A doomed romance, a childhood discovery that changes everything and the frustrations of growing up take centre stage in Joburg this week.
Meanwhile in Cape Town, a original Cape Town musical starts its limited run, while drag artists also perform an evening of lip-sync, live performance, comedy, dance and theatricality.
Looking for something to do in Durban and the Drakensberg? Here are four upcoming events, including the Shakespeare Schools Festival Africa, a live choir concert, a music-and-fitness experience and André Rieu’s latest Maastricht cinema concert.
These productions offer very different ways into stories about desire, loss and the absurdities of life, or, simply seek to provide you with general entertainment.
JOHANNESBURG
Carmen: The Ballet
Joburg Ballet brings back Veronica Paeper’s dramatic ballet "Carmen" as part of its 25th Anniversary Season.
Last staged by the company in 2018, the production retells one of the world’s best-known stories through dance, music and theatrical drama.
Set to Georges Bizet’s famous score, the ballet follows Carmen, a fiercely independent woman whose relationship with soldier Don José leads him into a world of desire, obsession and betrayal.
When her attention turns to the celebrated bullfighter Escamillo, Don José’s love becomes consumed by jealousy.
Paeper’s production combines classical ballet with Spanish-inspired drama to explore passion, possessiveness and the consequences of trying to control another person.
Where: Mandela Theatre, Joburg Theatre
When: 25 September - 4 October
Die Ander Dogter
This Afrikaans-language play explores what happens when a child discovers that her place in the family is shaped by someone who died before she was born. At the age of 10, Annie Ernaux learns by chance that she had an older sister who died two years before her birth.
The discovery changes how Annie understands herself. She begins to see that she was not simply an only child, but also a replacement for the daughter whose absence remained part of her parents’ lives and their unspoken grief.
Based on the work of Nobel Prize-winning French writer Annie Ernaux, “Die Ander Dogter” is an intimate exploration of guilt, family and loss. It stars Sandra Prinsloo and is directed by Lara Foot.
Where: The Lesedi, Joburg Theatre
When: 20 September - 27 September.
Life Is Not Fur
Comedian Khanyisa Bunu turns the everyday struggles of adulthood into material for laughter in “Life Is Not Fur”. The show draws on familiar experiences involving relationships, society and the challenges of finding your way through grown-up life.
Through personal observations, storytelling and sharp humour, Bunu examines the frustrations and awkward moments that often come with navigating the world as an adult.
Ordinary situations become opportunities to recognise the absurdity in life, with plenty of room for audiences to see something of themselves in the stories.
Where: space.com, Joburg Theatre
When: 24 September
* Compiled by Nomathamsanqa Sithathu, nomathamsanqa.sithathu@nationalmg.co.za
CAPE TOWN
No Place Like Home
“No Place Like Home” is an original Cape Town musical created by Jody Abrahams, Christo Davids and Loukmaan Adams, bringing together a cast of actors and musicians including Adams, Abrahams, Fancy Galada, Churchil Naudé, Mekaila Mathys and The Galacticos.
With music by Adams and Charlton Daniels, the production uses live performance, humour and storytelling to explore what makes Cape Town feel like home.
Rather than focusing on the city’s familiar postcard image, the musical draws on its people, language, food, humour, memories and everyday experiences.
Its characters reflect the different lives and personalities that intersect across the city, while the music brings together the rhythms and sounds associated with Cape Town.
Where: Artscape
When: 22 September - 27 September
FULL TILT
Presented by Zip Zap Circus School in collaboration with School of Rock, "FULL TILT" brings contemporary circus and live music together in a performance driven by acrobatics, aerial work and a live band.
Young performers take to the stage alongside musicians, with rhythm, movement and sound working together throughout the show.
The production focuses on trust, teamwork and the risks involved in pushing physical and creative limits.
"FULL TILT" celebrates the resilience, creativity, and courage of young artists. It is a performance that captures the excitement of live entertainment while showcasing the discipline, teamwork, and trust that lie at the heart of both circus and music, leaving audiences inspired by the extraordinary things that can be achieved when people move, create, and collaborate together.
Where: Homecoming Centre
When: 23 September - 26 September
The Art of Transformation
Waterfront Theatre School presents "The Art of Transformation", bringing its WTS Kings and Queens together with established Cape Town drag artists for an evening of lip-sync, live performance, comedy, dance and theatricality.
The production features three competing Maisons, with Mother Ambi LaBeija, Hunter Blue, Cay Le Fay and Ina Propriette on the judging panel. Guest performers include Maxine Wild, Aurora Maine, Dee Blogging, Pichi Keane and Princess Pop, with some judges also taking to the stage.
Beyond the competition, the event focuses on mentorship and bringing emerging performers into the city’s drag community. Proceeds support Waterfront Theatre School’s training, productions and performance opportunities for young artists.
Where: The Lane Theatre, Waterfront Theatre School
When: 25 September
* Compiled by Bernelee Vollmer, bernelee.vollmer@nationalmg.co.za
DURBAN
Drakensberg Boys Choir - Live Concert
Enjoy the magical music experience of classical choral masterpieces, African rhythms, contemporary favourites and more, performed by the talented Drakie boys in the Ken MacKenzie Auditorium on the Drakie campus in the picturesque central Drakensberg mountains.
Where: Drakensberg Boys Choir, Cathkin Park, South Africa
When: 23 September
16th Shakespeare Schools Festival Africa
The 16th Shakespeare Schools Festival Africa (SSFA) is coming to Durban! From 21 to 27 September 2026, the Courtyard Theatre at DUT will host a week of theatrical magic. Local primary and high schools, as well as youth groups, will stage dynamic, abridged Shakespeare plays.
As Africa’s largest youth drama festival, SSFA has empowered over 15,000 learners since 2009. More than just theatre, it builds literacy, confidence, and a sense of belonging.
The festival is fully inclusive, welcoming performers of all abilities, including those who are Deaf, blind, or physically disabled.
Where: Courtyard Theatre, 51 Steve Biko Rd, Musgrave, Durban
When: 21 September - 27 September
SWEAT & SOUND
"SWEAT & SOUND" is a music-driven fitness experience that blends high-energy functional movement, live DJs, nightlife-inspired atmosphere, and South African music culture into one immersive social wellness event.
Designed to feel like a party while training the body, the experience combines rhythm, performance, movement, lighting, and community in a way that feels fresh, social, and culturally connected. From amapiano and hip hop to Afrobeats, gqom, and house music, "SWEAT & SOUND" creates a space where fitness, music, and energy meet culture to move people physically and emotionally.
Where: Courtyard Theatre, 51 Steve Biko Rd, Musgrave, Durban
When: 26 September
VIVA MAASTRICHT! ANDRÉ RIEU’S 2026 SUMMER CONCERT
This year, André Rieu celebrates a spectacular milestone — the 20th anniversary of his iconic summer concerts on the magnificent Vrijthof square. Captured live in his beloved hometown, this brand-new cinema event marks two decades of music and unforgettable magical summer nights.
"Viva Maastricht!" is a joyful tribute to the city where it all began. Joined by his world-renowned Johann Strauss Orchestra and a vibrant ensemble of artists, André brings the spirit, culture, and warmth of his hometown to life in a dazzling new concert filled with emotion and wonder.
Where: The Rhumbelow Theatre, Cunningham Road, Durban.
When: 24 September- 27 September
culture_thenational@nationalmg.co.za