Goliarda Sapienza. Set in the summer of the 1980s, the story takes place when the writer was jailed for a crazy and unforeseen incident. In prison, she forms an unusual and lasting bond with other inmates. (Italy)

 

(A scene from “A Perfectly Normal Family”)

 In urban Denmark, A Perfectly Normal Family redefines love and understanding when Emma’s father Thomas announces that he wants to become Agnetha. Father and daughter struggle to hold on to what they had while coming to terms with the fact that everything has changed. (Denmark)

 

In Under the Volcano, a summer vacation in Tenerife turns to chaos when a Ukrainian family learns about the invasion of their country. (Poland)

From German filmmaker Christian Petzold comes Miroirs #.3, a haunting, character-driven exploration of loss, memory, and unexpected recovery when an accident survivor is taken in by a good Samaritan family. (Germany)

Participating countries are Belgium/Flanders, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom.

Live screenings take place at The Labia in Cape Town and The Bioscope and Nu Metro Hyde Park in Johannesburg.

A curated selection of films will be streamed online in Southern Africa at www.eurofilmfest.co.za

The Festival coincides with several country-specific events and celebrations.

The EUFFSA is presented by the Encounters South African International Documentary Festival and sponsored by the Delegation of the European Union, Cineuropa, and the Embassies and cultural institutes of Denmark, Flanders, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom.

Follow the festival on its website and social media for regular updates: www.eurofilmfest.co.za, Facebook and Instagram EUFFSA and YouTube @europeanfilmfestival

For further information contact: info@eurofilmfest.co.za

 

FRIENDS OF FEYA FAKU, IN CONCERT

 

(Left: Feya Faku. Pic supplied)

 

Trumpeter, composer and one of South Africa’s great musical sons, Fezile ‘Feya’ Faku, died in June this year. He spent much of his music life in Durban, where he studied, formed bands and performed locally, taught music and was a mentor and beloved member of the Durban community for many years.

 

Neil Gonsalves recalls: “We were students at the same time, but he was always a teacher and mentor to me. He never liked the word “jazz”. He preferred “improvised music”. But he was the quintessential jazz man. Gentle and soft-spoken but fiercely committed to - and uncompromising - about the music. He was unshakeable in his dedication to the art form and served as a great role-model for so many of us.”

He maintained these relationships after he moved to Johannesburg and would return to play shows, launch new albums and perform at his Alma mater’s annual jazz fundraiser. His last such visit was in 2023 when he reunited with the Melvin Peters Quartet to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the jazz programme at UKZN.

Melvin recalls: “My fondest memory of the Melvin Peters Quintet was winning the Carling Circle of Jazz Competition in 1989. This was a defining moment for our band, which included Zim Ngqawana, Lex Futshane and George Ellis. I realized back then that Feya was well on his way to making his mark on the jazz scene, both locally and internationally. The rest, like they say is history!”

In tribute to their great friend and brother in music, Melvin Peters, Sazi Dlamini, Neil Gonsalves, Andile Yenana, and Nduduzo Makhathini will gather their respective bands together to present an unforgettable evening of music on Saturday, October 4 at 1800. It is fitting that the concert be hosted at Howard College theatre, the site of so many of Feya’s musical triumphs. Tickets are R250, R150 for pensioners and R100 for students. All proceeds from the concert will be donated to Feya’s family.

Friends of Feya Faku, in Concert takes place on Saturday, October 4 at 18h00 in the Howard College Theatre on the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Howard College Campus.

Tickets are R250 (R150 pensioners and R100 students) from Webtickets or at the door: https://www.webtickets.co.za/v2/event.aspx?itemid=1576594568

 

BONGANI GIVETHANKS FOR CENTRE FOR JAZZ

 

The Centre for Jazz and Popular Music proudly presents Bongani Givethanks - Sounds From The Catalogue live on Wednesday September 17, 2025, at 17h30.

 

Bongani Givethanks (born Bongani Glen Sibanyon) hails from Mabopane, Pretoria. He is a boundary-pushing artist that blends Afro-jazz and nu-jazz. 

A pianist turned to a multifaceted musician, his work spans sound design, production, song writing, and bandleading.

With a sound rooted in African traditions yet futuristic in scope, Bongani has collaborated with various artists, and performed at festivals including Smoking Dragon, The Music Imbizo and Arts Alive (Rhythms of Resistance). Internationally, he has worked with Germany’s Jazz & Milk, Brazil’s Caixa Cubo, and joined the U.S. OneBeat residency.

He is the founder of Mvumo Productions and THEJAZZINJECTION, a community initiative preserving live music. Bongani continues to nurture talent and push creative boundaries. His releases, Indoda and Tsela to the recent El Hombre remix project with nu-jazz producer Gab Juz - showcase his genre-defying vision.

Bongani’s music lives where classic jazz meets the future, fusing live instrumentation, improvisation, and lush harmonies with the pulse of house music, downtempo, broken beats, and Afro-jazz rhythms.

Bongani reimagines his digitally-composed stories through live instruments, voice, and improvisation. His sound blends classic jazz with house, downtempo, electronic, broken beats, woven with African and Afro-jazz influences.

Joining him on stage are Victor Simeli (piano), Kgosi Bilankulu (bass), Churchill Six (drums), Aubrey Seapose (lead guitar), Mthokozisi Mazibuko and Thabang Kgatedi (percussions).

Bongani Givethanks - Sounds from The Catalogue: Wednesday September 17, 2025, at the UKZN, Centre for Jazz and Popular Music, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Howard College Campus, Dennis Shepstone Building, Level 2

Tickets available at the door: R120 (R90 pensioners, R60 students)

Tickets will be available for cash at the door or on Webtickets: https://www.webtickets.co.za/v2/event.aspx?itemid=1575458837

 

KZNPO EARLY SPRING SEASON CONCERT 2025: REVIEW

 

(Above: Conductor Daniel Boico and soloist  Yi-Jia Susanne Hou)

KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra. World Symphony Series - Early Spring Season 2025 Concert 2. The Playhouse Opera. September 4, 2025.

Review by David Smith

 

This concert had a marked feeling of festive finality to it. As the second of just two early spring concerts - in lieu of a proper symphonic season – it was also a book-end. Even as the orchestra clings to its mandate, the weekly progress through symphonic repertoire has been truly gutted, and the ‘frame’ of a season, a short burst of large works, is apparently what we must now get used to.

Daniel Boico’s programme began with a landmark overture, Mendelssohn’s “The Hebrides (Fingal’s Cave)”, and he fully invested the orchestra in a marine and meteorological fantasy of remote skies and surging sea. In fact, though the score passes through several climactic moments, the music left the impression of a long gathering of sound into one great wave (at the end of the re-transition, for the technically-minded), its breaking and subsiding. The performance showed decisively that you don’t have to attend the Berlin Philharmonic to hear the genius of this tonal architecture revealed.

Though it remained firmly within the Romantic purview, the programme then took the road of technical virtuosity with Yi-Jia Susanne Hou, the Canadian violinist, expounding the second violin concerto by Henryk Wieniawski. A clue to her reading was obvious from her encore, a scorching account of Paganini’s Caprice No. 5. Commenting on her own recent one-take performance of all 24 Caprices, she said “I wanted to see what extremes a human can reach.” This was also true of her encore, though the push to the technical limit was subject to the law of diminishing returns. Much of her stupendously rapid bowing actually produced an un-aesthetic effect.

Such was not the case in the concerto, where her interpretation –a wilful and vivid one – was held in check by the partnership with the orchestra, in particular the strings. That said, there was a degree of scampering involved as the ensemble tried to keep up with her quick cornering. She highlighted the bravura passage work of the first movement (which is actually nicely mixed with broader expressive ideas in ‘introverted and musing’ style, as the programme notes said), and let the cantilena of the second movement float suspended above the orchestra’s chordal and textural procession. The last movement, referring to popular European ideas of gypsy music, is frankly intended for solo display, and that was magnificently realised.

What gave this concert its distinction was Schubert’s 9th Symphony, known as ‘the Great’. That refers to its length (which runs to nearly fifty minutes even without important repeats) as well as the sense that Schubert’s ambition to compose a work on a par with Beethoven’s greatest symphonies was finally realised.

The symphony steers clear of the dramatic conflicts in which Beethoven excelled, yet can hold the listener over the long span, as was evident from the rapt attention of the audience. Their lusty approval at the close testified to Boico’s success in building the cumulative impact across the four movements. It is fair to single out soloists (horn at the start, oboe in the second movement), but the thrust of this symphony is the way in which it employs ‘choirs’ of instruments in juxtaposition and in combination. In that respect, the orchestra’s execution was consistently convincing and seemed to gather force and brilliance as it proceeded. I took particular delight in the second movement (Andante con moto), which had a scope and density worthy of Bruckner.

Great, indeed! – David Smith

 

MUSIC FOR FLUTE, OBOE AND STRINGS

 

(Right: Sabine Baird)

 

Friends of Music will present a concert titled Music For Flute, Oboe And Strings on September 21 at 14h30 at the Durban Jewish Centre on North Beach area.

 

Performers:

Sabine Baird               Flute

Margrit Deppe             Oboe

Refiloe Oliphant          Violin

Ekaterina Sinelnikova Violin

Marco Mazzi               Viola

Ralitza Pechoux         Cello

  

(Left: Magrit Deppe)

 

Programme

 Ernest Moeran            Fantasy Quartet for Oboe and Strings

Antonin Dvorak           Quartet in F Major American

Luiggi Boccherini        Quartet for Oboe and Strings

Anton Reicha              Grand Duo for Flute and String Quartet

 

Tickets: R140 (available at the door – Cash only)

 

(Right: Aiden Luo)

 

The Prelude Performer at this concert will be the highly talented pianist and violinist Aiden Luo

 

For more Information go to millark.millar@gmail.com or phone 0715051021 (Keith)

 

SOPHIATOWN: REVIEW

 

A fitting finale to Women’s Month at The Playhouse, Durban (Review by Shannon Kenny)

 

The Playhouse Drama’s capacity audience were variously thrilled, delighted, transported and treated in the most wonderful way to excellent performances by a cast of actors and musicians who brought energy and life to an important and powerful South African story.

Aubrey Sekhabi directs this revival of Malcolm Purkey’s drama-with-music, Sophiatown. The publicity blurb says Sophiatown was “Known as the “Chicago of South Africa.” Sophiatown was a legendary hub where shebeen queens, gangsters, politicians, and black and white Bohemians mingled in an electric atmosphere charged with music, style, and resistance. Amid the harsh repression of the 1940s and 1950s, this culturally rich community became the beating heart of urban African identity—producing some of South Africa’s most celebrated musicians, artists, writers, journalists, and political leaders.”

We are introduced to Sophiatown from Mamariti’s shebeen, by Jakes, Drum magazine journalist and storyteller. He is joined later by Mingus, scoundrel and leader of The Americans street gang, and Charlie, Mingus’ loyal henchman and stooge. Mingus demands Charlie draft him a love letter for the object of his affections, Princess; Fahfee, the numbers runner for the Chinese gambling syndicate; Shebeen Queen Mamariti and her daughter Lulu (who are Mingus’ mother and sister); Princess, who becomes Mingus girlfriend; and eventually Ruth Goldin, the Jewish girl from Yeoville looking to experience a world removed from her own.

Jakes, who is intent on telling meaningful stories, strikes a bargain with Mingus - in exchange for the love letter, Mingus would give him the inside scoop on the goings-on, legit and illicit, in Sophiatown. Jakes is also the one who conceives of the idea to get a white, Jewish woman to come to live in Sophiatown - and eventually to publish the story of her experience in Drum. Sandi Dlangalala brings to Jakes an earnestness and depth of feeling for what is right and just.

Terence Ngwila’s Mingus, is a strong, ever-menacing presence, purveyor of all manner of criminality and simmering, threatening violence which we are left in no doubt he will exact, given the opportunity. Ngwila does a great job of balancing Mingus’ monstrousness and humanity.

Charlie, for all of his obedience to his chief’s every whim, strikes a chord for his child-like innocence. Mncedisi Hadebe brings to this role all the charm and humour one would expect of this endearing character. His “I am getting a house” upon the news of the forced removals drew both chuckles and sighs of compassion from the audience.

Sindisile Nkuna plays a loving, yet world-weary Mamariti, always ready to threaten to dish out a slap if Lulu steps out of line and desperate to ensure her daughter receives an education.

Tshallo Chokwe breathes to life Fahfee, small-time gambling syndicate wheeler-dealer with a social conscience. Chokwe handles this character with nuance, his growing activism replacing his “numbers dreams.”

Zimi Mphefu injects her Lulu with a dreamy, playful and mischievous effervescence, always perfectly placed.

Princess Sechele’s very believable Princess is a resolute go-getter, a survivor who eventually forges her own path, free of the abuse she suffers at the hands of her boyfriend and the social and political pressure of being a poor, marginalised black woman in South Africa. The tension she immediately ignites upon Ruth’s instalment at Mamariti’s is a character all of its own.

Ruth’s curiosity, naivety and kindness are beautifully portrayed by Gaby Georgeson. She imbues her character with the earnestness of someone who really wants to do and be good, even when her motives are questioned.

To quote a former pupil of mine, “It felt like they were real people and that I was right there with them.” 

All the while I wondered where the accompanying music was coming from. It was definitely not pre-recorded and there were no musicians in the orchestra pit. They are revealed later amidst the forced removals and bulldozing of Sophiatown. Fantastic musicianship is no small feat, and these musicians brought the soundtrack, the amplified heartbeat of Sophiatown.

Together with Sekhabi, Zakhele Mabena (Musical Director), Bafikile Sedibe (Choreographer), Lungile Cindi (Set Design), Mandala Mtshali (Lighting Designer) preside over bringing the magic to the stage. A creative partnership deserved of its own applause.

The Drama Theatre audience was literally moved to its feet, offering a deserved standing ovation to a story beautifully, mellifluously, dramatically and poignantly realised.

Once more, kudos to CEO Linda Bukhosini and The Playhouse Company for mounting a varied and excellent programme of productions. We look forward to many more in the near future. – Shannon Kenny.

THEFT: REVIEW

 

The story may be a simple one, but “Theft” is the kind of book that creates a reality that will stick in the mind of the reader for a long time. (Review by Margaret von Klemperer, courtesy of The Witness)

 

Abdulrazak Gurnah’s writing is brilliant, perhaps unsurprising for a Nobel Literature Prize winner. At first glance it seems unshowy, beautifully easy to read and straightforward. But at the same time, it has immense power to hook the reader in and make them care deeply about the characters and their circumstances.

Theft has three main characters whose lives we follow as they move from their 1990s childhood into adulthood. They are based in the author’s native country of Tanzania, specifically Zanzibar, which Gurnah left at the age of 18 as a refugee before settling in Britain.

The first is Karim, who, although his mother abandoned him when he was a child, was fortunate to have a supportive half-brother who saw that he wanted for very little. In contrast, Badar has no idea who his real parents were. The presumed relations who raised him until he was aged 14 then unceremoniously dumped him onto another family in Dar es Salaam to be a servant. The third character, Fauzia, is an only child, clever and deeply loved, but with an overprotective mother who is always terrified that her daughter’s childhood epilepsy will recur and ruin her life. In the early part of the book we learn less about Fauzia, but her role will develop.

The family who employ Badar are in fact Karim’s mother, her second husband and his gloomy father. Once Karim is a successful, high-flying and somewhat entitled student in Dar es Salaam, he visits them to re-establish a relationship with his mother and, in what is perhaps a slightly patronising way, befriends Badar. And when Badar is wrongly accused of theft, he takes him back to Zanzibar and helps him to find a job, working in a slightly run-down hotel in Stone Town.

Karim is a charming and successful young man whose easy generosity to Badar sets up an unequal relationship, which when tested, may prove difficult. But at the beginning, it is happy, and when Karim marries Fauzia, it seems that Badar has the friendships and stability he has always craved.

But life is not that simple and in this story of three young people – ordinary in many ways and none of them likely to change the world – Gurnah explores how relationships work. It is not just the interpersonal that he highlights: Tanzania attracts aid workers, and Gurnah shows how the volunteers, however good their original motives, can be predatory and frighteningly careless of the societies they find themselves in. And on the personal level, he shows how people interact – who has power, influence, affection, empathy and need and how these compete.

The story may be a simple one, but Theft is the kind of book that creates a reality that will stick in the mind of the reader for a long time. - Margaret von Klemperer

Abdulrazak Gurnah’s Theft is published by Bloomsbury: ISBN 978-1-5266-8010-5

WHEN THE CRANES FLY SOUTH: REVIEW

 

“When the Cranes Fly South” is a compelling read, skilfully developing the character of an ordinary man, flawed, thoughtful and all too human. It is poignant and ultimately thoroughly satisfying. (Review by Margaret von Klemperer, courtesy of The Witness)

Written by Lisa Ridzén (translated by Alice Menzies) and published by Doubleday.

 

Fiction from Scandinavia has had a huge surge in popularity over recent years, particularly the “Scandi Noir” crime genre. 

But this debut novel, which has become an international bestseller, is not part of that. It is something very different, and, on the face of it, a synopsis of the plot would sound deeply depressing.

 

The central character and narrator is Bo, an elderly man living in a remote rural village and moving slowly towards the end of his life. He lives alone except for his beloved dog, an elkhound named Sixten. And three times a day, one of a team of carers comes in to visit him, attend to his needs and give him his meals. The novel is punctuated by the brief reports from their daybook, which add another perspective to Bo’s story.

In his narration, he is “speaking” to his wife who, suffering from dementia, is in a care home, where Bo hates to visit her. His son, Hans, sometimes insists that his father accompanies him on these visits, but to Bo they mean far less than his imagined communication with her.

His relationship with Hans is difficult – as a father he has never found it easy to express his feelings - and things are coming to a head over Hans’s determination to rehome Sixten, claiming that his father can no longer care for a big dog, and that it is too dangerous for him to try to take Sixten for daily walks. Even Bo’s beloved granddaughter feels that Hans is right.

The only person Bo feels he can talk to is his friend Ture. The talk on the phone, but Ture is also old and frail, so they can no longer meet. But we learn a lot about Ture, and about Bo’s life and relationships, from childhood, through his marriage and on to his present circumstances. The carers’ notes, occurring throughout the novel, are an important part of the development of the plot. One of the team, Ingrid, cares the most about Bo, and sympathises with him over Sixten, but there is little she can do, other than offer him her warmth.

Although the story moves slowly, and the subject matter – which is ultimately the slow march towards death – is sad, When the Cranes Fly South is a compelling read, skilfully developing the character of an ordinary man, flawed, thoughtful and all too human. It is poignant and ultimately thoroughly satisfying. - Margaret von Klemperer

Written by Lisa Ridzén (translated by Alice Menzies) and published by Doubleday: ISBN 978-1-5299-4221-7

ONCE UPON A TUNE - ZANNE STAPELBERG: REVIEW

 

(Zanne Stabelberg)

 

Ms Stapelberg’s operatic foundation was never far from the surface and Steven Stead’s direction of a programme and performance that was heartfelt and generous must be noted for its sensitivity to the performer and the many stories woven into a complex musical tapestry. (Review by Shannon Kenny)

 

Soprano Zanne Stabelberg, pianist Albie van Schalkwyk and director Steven Stead brought to the Playhouse stage a programme of music that was thoughtful and reflective in its storytelling; skilfully and sensitively performed.

Zanne’s introduction, in both English and Afrikaans was personable and warm, inviting the audience to share in the journey our storyteller would be leading us on.

 

Our storyteller, the chanteuse; the lyrics and music were kept front and centre in the minimal and elegant staging. Lighting states complemented each song and their essence.

While the songs tell mostly stories from a woman’s perspective, the themes of love, sacrifice, hope, desire and humour are universal and clearly spoke to the very appreciative audience.

The opening As if we’d Never Said Goodbye followed by Sondheim’s The Glamorous Life set the tone for the programme. Along with the contemplative and reflective, there was the wry and ironic, the strident and the funny.

The hopeful A change in me was perfectly bookended by the poignant hymn to a younger self, She used to be mine and I’ll Be Here that speaks so beautifully to the beauty of love in all its forms and manifestations through first love and loss and starting over.

The dramatic Sooner or Later from Kiss of the Spiderwoman was a particular crowdpleaser, with L’enfant being quite impressed with the threads of white light that hinted at the spiderweb.

The joy of finding a unique love was beautifully delivered in Always Better from The Bridges of Madison County.

The particularly juicy, joyous, comic flourish in the form of Kristin Chenowith’s Tesori/Scanlan-penned The girl in 14G was the perfect finale.

Albie van Schalkwyk’s dream accompaniment, perfect timing and consummate musicianship cannot go without mention. What a gift.

Ms Stapelberg’s operatic foundation was never far from the surface and Steven Stead’s direction of a programme and performance that was heartfelt and generous must be noted for its sensitivity to the performer and the many stories woven into a complex musical tapestry.

The audience came and Ms Stapelberg delivered, to rapturous applause.  – Shannon Kenny

 

 

THE CRY OF WINNIE MANDELA: REVIEW

 

There is intimacy, empathy and unity in this gathering - you really do believe each commiseration, each barb, snort and knowing nod. (Review by Shannon Kenny)

 

The Cry of Winnie Mandela - of sacrifice, grief and triumph of the spirit

The Cry of Winnie Mandela is another dramatic adaptation of a literary work. This time, Alex Burger dramatises Njabulo Ndbele’s novel. The cleverly-titled story places front and centre the cry of generations of South African women whose stories have never been heard. The iconic Winnie is the lightning rod for their accounts of waiting and all its attendants: pain, loss, abandonment, desire, betrayal, isolation, hope, resilience, despair - and triumph over adversity. Maya Angelou’s And still, we rise lingers in the mind throughout.

Directed by MoMo Matsunyane, Thembisa Mdoda-Nxumalo, is in the title role, alongside the fabulous quartet of ladies in waiting who are connected by Winnie’s story. Mannete (Rami Chuene), Delisiwe (Ayanda Sibisi), Marara (Siyasanga Papu) and Mamello (Pulane Rampoana) - take it in turn to share and reflect on their own complex experiences of waiting. Les Nkosi is in the role of our author who plucks these characters from his imagination, animates them - and leaves them to tell their stories.

The play opens on a warmly lit set - a writer’s study with desk - with some audience seated at stage left and right. Njabulo Ndbele is seated at his desk.

An SABC newsreel is played, featuring Murphy Morobe denouncing Winnie as complicit in Stompie Seipei’s murder. If anyone had ever forgotten this aspect of our painful past, it was thrown back into full view - and left with us to cook.

Njabulo Ndbele then casts his thoughts to Winnie and asks (us) to consider her as Penelope, queen of Ithaca and wife of Odysseus who waits faithfully for 20 years for her husband’s return.

The characters conjured by Ndebele’s imagination enter stage and over the tea-time ritual of sharing stories, open up about their experiences as women, waiting for men for and with whom they have sacrificed much. Sometimes more. While the stories recounted by our characters are at times searing and heart-wrenching, it is the power of the women’s resilience and their gallows humour that provides the levity that simultaneously creates the space for serious reckoning of the heart and mind.

Each performance is masterful, each character lovingly teased out by the actors: Mannete’s deep longing and determination; Marara’s sass and resignation; Delisiwe’s heartbreak; Mamello’s self-blame and desperation.

There is intimacy, empathy and unity in this gathering - you really do believe each commiseration, each barb, snort and knowing nod.

The musical moments - with the most wondrous voices sometimes in unison, sometimes in close harmony - are the breath of the scenes, at times dirge, at times protest, at times comic relief.

Writers, Ndebele and Burger do not shy away from the complexity of Winnie’s flawed humanness - though Ndebele is adamant she is heroic, precisely because of this. MoMo Matsunyane - delicately and sometimes with a sledgehammer - drives home this complexity in a manner that compels us to wrestle with it.

In the second half, Winnie joins our quartet of raconteurs to recount her own story - of marriage, motherhood, activism, banishment, resilience. Mdoda-Nxumalo delivers a full-throttle portrayal of a woman at once acclaimed for her heroism and villified for decisions political and personal; a woman both strong and vulnerable. Winnie is given space to recount her story of detention, the emotional, physical and sexual abuse at the hands of the brutal Swanepoel, her jailer and interrogator - and her survivor’s guilt upon hearing of others’ torture even more horrific than what she endured.

The play concludes in part with footage of Caroline Sono’s testimony at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. And as our characters are committed to memory, we, the audience, are left to ponder and wrestle further with the what Winnie describes as “the three pillars of a South African woman’s life: Departure, Waiting, Return.” Kudos, MoMo Matsunyane and kudos to the ladies-in-waiting, the Mannetes, Mararas, Delisiwes and Mamellos of South Africa, so wonderfully brought to life by an excellent cast of actors. – Shannon Kenny

 

The Cry of Winnie Mandela was presented by the Playhouse Company and appeared as part of Women’s Month on August 8 and 9, 2025, in the Drama Theatre.

 

MEETINGS WITH MOZART PUBLISHED

 

(Above: William Charlton-Perkins. Pic by John Walton)

 

Music columnist William Charlton-Perkins’ passion for Mozart shines in his debut novel.

Mozart's genius, fiery energy, wonderful sense of fun and extraordinary musical output make for a fascinating life story. Meetings with Mozart taps into that with a parallel modern story focusing on Mozart's own credo: "Neither a lofty degree of intelligence, nor imagination, nor both together, go to the making of genius. Love, Love, Love. That is the soul of genius."

Horace, a retired opera director, engages with a group of Mozart enthusiasts to help them discover his idol’s profound contribution to humanity – love. Set in eastern South Africa, with its lush midlands, soaring mountains and arid bushveld, Meetings with Mozart vividly evokes the sense of time and place of its milieu: the fragrance of its flora, the music of its birdcalls, the torrential storms of its summers. The narrative interweaves the high – and the low – points of Mozart’s life and his music genius, with the lives of present-day characters.

South African–born William Charlton-Perkins has worked variously as a journalist, columnist, copywriter and publicist over the past four decades. While his focus and forté have always been in the performing arts, he has also worked at the Natal Parks Board, producing feature articles for Getaway and various other magazines, writing a centennial book for Struik Publishers on the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, and contributing eight pieces to Off the Beaten Track – Day Drives in Southern Africa, published by Readers Digest. He has produced a number of plays under the banner of his company, Copy Dog Productions; The Mercury Newspaper in Durban carried his bi-monthly Classical Notes column for more than three decades.

William is widely recognised as one of South Africa’s eminent opera connoisseurs, having played a major role in setting the standard for the publicity and review of opera over the decades. His experience has been recognised internationally, amongst others by the London-based company, Opera Rara.

He grew up with his three siblings in the Natal Midlands, in a home that brimmed with their parents’ passion for gardening and the arts – passions he inherited. An ex-marathon runner, with 10 ultra marathons to his credit, William is an English Literature Honours graduate (University of Natal) and a lapsed amateur pianist who has regarded Mozart as his musical deity since childhood. So, it is perhaps inevitable that Meetings with Mozart should be his debut novel.

William lives within a magical garden in the coastal town of Knysna with four dogs, where he approaches his ‘senior’ years with as little reverence as possible.

“My decision to put pen to paper was sparked when I chanced upon a Facebook post by an expat friend, Joanne Smith, who emigrated to Perth in Australia decades ago. The post indicated that Jo had started a new career as a book editor. This led to an exchange of email and phone details, and within a week, I’d started my novel. Jo turned out to be a Rolls-Royce of an editor, just the ticket to keep me on the straight and narrow, and it seemed as if my manuscript virtually wrote itself.”

 

Media and readers' reviews speak for themselves.

 

“If Mozart ever had a farm in Africa, it would certainly have been in the idyllic Natal Midlands, brought memorably alive in this enchanting debut novel . . . An easy, delightful read in this hectic, strident world.” - Greg Landman, Writer, Magic Grape Tours

“A warm and informal exploration of Mozart’s life and work, playfully situated in a contemporary setting” - Kate Wakeling, BBC Music Magazine

“Modern hearts meet Mozart in an enchanting musical journey” - Beryl Eichenberger, Cape Argus

“The idea behind the story and its architecture is wonderful. There are volumes written on Mozart, but the approach here is totally original, and it all weaves together beautifully. Bravo!” -Philip Bovet Switzerland

“I took my time with Meetings with Mozart and found it took its time with me. I carried the characters around a bit, which is something of a judgment in itself – it’s always a good sign if one puts a book down but keeps thinking about it.” - Judi Parker Joubert, New Zealand

“The author’s evocative vignettes of the group and its characters, and Mozart’s life and his music, are effortlessly interwoven with a minimalist touch. The descriptions of places are painted with delicate strokes, and the protagonist’s lectures on Mozart’s life and music have been skilfully woven into the interpersonal dynamics of the group, easing readers’ capacity to absorb the commentary on Mozart’s genius. My love for Mozart’s music has taken a whole new dimension.” Wendy Nell. KZN

A limited stock of Meetings with Mozart is available at R360 per item. Add a Postnet Courier fee of R120, and the total is R480. 

Interested in purchasing this collector's first edition item, signed by the author? Simply WhatsApp call 069 300 3977 or email copydogwil@gmail.com