ANTAKALIPA

The Return of Elvis du Pisanie: Memory, Masculinity, and the Theatre of Becoming There are performances that entertain, and then there are performances that inhabit you —that sit in your chest long after the lights dim, long after the applause dissolves into the Johannesburg night. The Return of Elvis du Pisanie , written by Paul Slabolepszy and brought to life in a riveting one-man tour de force by Ashley Dowds at Theatre on the Square, belongs firmly in the latter category. This is not merely theatre—it is excavation. Of memory. Of masculinity. Of identity in post-apartheid South Africa. And above all, of the fragile, often fractured human spirit trying to reconcile boyhood dreams with adult realities. Ashley Dowds does not simply perform this play—he conducts it. Alone on stage, he becomes an entire world: a son, a father, a dreamer, a broken man, a child clinging to illusion, and an adult confronting truth. His performance is nothing short of an acting masterclass. Ther...

Amy Winehouse: The Diva and Her Demons On the Square for the Amy Winehouse: The Diva and Her Demons show, I thought it was opening night. Melidah set things right. Tonight is the preview, opening night is on Friday. Finger too quick on the trigger, Friday is too far. I'll watch the preview tonight and come back tomorrow for the opening! I've been excited about the show ever since I heard it's coming on the square. Amy Winehouse is my favorite artist of all time! Couldn't see her live but tonight was the closest thing to a Amy Winehouse concert. Kerry Hiles was amazing on Judy Garland's "A star is born" - Amanda Bothma duh but she really did it this time! That just might be the best tribute show of all time! Incredible show! Kerry simultaneously narrates Amy's life, it's informative, intimate and insightful, she talks Amy's early days, her parents, Blake, smoking Marijuana, crack cocaine, alcoholism, Frank, fashion sense,...

Beauty in the broken On the square for the opening of "Beauty in the broken". Theatre royalty, I love Theatre on the square.  The show chronicles Gaynor Youngs story, she tells the story. Once an actress, she fell 18 stories down an unguarded lift shaft backstage during a show at the State Theatre in Pretoria. The accident left her with extremely serious injuries: brain damage, many broken bones (including both arms, both legs, ribs, facial fractures). She was in a coma for five weeks, followed by months in hospital and a long rehabilitation process. Hearing was lost; she was totally deaf for 18 years. She also lost a large portion of her eyesight and was physically impaired from the accident. Over time, with a combination of therapies (physical, occupational, speech, etc.) and strong support from family, she regained many abilities. She credits her mother for helping her get back.  Kintsugi: an ancient Japanese practice that mounts and joi...

Musical Chairs  I've been struggling with my own significance for the whole day. 11:11 when I checked my phone, angel numbers, everything is in perfect alignment. I know the ego is a fabrication of the mind. A dirty trick that makes me believe I matter. How many people would miss me if everything turned to black? Who will remember me? What legacy did I leave behind? Nothing, I don't exist. 4:44 time to prepare for the theatre, Musical Chairs is on. I get to Sandton, almost On the square, the Gautrain station in sight, then out of nowhere, with a lot of speed, from a corner, a car approaches me, I duck but it connects and hits my left leg, shook but I regain my balance, it's not bad and I don't fall but it hurts. I look in the distance thinking it's a hit and run but the driver reverses. White guy, white Hyandai, in a hurry, he wasn't paying attention. I am relieved, at least he has some humanity. It's awkward for him, he doesn't know what to ...

Sipho Hotstix Mabuse  Party on the square, I was at the opening of the Sipho Hotstix Mabuse concert. Memorable show, high octane energy, we were dancing all night. The show also commemorated music from legends like Hugh Masekela, Brenda Fassie and Stimela. The band were Jazzing, having fun, trying out new material, like the music they played that was inspired by the forceful removals in Sophiatown. It was Jazzy and evoked a feeling of nostalgia. I enjoyed that we had different horns in the ensemble. Horns show different textures, feelings and emotions, they have the ability to be reflective and evoke feelings of sorrow and rue like Miles Davis and John Coltrane on "Kind of blues". Horns can make you reminisce about simpler times or strife in difficult times, to be optimistic like "Move on up" by Curtis Mayfield. Another song I loved by Sipho and the band was "Welcome", a song dedicated to then ANC President Oliver Tambo. Speaking of Presidents,...

The suit Sello Maake ka-Ncube, self-explaintory, it sells itself, star power, an absolute legend. Which reminds me. Where is his star? I thought I was hallucinating reality, maybe it's at the corner? Maybe it's still in construction? I searched and I searched - nothing. The greats have their star but where is his? He is Archie Moroka, Daniel Nyathi, Sipho Makhaya, a gladiator in the world of T.V and theatre, performed and produced the best, what more must he do? Rueful, a missed opportunity. Give the man his flowers. He deserves them, he is ours. I was on the square for the opening of "The Suit". Full house, esteemed individuals and celebrities, the excitement was contagious, Covid style. Everyone was infected by the spirit of the show.  A story about betrayal, set in Sophiatown. Tells the story of a wife who commits adultery when his husband is at work and is one day caught in the act. The man flees leaving his suit behind. As a form of punishment, the sp...

My Name is Lucy Barton Opening night for My Name is Lucy Barton on the square. Full house, intimate. Nothing beats a full house on the square. I was with Sam, Lorrie, Bronwen and Sharon - Yahto too. Thank you for the invite Collett Dawson. I was excited for this one. I was also with Leigh Harrison, the CEO of Wisdoms123, that made my day! Julie-Anne McDowell amazing on the stage, expressive, animated, lively and alive. There's emotion in her words, she even sheds a tear or two. That's when you realise that theatre is serious business, better than moving pictures because you can't fake it. Theatre is for real actors. No second take, no rerun, run now and do it perfect. Julie-Anne did it perfect, no mistakes, line over line executed perfectly. Theatre is athletic, it's endurance, enthusiasm, I mean doing the same show around the country everyday. Same intensity, same force, same emotion! Julie-Anne has been captivating audiences nationwide. Cape Town aghast an...

On the square III: Post Script Theatre is female. Daphne opened the door, Regina called me in, Sharon took me with her and Sam showed me everything. These are all my girls, I love them with impunity, they loved me and I love them forever. After I took the "Dress Code" script, I experienced some turbulence. Me and Regina were at loggerheads and she didn't want me at the theatre anymore. I had defied, disrespected her and my time working as stage manager was done! I was tired of being bossed around, she was tyrannical and condescending. She never missed the opportunity to remind me that I owed her for the job. It was unfair and inaccurate, I landed the job myself. I talked to Daphne, I was at the theatre every week watching shows, the theatre needed help with operations and they approached me to help and I accepted. Regina switched everything around, it was I who needed the job, I was lucky to be there and she was the one who hired me not Daphne. I went with wha...

My Left Breast Award winning actor Shannon Esra plays a character who is a one-breasted, menopausal, Jewish, bisexual lesbian mother. The play is a woman's humorous and moving encounter with relationships, parenthood, cancer and her ever-changing self. Unbelievable performer! She is pretty great! Captivating, entertaining, a real master of her craft. Quite clearly she has mastered the art of storytelling. She is lively, animated, expressive, has heart, and made use of the stage to perfection. It didn't matter that the set was minimal, it was all about her, her story, her experiences, the lighting captured that beautifully, wonderful direction. Difficult story to tell, cancer, but she made it her own, she is convincing, it was her story. She is entertaining, she gives her all to the stage. I loved everything about the show, it is well-written, it has cadence - it flowed, very personal and subjective and that made it powerful. It is the best one woman show I've ha...

On the square II: Dress Code script After "Dress Code" things went downsouth for me. It was the girls who kept me relevant for a month, they loved me. They made it hard for Daphne to get rid of me. They would always shower me with gifts, kisses and hugs. Honestly it was like heaven, I felt like I was floating walking on clouds, I was all soft inside, I was intoxicated by them, I was in awe of their talent, I loved them. I did everything above and beyond to please them, I treated them like royalty, like the stars they were, with reverence and awe. I executed every request with efficiency and care. The stage was spotless before the show and the mirrors reflected like diamonds. Cliff's (Piano guy) water was iced and always on time and on queue before the show. I was professional, courteous, smelled good and dressed with real personality. I was the eye of God who kept watch over everything and addressed every significant or insignificant thing that had the power t...

On the square  I fell in love with her when I heard her sing "Back to Black", I got goosebumps and I started to shiver. I felt Amy's spirit, she lived through Sharon, her execution was flawless, I had never witnessed talent like that. She was amazing, she felt familiar, my dopamine levels spiked to new levels, I loved watching her on the stage. She made me happy because now when I went to the theatre I'd hear Amy. Everything just felt like devine intervention, like a higher power was in control, like the Universe was conspiring in my favor, like I finally made it! It was my first week on the job on the square as the stage manager, Daphne Kuhn on the credits. For me it was a dream job because I'd get to interact with fellow content creators. Theatre on the square is known for hosting the best talent in the country, if not the world and for me the opportunity to be a spectator of greatness is heaven. I had seen "Nothing but the truth", written ...