SOUND OF MUSIC FUNDRAISER

 

The Denis Hurley Centre will be hosting an afternoon screening of the iconic Rogers and Hammerstein musical, The Sound of Music, at the Rhumbelow Umbilo on Sunday, November 16 at 14h30, to which audience members are invited to dress up and sing along! “What is the first thing you associate with nuns, refugees and great music - the Denis Hurley Centre!  What is the second?  The Sound of Music!” says DHC Director, Dr Raymond Perrier. The Sound of Music turns 60 this year, having been launched in 1965; and Dame Julie Andrews turns 90 years old this month – so plenty to celebrate. It is best known for its astonishing multi-hit soundtrack – including Maria, My Favourite Things, Do Re Mi, Sixteen Going on Seventeen, Sound of Music, So Long Farewell, Climb Ev’ry Mountain and Edelweiss.  Suggested donation R220 per person / R1500 for a table of eight. For information or booking, contact admin@denishurleycentre.org

FOUR FAIR FESTIVAL

A Four Fair Festival is a Berea destination for lovers of markets on Saturday, November 1, 2025.

Glenwood Village Centre, upper level. 09h00 to 13h00

Musgrave Methodist Church. 08h30 to 11h30

Glenwood Presbyterian Church. 08h00 to 12 noon

St Olav Church. 08h00 to 11h00

Durban’s Musgrave / Glenwood is the destination for bargain hunters, browsers and shopaholics on Saturday November 1 with literally four morning fairs being held within a few kilometers from each other. 

Glenwood’s favourite everyday shopping centre, Glenwood Village, and three of Berea’s most loved churches - Glenwood Presbyterian, Musgrave Methodist and St Olav, have elected to hold their markets / church fetes on the same day to entice visitors to come to the Berea to enjoy all events.  Two of the churches are adjoining neighbours in St Thomas Road, and Glenwood Village and Glenwood Presby are close by in neighbouring Glenwood. 

The intention is that by working together, visitors from both Berea and further afield can curate their own “Festival of Fetes” by visiting all four in the course of a morning. Come hungry and with spending money. There is guarded street parking and limited off road parking at all venues.

RICHARD HASLOP FOR ST CLEMENTS

 

(Right: Richard Haslop. Pic supplied)

 

Friends of the late Pieter Scholtz who invented the Mondays @ 6 at St Clements programme, invite audiences to a Bob Dylan evening, with a difference. Come and be entertained, intrigued, enlightened by multi-talented musician, music guru, raconteur, former president of the SA Society for Labour Law, blues and roots music aficionado, Richard Haslop.

Bob Dylan uses tunes, lyrics, ideas, stories, characters, song titles and so forth from all over the place, yet seldom gives direct credit, says Richard Haslop. “This has led to his being accused of plagiarism but, as Oscar Wilde may have said, ‘Talent borrows, genius steals’ and, as T S Eliot definitely said, ‘Immature poets imitate; mature poets steal’…”

Dylan, says Haslop, has been borrowing, lifting and appropriating from both traditional and composed sources ever since he started out, and the folk and blues traditions have been fertile hunting grounds. Song To Woody, one of only two original songs on his 1962 debut album, took its entire melody from Woody Guthrie’s own 1913 Massacre. “It’s a melody that almost certainly has its roots in English traditional folk music.”

"That same debut album featured Bob’s versions of a number of blues songs, for one of which he pilfered the guitar figure from the 1957 Everly Brothers hit, Wake Up Little Susie, which is anything but a blues.

“And so Dylan has carried on, adopting and adapting the words and music of as disparate a group of sources as little-known Civil War poet Henry Timrod, a Japanese Yakuza crime syndicate boss, the great Latin language poet Ovid, and, more relevantly for our purposes, the obscure bluesman Hambone Willie Newborn and dozens of unknown sources of centuries-old traditional folk songs, presenting them as his own and coming up with songs like Blowin’ In The Wind, A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall, Masters Of War and many more across a more than six-decade career.”

Bob Dylan and the folk and blues traditions might sound more like a doctoral thesis than a listening session where really nothing more than the surface can be lightly scratched as we spend about an hour-and-a-half comparing those often-ancient sources with what Dylan ended up doing with them. “But let’s scratch that surface, anyway,” says Haslop, “and hope that we don’t end up with something too superficial.”

Richard Haslop, a practicing attorney with a focus on human rights, labour law, arbitration and industrial relations, is a multi-instrumentalist, music reviewer, radio personality and one of South Africa's leading experts on blues and roots music. He is a former president of the South African Society for Labour Law (SASLAW) and has acted as a judge in the Labour Court of South Africa on a number of occasions.

Richard Haslop has:

-written about music for national and international publications for more than 30 years;

-presented a number of seriously eclectic music shows on SAfm;

-lectured courses on the history of popular music at UKZN Music Department;

-given talks, lectures and presentations at a number of festivals and conferences in SA and overseas;

-played an incredible number of weird and wonderful musical instruments, solo and in a variety of aggregations (for more than 40 years).

 

Link through to this article, which lists some of his favourite artists and music. http://www.rock.co.za/files/cs_richard_haslop.html

 

When the donation box is passed around, a minimum of R50 per person is suggested.

NB: For Monday at Six, feel welcome to book for one (single) person (and join Val’s table, or another).

Weather permitting, the show will be outdoors.

Bookings limited to diners in support of St Clements restaurant and staff. (They stay open specially for this project.)Table Bookings Essential: RSVP ST Clements +27 62 582 0980

Be there in time to open your tab, order at the counter, find your table and settle in before the scheduled 18h00 start. If you wish to dine after the presentation, place your order before 18h00.

Please cancel if you book then can’t make it. (They are often at capacity.)

St Clements is situated at 191 Musgrave Road in Durban

 

2025 INSTRUMENTAL SHOWCASE

The Centre for Jazz and Popular Music proudly presents the 2025 Instrumental showcase featuring UKZN featuring school of Arts Music Students on Wednesday October 29, 2025, at 17h30.

Witness the talents of second-year student Zolile Mgqatsa on bass. He will be performing Message of Hope by Derrick Hodge. Also in the bill is first-year student saxophone Jude Miller student playing Winelight by Grover Washington JR. Trumpeter Phakamile Mtshali who is a first-year student will be delivering Ode to Nganekhaya by Sphelelo Mazibuko.

Guitarists Sphephelo Mbhele and Thabani Magcaba (Mr 5 minutes) will perform a duet, The things we did last summer made famous by Jo Stafford. Drummer, Buhle Mthiyane who is also a first-year student will be performing Spain by Chick Corea.

A thrilling line-up of UKZN School of Arts (Music) students for Instrumental Showcase

The concert takes place on October 29, 2025. Doors open at 17h00; Music starts at 17h30

Tickets will be available for cash at the door for R120 for General Admission (R90 Pensioners and R60 Students).

UKZN Centre for Jazz and Popular Music is located in the Dennis Shepstone Building, Level 2, Howard College Campus

For enquiries email: zamat1@ukzn.ac.za.

FRIENDS OF MUSIC PRESENTS GREAT ROMANTIC SONATAS

(Right: Zanta Hofmeyer and Elna Van Der Merwe. Pic supplied)

Friends of Music will present a programme of Great Romantic Sonatas featuring Zanta Hofmeyer (Violin) and Elna Van Der Merwe (Piano) on November 9 at 14h30 at the Durban Jewish Centre, North Beach.

Zanta Hofmeyr is recognised as one of South Africa’s foremost violinists. She is a graduate of the Juilliard School of Music in New York. After her New York debut in Carnegie Recital Hall, she returned to South Africa in 1985. She performs regularly as soloist with symphony orchestras in South Africa and was lauded for her performances of the Britten, Beethoven, Brahms, Mendelssohn and Bruch concerti. She is also an active chamber music aficionado. She has several recordings with different artists of which the latest are French sonatas with pianist Elna van der Merwe and three Beethoven sonatas.

Elna van der Merwe is an exceptionally talented and versatile pianist and accompanist with an impressive musical career. With formal training in piano and organ from the University of Stellenbosch, she has established herself as a sought-after artist, seamlessly navigating between genres such as classical music, jazz and cabaret. Elna has performed as a soloist with national orchestras and has performed at all the prominent art festivals in South Africa.  Her dedication and passion for music make her one of South Africa’s most esteemed and musical artists.

 

Programme

Tomaso Vitali (1663 – 1745) - Chaconne in g minor

Richard Strauss (1864 – 1949) Sonata for violin and piano in E-flat Major, Opus. 18

Gabriel Fauré (1845 - 1924) Sonata for violin and piano no.1 in A Major, Opus 13

Fritz Kreisler  (1875 – 1962) A selection of concert pieces

 

Tickets R140 (Available at the door)

For more information check millark.millar@gmail.com or phone 0715051021 (Keith)

35TH ANNUAL UKZN JAZZ JOL

The Centre for Jazz and Popular Music (CJPM) is proud to present the 35th annual UKZN Jazz Jol on Saturday, November 1, 2025, at 18h00. Proceeds from the event accrue to the Ronnie Madonsela scholarship that supports jazz students at the University and the jazz and jazz education outreach activities of the CJPM.

Headlining the bill this year is the 17-piece Big band, Horn Horizon which is directed by stellar trumpeter, vocalist, composer and arranger, Siyanda Zulu. The personnel comprises a roll-call of Durban’s leading jazz, pop and gospel musicians, many of whom who contribute music arrangements to the group. The band made its debut at The Chairman in February this year and featured a wide-ranging repertoire that was dedicated to the month of love.

The UKZN Large Ensemble features a cast of talented student vocalists and instrumentalists. The group is excited to welcome jazz maestro, Linda Sikhakane to their helm and we look forward to seeing what they have conjured up in their relatively short time together.

The evening will also feature a set of vocal jazz by final-year jazz recital candidates, BuyieGold and Thembalethu Bhengu. They will pay homage to the magnificent vocal talents of Gloria Bosman and Sibongile Khumalo respectively, and will perform selections from their much-loved catalogues.

The concert takes place on November 1 at 18h00 in the UKZN, Centre for Jazz and Popular Music.

Tickets available for cash at the door: R200 (R150 pensioners, R100 students)

The Centre for Jazz is located at University of KwaZulu-Natal, Howard College Campus, Dennis Shepstone Building, Level 2

THE WOMEN’S ORCHESTRA OF AUSCHWITZ: A STORY OF SURVIVAL: REVIEW

 

Historian Anne Sebba has produced a magisterial and inevitably harrowing account of the orchestra and its members. (Review by Margaret von Klemperer, courtesy of The Witness)

 

From April 1943 until October 1944, an all-female orchestra which was made up of prisoners performed in the women’s section of the Auschwitz concentration camp. Its story has been told before – in film, fiction, documentary and memoirs, but here historian Anne Sebba has produced a magisterial and inevitably harrowing account of the orchestra and its members.

Formed by one of the most notorious camp guards, Maria Mandl (who was later hanged for war crimes), initially the orchestra had to consist of non-Jewish prisoners including Poles, Ukrainians and Russian prisoners-of- war, but as more and more Jews were sent to Auschwitz, many of whom had some musical training, it became a multi-ethnic group. For Mandl and other guards, its main function was to play rousing marches while the women who were being driven off for hard labour, were forced to keep in step. And as they played, the musicians’ instruments became coated with ash from the crematoria where the Nazis burned the bodies of their victims.

Inevitably, what they were doing made the orchestra unpopular with some other inmates. The musicians were given uniforms and extra food, which was obviously resented by those who were not so fortunate. They were also obliged to play for senior Nazis, including Adolf Eichmann, and this made them suspect in the wider camp. And, because their skills were at a premium, even the Jewish orchestra members were not selected for the gas chamber. This complexity and the emotions it aroused in the players is at the heart of Sebba’s narrative, and gives it one of its main strengths. Many of the survivors’ memoirs have reflected the guilt they felt, and Sebba explores this, and the resentment of other inmates, with great sensitivity.

The second conductor, and for much of its existence the glue that held the orchestra together, was Alma Rosé. She was Gustav Mahler’s niece and a professional violinist. Ironically, because Mahler was Jewish, his music could not be part of the orchestra’s repertoire. She drove her musicians hard, but she also protected them, including those whose musical abilities were very slight. And when she died, in somewhat mysterious circumstances but probably from food poisoning, the orchestra members were at serious risk.

After D-Day and as the Allied forces approached Auschwitz, the Jewish members of the orchestra were moved to Bergen-Belsen. They no longer made music, but managed to remain as a mutually supportive group until the camp was liberated in April 1945 and the full horror of what had gone on in the concentration camps was revealed to the world. However, tellingly, all the survivors whom Sebba quotes say that the camps cannot be described – only those who endured them could ever really know what it was like.

As Sebba puts it, there are many moral conundrums at the heart of this story. Orchestra members had a choice – play and survive or refuse and die. In this book we can hear the voices of those who made the former choice. - Margaret von Klemperer

The Women’s Orchestra Of Auschwitz is published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson: ISBN 978-1-3996-1074-2

KZNPO SPRING SEASON 2025

 

The KZN Philharmonic Orchestra continues its World Symphony Series with the KZNPO Spring Season offering two concerts. These will take place on November 6 and 13, 2025 at 19h00 in the Playhouse Opera Theatre.

 

CONCERT 1: NOVEMBER 6

Conductor: Daniel Boico

Soloist: Jack Liebeck – violin

 

Programme:

Mozart: Don Giovanni Overture

Vaughan Williams: The Lark Ascending

Saint-Saens: Introduction & Rondo Capriccioso, Op.28

Beethoven: Symphony No 3 ‘Eroica’

 

Daniel Boico opens the KZNPO Spring Season 2025 on November 6 with powerful drama from Mozart and Beethoven, bookending interludes of serenity and bravura from Vaughan Williams and Camille Saint-Saëns, respectively.

The tragi-comic tension of Mozart’s Don Giovanni, pivoting around a ghostly statue and an unrepentant libertine, is superbly captured in the opera’s powerful overture. As a concert curtain-raiser, its impact is riveting – in stark contrast to the sublime piece that follows in its wake.

Vaughan Williams' The Lark Ascending, with its glorious solo violin, depicting the lark's soaring song, while the orchestra portrays the English countryside and its people.

Gear change, and the programme conjures up a virtuosic showcase for the violin, written for the great Spanish violinist Pablo de Sarasate. Renowned for his dazzling prowess, the British-German violinist Jack Liebeck is sure to wow Durban concertgoers as he essays the formidable challenges of Saint-Saëns's Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso.

And so to the magnum opus of the evening, Ludwig van Beethoven’s mighty Eroica Symphony. Originally dedicated to Napoleon before being renamed to honour a "Great Man" after Napoleon's imperial ambitions emerged, the Symphony revolutionised Western music with its unprecedented length, depth, and heroic character. With those two thunderous E-flat chords that open the symphony, Beethoven becomes a new man - and the creator of a new music. Generations down the ages have been awe-stricken by the rugged grandeur of the work’s panoply of wonders. Those opening two cannon blast. the cellos intoning what seems to be the main theme ... the iconic second movement dirge, evoking ‘the emotions of someone watching the funeral procession from afar, passing by, and then fading in the distance.’ (Paul Bekker). And so to the incomparable finale – the giant work culminating in a stirring, relentless march melody. The symphony ends, fittingly, on a note of fiery triumph.

 

 

CONCERT 2: NOVEMBER 13

Conductor: Michael Repper

Soloist: Sandra Lied Haga - cello

 

Programme:

Elgar: Serenade for Strings in E minor

Haydn: Cello Concerto in D major

Mendelssohn: Symphony No.

American conductor Michael Repper, acclaimed on six continents, makes his KZN Philharmonic debut with a programme of English, Austrian and German classical gems. He opens with Elgar’s enchanting Serenade for Strings.

In the summer of 1933, just months before his death, Elgar conducted a recording session at London’s Kingsway Hall. The pieces he recorded were both works for strings – the Elegy written in 1909, and the composer’s beloved Serenade, composed in 1892. Its first movement, with its dance-like opening theme, gives way to a central adagio, swathed in nostalgia, before the audience succumbs to the third movement’s wistful conclusion, unexpectedly coming full circle in the finale to meet up with the spirit of the opening movement’s rhythmic dance fragment.

Haydn's joyous D major Cello Concerto, is one those works which makes the listener glad to be alive. The Norwegian cellist Sandra Lied Haga’s interpretation is eagerly awaited as she puts her stamp on its wealth of melodies and bravura passages.

The evening climaxes with Mendelssohn's youthful First Symphony, Its London première on May 25, 1829, with the composer conducting, was reviewed in The Harmonicon. KZNPO concert-goers will delight in the reviewer’s precise assessment of Mendelssohn's musical prowess:

The 19^th century music commentator George Hogarth remarked: “Though only about one or two-and-twenty years of age, he has already produced several works of magnitude, which, if at all to be compared with the present, ought, without such additional claim, to rank him among the first composers of the age.... Fertility of invention and novelty of effect, are what first strike the hearers of M. Mendelssohn's symphony; but at the same time, the melodiousness of its subjects, the vigour with which these are supported, the gracefulness of the slow movement, the playfulness of some parts, and the energy of others, are all felt.... The author conducted it in person, and it was received with acclamations.” A feat Maestro Rapper is sure to repeat. 

Both concerts take place at 19h00 in the Playhouse Opera Theatre. Tickets available at Webtickets.

 

NB: For more information on the KZN Philharmonic Orchestra, click on the advert to the top right of this page to visit its website.

KZN YOUNG PERFORMERS CONCERTO FESTIVAL: REVIEW

(The overall standard of performance was very high and one has to be impressed with the courage and confidence displayed by these young musicians, even though for some it was a first-time experience. Review by Barbara Trofimczyk)

The KZN Young Performers Concerto Festival was held in the Playhouse Drama Theatre on October 18, 2025.

This popular annual event in Durban is made possible by the collaboration of the Durban Centre of the South African Society of Music Teachers and the KZN Philharmonic Orchestra.

Teachers present their pupils for an audition, and this year 13 young artists were selected to perform with the professional orchestra. The programme featured a variety of instruments, strings (violin and viola), operatic voice, flute, trumpet, saxophone and piano, and the ages of the performers ranged from 12 to university-level students.

The overall standard of performance was very high and one has to be impressed with the courage and confidence displayed by these young musicians, even though for some it was a first-time experience. Technical control of the instrument was secure, and interpretation of the musical style was for the most part evident. Teachers and pupils alike must be congratulated for this achievement.

There was some very accomplished playing by all three string players, Zovandra von Rahden (Viola), Xizhi Aiden Luo (violin) and Weien Amy Luo (Violin), and Roxanne Neff made an impressive, projected sound in her fine performance of a flute concerto movement by Danzi.

Joshua Griffiths gave a good account of the ‘vivace’ from concerto by Neruda, while Rhys Hughes’s performance on the alto saxophone needed a somewhat more assertive expressiveness.

The young aspiring opera singers (Nonkanyiso Khumalo (tenor), Lindani France Mthimkhulu (baritone), and Lizzy Phisane (soprano) all demonstrated a passion and vocal ability for singing in the operatic genre that shows promise of a career in the future.

Impressive virtuosity is the usual trend in contemporary piano playing, as demonstrated by Nathan Judahvan der Meulen playing Haydn, Kaylin Reddy playing Kabalewsky and Lunga Zozi playing Grieg, but the most beautiful performance came from Yilling Lyu’s musical lyrical interpretation of Sognate from the concerto by Pascanov, a lovely choice for her!

Resident Conductor, Chad Hendricks, provided the youngsters with the necessary sympathetic support, never allowing the orchestra to dominate the performances.

It is indeed good to know that classical music is alive and well in our province. We do, however, need a good permanent orchestra to set a level for the young instrumentalists to aspire to, and provide more teachers of orchestral instruments. Clearly, there is plenty of talent to be nurtured. -  Barbara Trofimczyk

MiTH: OCTOBER 22, 2025

 

(Right: Suits of Armour: James Robertson & Melanie Nash. Pic supplied)

 

What an incredible line-up for MiTH (Music in the Hills) with Suits of Armour, Roly Struckmeyer & Barry Downard, and Bridgitt Leahy - all on one night!

Where can you meet with friends, and enjoy great music in a beautiful environment with roaring fires, hearty food, and a cash bar – all for just R50? Spring evenings in the hills are alive with music - and while the nights are warming, we’ll still have the fires lit and the welcome waiting. Come join for another night of heartfelt performances, local flavour, and the unique magic of MiTH on October 22, 2025, at The Knoll Historic Guest Farm.

 

20h45 – Suits of Armour

Formed in 2023 by singer-songwriters Melanie Nash and James Robertson, Suits of Armour is a powerful male-female duo whose music is both vulnerable and confident, intimate yet anthemic.

Melanie, a seasoned performer and teacher with a velvet-smooth voice, released her debut solo album in 2011 and has graced stages and festivals across South Africa. Inspired by her mother and artists like Cat Stevens and Fleetwood Mac, her heartfelt approach to songwriting forms the foundation of the duo’s sound.

James - also known for his solo work as James Edward - has enjoyed chart success since the early 2000s, including a No.1 hit on 5FM and a career highlight opening for Bryan Adams. His rock roots and instinctive storytelling perfectly complement Melanie’s folk-infused melodies.

Their name, Suits of Armour, reflects the paradox of being artists: exposed yet shielded. “Like a soldier going into battle, performing our own songs makes us feel both strong and vulnerable,” they explain. Formed during a time of personal upheaval for both artists, the name became symbolic of resilience, truth, and the power of music to heal.

 

19h35 – Roly Struckmeyer and Barry Downard

A fixture on the KZN music scene since the late ’80s, Pietermaritzburg-born guitarist and vocalist Roly Struckmeyer began playing at age seven and has performed with Wonderboom, Landscape Prayers, and Syd Kitchen, as well as bands like Perez, No Fly Zone, and Rustic Spring. His rich experience and soulful acoustic style make him a Midlands favourite.

Barry Downard, once a professional drummer who gigged and held hotel residencies, took time away to pursue a career in photography, art direction, and metalwork sculpture. Recently, he’s returned to music, building his own percussion setup and teaming up with Roly to rekindle his rhythm roots. His motto? “It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing.” Together, Roly and Barry bring an infectious energy and creative spark to every MiTH stage.

 

19h00 – Bridgitt Leahy

An acoustic artist with a passion for indie, folk, alternative, and country, Bridgitt Leahy draws inspiration from the storytelling heart of these genres. Growing up in the small town of Creighton, she was surrounded by her father’s singing, which sparked her musical journey at 15. Whether performing original songs or stripped-back covers, Bridgitt connects with her audience through emotion, authenticity, and the simple magic of a voice and a guitar.

 

Entrance: R50 (Cash or Zapper at the door)

Info: 082 331 7271

 

ABOUT MiTH

KZN Midlands’ favourite music venue! MiTH is a platform for beginners, pros, and music lovers to celebrate the joy of music. Every second Wednesday at The Knoll Historic Guest Farm, Hilton. Food and soft drinks for sale. Cash bar available. Info: 082 331 7271. Visit www.mith.co.za for more info or email mithbookings@gmail.com to perform.

 

DIRECTIONS TO MiTH

Take the N3 to Hilton. Turn into Hilton Village and drive 5.2km along Hilton Avenue, which becomes Dennis Shepstone Drive. Look for Knoll Drive on your right; the entrance to MiTH is the second left into The Knoll Historic Guest Farm.

SIP & PAINT WITH KALAI

Sip & Paint at a gallery! What better way to inspire your creativity? In collaboration with Kalai, the KZNSA Gallery is hosting a fun Sip & Paint session in their gallery on Saturday, November 1! Kalai is providing pre-drawn canvases, which means all levels are welcome - bring a friend or family member to yap with while you paint a piece to take home with you!

R300 a ticket – includes a canvas, all art materials & a complimentary drink from the KZNSA Arts Café. Booking in advance essential – purchase tickets below.

https://shop.kznsagallery.co.za/products/sip-paint-kznsa-kalai-1-november-2025

The session takes place on November 1, 2025, from 11h00 to 13h00 in the KZNSA Gallery, 166 Bulwer Road, Glenwood, Durban.

STRAUSS & CO ART VALUATION SESSION AT KZNSA

Do you want to know the value of your art collection?

Fine art auctioneers Strauss & Co will be in the KZNSA Gallery again on Friday, November 7 from 11h00 to 16h00. This is the last valuation session of the year - don't miss out on this opportunity to get an obligation-free valuation of artwork from your private collection!

There is a nominal charge of R50 per item which will go towards supporting the KZNSA Gallery programmes. Booking essential - spots are limited!

https://straussart.zohobookings.com/#/4121607000005435158

The KZNSA Gallery is located at 166 Bulwer Road, Glenwood, Durban. 

FIVE CITIES. EIGHT ICONS. ONE ULTIMATE GIRLS TRIP

The Showmax Original The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Africa brings together some of the most unforgettable women from across the continent for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure in Brazil. This sizzling spin-off follows the success of The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: South Africa, one of Showmax’s most-watched series in 2024. Now the drama, glamour and sisterhood reach new heights as Housewives from South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria jet off for a new chapter under the Brazilian sun.

Representing The Real Housewives of Durban are Annie Mthembu, Angel Ndlela and Jojo Robinson. Annie starred in Seasons 1 to 3, Angel joined in Season 4 and continued to shine in Season 5, while Jojo, who came on board in Season 2, has featured in four consecutive seasons, making her the most seasoned Housewife in the line-up.

Flying the Johannesburg flag high are Madam Evodia Mogase and Christall Kay, two of the OGs who helped launch the African Housewives phenomenon and became its first breakout stars in Africa. Madam Evodia brought her signature glamour and unfiltered energy to Season 1, while Christall made her mark in the debut season, returned for the long-awaited Season 2, and won hearts again in last year’s hit The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: South Africa, cementing her status as the ultimate comeback queen.

From Nairobi, Kenya’s Dr Catherine Masitsa, known as Dr C, and Zena Nyambu bring East African flair and sophistication. Dr C has featured in both Seasons 1 and 2, while Zena joined as a full-time Housewife in Season 2, quickly becoming a fan favourite.

Nigeria brings the sparkle and style with Mariam Timmer from The Real Housewives of Lagos, who has appeared in all three seasons, and Princess Jecoco from The Real Housewives of Abuja, who made her debut in the show’s first season.

Set to premiere on Showmax on November 28 2025, and on Mzansi Magic on November 29, 2025, The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Africa is produced by GOAT Productions, the creative force behind Unfollowed, Untied, and the South African Film and Television Award-winning Life With Kelly Khumalo Season 3.

Executive producer Graeme Swanepoel says: “The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Africa is more than just a reality show, it’s a celebration of African womanhood in all its power, diversity and glamour. For the first time, we’re bringing together iconic Housewives from across the continent to share their worlds, their stories and their sisterhood. It’s unapologetically Pan-African, women-led and bursting with the kind of energy and authenticity that makes Africa unlike anywhere else on Earth.”

Barrie Kelly, VP, International Format Production and Development at NBCUniversal Formats, added: “Every African version of The Real Housewives has captured the vibrant diversity of its country while resonating with audiences both locally and globally. With The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Africa, we are taking that energy to the next level. Partnering once again with GOAT Productions and Showmax, this series brings together some of the most formidable Housewives for an unforgettable journey. We can’t wait for viewers to join them on the trip of a lifetime to Brazil."

The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip launched initially in 2021 in the US with four seasons on Peacock, produced by Shed Media. The Real Housewives and The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip formats are distributed internationally by NBCUniversal Formats, a division of Universal Studio Group.

Watch the trailer:

https://youtu.be/d4M4gzEeH4E

 

Join the social media conversation: #UltimateGirlsTripAfrica

 

TIN BUCKET DRUM - REVIEW

 

(Above: Mpilo ‘Straw’ Nzimande & Cara Roberts. Pic by Val Adamson)

 

This is beautiful storytelling - evoking all the feels in all the right places - sensitively and intelligently directed, with fine actors, props and a fitting set; lighting and shadow puppetry. (Review by Shannon Kenny)

What sheer delight to watch this realisation of Neil Coppen’s Tin Bucket Drum as a two-hander with Cara Roberts and Mpilo ‘Straw’ Nzimande under the direction of Bryan Hiles.

Nandi (Roberts), a desperate, pregnant widow arrives to Tin Town and is taken in by uMkhulu (Nzimande). The people of Tin Town suffer through drought and silence and rhythmless fear under the weight of a tyrant. It is here that Nandi gives birth to our hero, Nomvula - the Little Drummer Girl - whose irrepressible spirit inspires the people of Tin Town and eventually liberates them from the clutches of tyranny and oppression, restoring light and rain and rhythm.

The story unfolds in a world that springs to life from a plywood stage flanked by a hessian screen and dotted with an array of metal buckets and sticks with a small, wooden table at centre.

Nzimande and Roberts’ versatility and skill are on fine display in this gripping piece of theatre. Our actors employ a range of devices and techniques - sometimes a scarf wrapped around the head or waist; the flick of a wrist or a raised eyebrow; arms akimbo or a mischievous grin; a mask, a hat, a menacing voice - as they sashay and dart effortlessly between their characters. 

One of the many joys of theatre and theatre-making is how the magic of it all can sometimes be found in how we draw the viewer into a scene and (artfully) reveal rather than conceal the mechanics, allowing our audience to see and hear and feel those transitions and transformations - how a mother's shawl becomes her wee baby; how a table doubles as an intimate family space and then equally, a tyrant’s daise. How a bucket can be uMkhulu’s seat and beating that same bucket becomes Nomvula’s clarion call. The sometimes gentle, sometimes clamorous use of the metal buckets and wooden sticks served the story well.

This is beautiful storytelling - evoking all the feels in all the right places - sensitively and intelligently directed, with fine actors, props and a fitting set; lighting and shadow puppetry.

In this project-partnership between industry professionals and the Higher Certificate (HC) students in the DUT Drama department, the HC students have had the most valuable opportunity to hone the technical skills acquired through the programme, to learn new ones and apply them working alongside industry professionals in a real-world festival setting. Clare Craighead is to be commended for her guidance and for being rightfully proud of her students who have shown themselves eager and capable apprentices.

Tin Bucket Drum will always be a fitting fable because, you know, human beings.

And for those who’ve ever wondered when is the right time to speak truth to power, Nomvula, our Little Drummer Girl, reminds us that the right time is always now. – Shannon Kenny

 

Lighting:  Lisa Goldstone

Set Design: & Construction: Nel van der Merwe

Set Construction Assistance and Technical Rigging: Lindokuhle Buthelezi, Sibongakonke Cele,

Khanyisani Chiliza, Sinenhlahla Dlamini, Wasipha Dlamuka, Andile Gwala, Sazi Hadebe,

Philela Mdleleni, Mlungisi Ndlovu, Yolanda Ngcobo, Thembelihle Sangweni, Simphiwe Shandu,

Zenani Tshabalala, Phelisa Xesibe & Nonhlahla Zwane

 

FoH:  Wasipha Dlamuka & Andile Gwala

Ushers:  Thembelihle Sangweni & Sinenhlahla Dlamini

Lighting:  Nonhlahla Zwane

Followspot: Philela Mdleleni & Phelisa Xesibe

Birdies: Zenani Tshabalala

Sound:  Sazi Hadebe

Stage Manager:  Simphiwe Shandu

Assistant Stage Managers/Shadow Puppetry:  Sibongakonke Cele, Lindokuhle Buthelezi,

Khanyisani Chiliza, Yolanda Ngcobo & Mlungisi Ndlovu

ELCIDES CARLOS FOR CENTRE FOR JAZZ

 

(Right: Elcides Carlos. Pic supplied)

 

The Centre for Jazz and Popular Music presents Mozambican jazz guitarist and composer Elcides Carlos on Wednesday October 22, 2025, at 17h30.

The Centre announces: “We are excited to welcome back Elcides Carlos at University of KwaZulu-Natal who had a debut performance and received a warm reception in 2023. Elcides Carlos is a Mozambican guitarist, composer, and lecturer with an international career, having participated in jazz festivals across Africa and Europe. He released the album Sense of Presence and is the author of the book A Mente de um Grande Guitarrista – Um Guia de Motivação Artística (The Mind of a Great Guitarist - A Motivational Artistic Guide). His music reflects a fusion of modern jazz guitar lyricism and African rhythmic roots."

This performance will include Mozambican artists Elcides Carlos on Guitar & Vocals, Lelas Mavie on Bass & Vocals, Sarmento de Cristo on Saxophone and Shamuel Mahabeer (Durban, South Africa) – Piano & Keyboard.

This concert aims to celebrate and promote jazz music through a fusion of African rhythms and jazz harmonies. The repertoire will consist of original compositions from his album Sense of Presence, alongside select jazz and African music classics. The performance will showcase musical dialogues between Mozambican and South African musicians, fostering artistic exchange and cultural appreciation.

The concert takes place at 17h30 on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, at the UKZN Centre for Jazz and Popular Music.

Tickets R120 (Pensioners R80, students R60) available for cash at the door.

The Centre for Jazz is located at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Howard College Campus, Dennis Shepstone Building, Level 2

Use gate 3 or gate 8 off Rick Turner Road

PLATFORM JAZZ: HOOKED ON SWING

 

Durban's fabulous swing band Platform Jazz is back for an afternoon concert at the Durban Northlands Rhumbelow on Sunday, November 2, 2025, at 14h30.

The line-up features Cathy “Hotlips” Peacock on trumpet, Kirsten “the kitten” Sayers on Clarinet, Jeff “Papa Wok” Robinson on sax and David Solomon on trombone for the frontline whilst the marvellous Melvin Peters will be on keys, “Bashful” Bruce Baker on drums and Andreas “Bullfiddle” Kappen on bass completing the rhythm section. Durban's best loved singers Shelley McLean-Downham and Bryan Hiles are on vocals. 

Special guests will be the Clifton Jazz Band, under the baton of Charl van der Merwe.

The show will bring in some Swing favourites including Glenn Miller, Count Basie, Benny Goodman and more. This is a show to take you back to the glamour of the 30s and 40s.

The concert is supported by KZN Performing Arts Trust. There will also be a cash bar available. You can bring snacks.

Tickets R150. Booking is essential through Webtickets.

 

 

CALLUM’S WILL

 

(Right: Darren King. Pic supplied)

 

The emotionally layered, poignant two-hander drama about a wheelchair-bound former dancer and his youthful carer, Callum’s Will, is being restaged for a short run at Durban’s Seabrooke’s Theatre from October 29 until November 2, 2025. 

Set present-day and set in London, Callum’s Will was created for multi-award-winning actor Darren King by multi-award-winning playwright, director, actress and film maker, Janna Ramos Violante. 

Now exactly 14 years on (almost to the day) Darren King is excited to revisit this piece under the direction of Blessing Xaba.

The role of Will is now to be played by Johannesburg-based award-winning actor, Tafara Nyatsanza. Blessing Xaba has reworked the script to bring it up to date and touch on some of the more relevant issues faced in today’s changing world.

Callum’s Will is being presented at the Seabrookes Theatre, DHS, from October 29 to November 2.

 Show times are:

19h30 Wednesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday

15h00 and 18h30 on Sunday.

There is one performance scheduled for Thursday at 12noon for schools. More will be added if there is demand.

Ticket price R150 (R100 students and OAP).

Booking direct through Darren King on 0823241709.

ISPA PRESENTS SHOWTIME

 

Get ready for an unforgettable night of musical theatre magic as the students of the International School of Performing Arts (ISPA) present their showcase, Showtime.

This will take place on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at 19h00 at the Reddam House Ballito Theatre.

The Showtime showcase promises to be an evening of non-stop entertainment, featuring songs from hit musicals like Dear Evan Hansen, The Greatest Showman, and Hamilton. It is also a great opportunity for prospective students and parents to meet the faculty and students and find out what the ISPA has to offer.

Tickets: Available via Webtickets

ROCKIN’ WITH THE LADIES

 

Rhumbelow Theatre will present Barry Thomson & The Reals in a show titled Rockin’ With The Ladies.

Guest performers Marion Loudon and Kirsty van der Linde will appear alongside The Reals - Dawn Selby, Robz Millar, Mali Sewell and Barry Thomson.

 

Shows take place on:

SATURDAY, October 25. 2025. Show starts 19h30

SUNDAY, October 26, 2025.  Show starts 14h00

We open 90 minutes before show  

Durban audiences, get ready to experience a night of powerful performances and unforgettable music as Barry Thomson and The Reals present Rockin' With The Ladies. Featuring the mesmerizing talents of special guests, singer Marion Loudon and saxophonist Kirsty van der Linde, this show celebrates incredible contributions of both female and male icons, including the legendary Stevie Nicks, Tina Turner, Heart, The Pretenders, Billy Idol, Tom Petty, Steppenwolf and Mark Knopfler.

Join Rhumbelow for an unforgettable experience with front man, singer and guitarist Barry Thomson who is ‘Rockin' With The Ladies’ (his four ‘stage wives’), musical director Dawn Selby on keyboards and vocals, Robz Millar on bass guitar and vocals and Mali Sewell on drums and vocals.

This show promises to be a vibrant tribute to those who have contributed to the shaping of the music industry. Audiences will be taken on a nostalgic journey through some of the most iconic hits, all brought to life with the passionate energy of

Tickets R200. Booking is essential. preferably on email: roland@stansell.co.za or through WEBTICKETS

Bring food picnic baskets or buy at the venue. Bar available (no alcohol may be brought on to the premises)

Limited secure parking available.

For more information call 0824998636 or visit http://events.durbantheatre.com/

Rhumbelow Theatre is situated at 42 Cunningham Road off Bartle Road in Umbilo, Durban.

BAROQUE 2000 CONCERT OCT 26

 

(Right: Ellen Pretorius. Pic supplied)

 

The next Baroque 2000 concert will take place on October 26 at 11h30 at St James Church in Venice Road, Durban.

The KwaZulu-Natal Youth Choir will feature soloist soprano Ellen Pretorius under the direction of Bernard Kruger.

 

Programme:

Vivaldi - Credo RV591

Purcell - Dido's Lament from Dido & Aeneas

Vivaldi - Arias from Juditha Triumphans RV644

 

Tickets R180 at the door. Children enter free.

Guarded parking available in Venice or Sir Arthur adjacent roads.

For more information contact Michel on email: sursouth@iafrica.com or call 082 303 5241.

THE MAGIC OF CHOPIN: CHRISTOPHER DUIGAN

 

(Right: Christopher Duigan. Pic by Val Adamson)

 

Christopher Duigan’s programme for October features an all-Chopin recital, which he is presenting with great enthusiasm and heartfelt dedication. This exciting initiative is inspired by the outstanding and brilliantly talented young pianists who are currently performing in Warsaw at the prestigious International Competition. You can watch their extraordinary performances daily until October 23.

Says Duigan: “It truly is a feast of top-quality music combined with excellent production, all generously made available for free on YouTube!

“Observing these performances over the past few days has reminded me of the subtlety, balance, and delicate susceptibility inherent in Chopin's music, qualities that add remarkable depth and nuance to moments of improvisation and structural features alike. For this recital, I will be selecting pieces from the competition’s prescribed repertoire I have been following closely, including the Ballade No. 3, the ‘brilliant’ Waltzes in E-flat and A-flat, and the technically demanding etudes from Opus 25.

 

Monday October 27at 15h00 

AMBERFIELD, Howick

Tickets: R80. Booking: Amberfield Office. 033 230 2000

This concert is open to all!

 

Thursday October 30 at 15h30

WOODGROVE - Community Centre, Pietermaritzburg

Tickets: R100. Booking via WhatsApp 083 417 4473 or booking@musicrevival.co.za

This concert is open to all!

 

Thursday October 30 at 19h00

AMBER VALLEY - Amber Auditorium

Tickets: R100. Booking: Amber office.

(Open to Amber Valley residents and their guests).

 

Tuesday November 4 at 19h00

ST AGNES CHURCH, Kloof

Tickets: R130 include tea/coffee and other refreshments at interval.

Booking preferred via WhatsApp 083 417 4473 or booking@musicrevival.co.za

 

Friday November 7 at 19h00

CASA MEXICANA  35 Montgomery Drive, Pietermaritzburg

Tickets: R250 concert and dinner after. 

Venue opens at 18h30. Performance time approx 60 mins.

Secure patrolled parking.

BOOKING IS ESSENTIAL: Book via WhatsApp 083 417 4473 or booking@musicrevival.co.za.

Please include your contact numbers in all e-mail bookings

 

Sunday November 9, 15h00

ALL SOULS ANGLICAN CHURCH

Sheffield Beach Rd, Umhlali / Salt Rock

Tickets: R150 include tea/coffee and other refreshments at interval.

Booking preferred via WhatsApp 083 417 4473 or booking@musicrevival.co.za

ONE CALL AWAY: REVIEW

 

(To an extent, “One Call Away” is a meditation on life, death and the question of existence, but presented in an entertaining and lively way. Review from Margaret von Klemperer, courtesy of The Witness)

 

One Call Away is Anne Biccard’s third book about her life as a doctor, working in the emergency department of a Johannesburg hospital where she faces a daily struggle against the Grim Reaper who she cheerfully refers to as Grim as she keeps a mental scorecard of her victories against him, and her defeats by him. Fortunately, in this book, her victories outnumber his.

Doctors and others working on the frontline in the medical profession have to be able to laugh. Reading this book, you realise that if you didn’t have a sense of humour, you could not survive what is thrown at you. For anyone with any humanity at all it must be one of the most stressful environments that there is. Seeing the ridiculous side of life always helps.

Biccard certainly has plenty of humanity. One Call Away is often very moving, despite its lively writing style, and the funny stories that the author tells. We hear about a man who was allergic to his condom; a baby monkey that was brought into the human hospital for resuscitation – which was happily successful – and many others. There is the guy with a twisted ankle who asks: “Shall I sleep with the moon boot” and is bemused when the doctor replies: “if you find it attractive”. There is plenty to enjoy here.

But we are left in no doubt that Biccard’s is an incredibly difficult job. She lives with her partner and her rescue dogs on a smallholding, and she makes it very plain that this is her refuge, a place she can escape to and where she can recharge her batteries. It is not only her patients that she finds stressful – the work environment is not an easy one. And this is in a private hospital. Working in the state system would be immeasurably worse. The South African situation weighs on her, but she is deeply committed to what she does.

To an extent, One Call Away is a meditation on life, death and the question of existence, but presented in an entertaining and lively way. It is afterwards that the reader digests the serious points that are being made. - Margaret von Klemperer

One Call Away is published by Jacana: ISBN 978-1-4314-3545-6

ACTING WORKSHOP

 

Durban director Menzi Mbuli will hold an Acting Workshop on October 25, 2025, at 10h00 at the BAT Centre in Durban.

Mbuli is a well-known figure in the theatre world, producing excellent work. He is a creator, director, producer working in the theatre business. He is an independent company owner.

He says: “I travel up to Joburg for work once every year. It's not perfect, it has its challenges but young people are given platforms to explore ideas.”

Workshop entry fee R100

NB: Bring comfortable clothes to move.

Contact Menzi on 084 529 3211.

CARELESS PEOPLE: REVIEW

 

Who knows exactly where the truth lies? But one thing Wynn-Williams makes abundantly clear, even if it was suspected already: Facebook/Meta is certainly not a benign and idealistic organization, whether or not it once was. (Review by Margaret von Klemperer, courtesy of The Witness)

 

Careless People: A Story of Where I Used to Work, Sarah Wynn-Williams’ account of the years she spent working for Facebook (now Meta) has caused something of a stir, topping the New York Times bestseller lists for several weeks and stimulating a good deal of debate. 

Wynn-Williams was an idealistic New Zealand diplomat who worked at the United Nations in New York but when she realised that the film Finding Nemo was having a bigger effect on people’s attitudes to conservation than the UN could, she decided it was time to move on.

And so she did. Back in 2009, she came to the conclusion that Facebook could change the world for the better, connecting people on a new level and being a force for good. She eventually managed to land a job there, running the company’s international policy. Early on in Careless People she describes her seven years at Facebook as starting as a hopeful comedy and ending in darkness and regret, because, as her book makes very clear as it progresses, Facebook may be many things, but a force for good in the world, it is not – at least, not always.

In her early days with the company, a major focus was trying to persuade governments that regulating Facebook was not the way to go – allowing free speech was paramount, and governments should embrace it and work with it. But she began to realise that Mark Zuckerberg and the other top executives were much more interested in their bottom line than in improving people’s lives – their activities, particularly in China and Myanmar, simply could not stand up to scrutiny. But who was going to scrutinise, anyway? If Zuckerberg started as an idealist himself, that is no longer the case – and he comes across as a very peculiar individual.

Inevitably, Wynn-Williams is out to present a rosy picture of herself, but the reader can’t help feeling that her level of naivety was pretty staggering. And if things were as terrible as she makes out, despite the personal difficulties that she explains would have been the consequence, she could have simply walked away. In the end, although she contemplated doing just that, she was unceremoniously fired.

As well as the political activities of the Meta universe, the book details the incredibly toxic working environment that existed – and probably still exists – within the company. The culture of entitlement, sexism and general boorish behaviour is staggering and any attempt to report it and have it dealt with was stonewalled.

Of course, this is all Wynn-Williams’ viewpoint. And she belabours her point to an extreme degree, particularly towards the climax of the book.  Meta has shot back, describing her complaints and the book as the sour revenge of a dismissed employee. Who knows exactly where the truth lies? But one thing Wynn-Williams makes abundantly clear, even if it was suspected already: Facebook/Meta is certainly not a benign and idealistic organization, whether or not it once was. - Margaret von Klemperer

Careless People: A Story of Where I Used to Work is published by Macmillan: ISBN 978-1035065936

 

NEWF APPLAUDS DEBUT OF ‘WILD HOPE - RHINO OPS’

 

(Above: Dumi Zwane, Game Capture Field Operations. Pic supplied))

Nature, Environment and Wildlife Filmmakers (NEWF), in a co-production with HHMI Tangled Bank Studios and supported by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, have produced Wild Hope: Rhino Ops, a gripping film showcasing the park’s largest rhino horn programme to date.

NEWF celebrates the recent premier of the film, on Wild Hope TV and on PBS Nature’s YouTube Channel, which took place on October 6, 2025.

“This film, an African production being featured on a global platform, is a testament to our mission; to offer a platform where African conservationists and filmmakers can create stories that echo across the world,” said Noel Kok, Co-Founder and Executive Director of NEWF.

The Wild Hope: Rhino Ops film was written, directed, and edited by South African filmmaker, Nathan Rice with veteran South African conservation and environmental storyteller and National Geographic Explorer Ntokozo Mbuli as assistant producer on the project. The film came about when Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife invited NEWF to document their rhino dehorning programme. The project then evolved into a Wild Hope episode, after NEWF pitched the project to Tangled Bank Studios. It brought a crew of NEWF Fellows, from across 9 African countries, on as the production team (see full credits below), along with veteran filmmaker and Executive Producer of Wild Hope, Geoff Luck, who guided and steadied the process.

The story follows the courageous efforts of conservationists and rangers at Hluhluwe Imfolozi Park, one of Africa’s oldest game reserves, as they work to protect the continent’s iconic rhinos from poaching and extinction. The film offers an intimate look at the daily challenges, innovative strategies, and deep commitment of those on the frontlines of conservation.

Through powerful storytelling and compelling visuals, the film highlights both the urgency of rhino protection and the hope that comes from community-driven action and collaboration.

“For too long, African voices have been positioned on the margins of conservation storytelling,” said Noel Kok, Executive Director of NEWF and National Geographic Explorer. “Our mission is to shift that lens – to show that we are not only protectors of nature, but also creators, scientists, and storytellers whose perspectives can redefine how the world understands and values our shared environment.”

Since its inception in 2017, NEWF has grown into a vital resource for African conservationists and filmmakers. With over 355 NEWF Fellows across 35 African countries and global reach across 11 countries in the diaspora and global south, which includes 190 certified divers to date the initiative provides training and resources to help filmmakers thrive and highlight African voices in science and conservation.

Underscoring the importance of the film, Pragna Parsotam-Kok, Executive Director of NEWF and National Geographic Explorer said: “We encourage audiences across the world to watch the film, not only because it articulates the need to protect our rhinos, but also for the fact that it is an example of African excellence being brought to the world’s stage, in terms of conservation as well as filmmaking.”

Watch the film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j32JtCbXFpg