Cape Town’s Arts and Culture this Winter

Allow us to present Cape Town’s Arts and culture to you – now, before I lose the less artistically inclined or more masculine reader, stop, don’t let your eyes glaze over and conscious awareness take flight. I can promise you, there’s an experience that the whole family, couples or single groups could spend time exploring and delving into here in the Cape while staying at one of Capsol Luxury Villas & Apartments’. Don’t allow autumn and the start of winter in the Cape slow you down; we certainly don’t, not by a long shot! May is filled with much to spark the imaginations and keep the entertainment levels on a high note as you travel through our city.

Our Cape Culture & Heritage is a celebration all on its own to start off the month, beginning with our Suidoosterfees 2018 (South-Easter Festival named for our legendary South Easterly wind commonly known as the Cape Doctor as she comes through and clears our city of pollution). Allow us to tantalise you using music, theatre and comedic performances, historical tours and art exhibitions. Don’t be alarmed and think by its Afrikaans title that you won’t understand any of the shows or tours on offer; it’s a full cultural mish-mash for all to enjoy and a show to suit all tastes.

The Artscape Theatre, will be bringing a classic Broadway performance by Pieter Toerien, Andrew Lloyd Webber and David Ian’s musical ‘The Sound of Music’ to our stages this month. We all know and remember the Von Trapp Family singers led by Julie Andrews in 1965 and the feeling of awe and wonderment when first released as a film all those years back. This show promises to remind you of those times and to immerse your whole family into the lives of the Von Trapps up close and personal. There’s no experience greater to share than a performance of this calibre, the strains of music and emotions of script filling your chest as you lose yourself in this age-old story.

I have not forgotten the more casual readers. Hold onto your sides with ‘The Fabulous Funnies’ laughing through stand-up comedy with comedic giants such as Rob van Vuuren, Sne Dladla and a newcomer to the comedy scene, Lindy Johnson. The Artscape Theatre will certainly amuse and delight you all.

For the more avant-garde, laugh and scream through a comedy-horror theatrical performance, The Demon Bride, set in The Fugard Theatre’s 320-seater baroque setting. ‘With this ring I thee DEAD!’ Demon Bride is a performance put on by award-winning playwright and director, Louis Viljoen. The script works around a wedding party that becomes entrapped in a haunted cabin, turning the matrimonial weekend into horror and torment when the bride is possessed by an ancient demon. Take your hubby or stoic partner along so you can sink your nails into his thigh!

Moving into the more emotive world of dance and expression, The Baxter Theatre will be showcasing ‘When Cranes Cry’ an enchanting dance/ drama –“ The Japanese crane, a symbol of longevity, happiness and a source of inspiration to artists and poets, is also known for its extraordinary intuitive ability to sense perilous danger. When Cranes Cry, the world must stop to listen…”

Let us wander into the world of art in Cape Town! For a bit more excitement, take to our city’s streets! You can find extraordinary works of art in the sun and shadows of our streets as well as in the studios and halls of art galleries. Take a private tour from street art to fine art with Coffee Bean Routes. Meet with local graffiti artists and view their open works throughout the streets of Woodstock, one of South Africa’s ‘street art capitals’, flowing into and through artists’ private studios, all showing the varying nuances between art, the city and its people.

While in Woodstock, visit The Woodstock Foundry and submerge yourself into industrial art with Chantel Woodman’s integrative works in design, metal smiting and sculpture. Wonder on through to Dear Rae and perhaps find that unique, bespoke jewellery piece for a friend, a partner. Need to take a moment to find the right words to go with that special piece of jewellery? Stop for a quick coffee at Tribe Coffee and gather yourself.

Last, but certainly not least, our recently established art gallery, Zeitz MOCAA Gallery is the first museum in Africa dedicated to contemporary art from Africa & the Diaspora (dispersion or spread of any people from their original homelands). Situated in the Silo District, they are hosting temporary exhibitions from around the world in over 100 galleries. Here you’ll be hushed more in wonderment than by the imagined austerity associated, in our minds, with art galleries. You could pair it up and end your explorations through our fine city with a meal at The Granary Bar & Grill & Silo Rooftop Bar. Gaze from the multifaceted windows or from the cooling crown of its rooftop, overlooking Table Bay Harbour and all that represents our fine city!