A bumper comedy line-up with top comedians and TV and stage stars, and a New Year’s Eve party at the Baxter Theatre, are the highlights on Cape Town’s festive season calendar
Comedy, comedy and more comedy, brings laughter and joy to Rondebosch theatre’s festive season line-up, with three hilarious shows to choose from, featuring top South African comedians and television stars.
Ring in 2023 at the Baxter and join the New Year’s Eve party, which will be different from previous years. Patrons who book for any of the three shows on the night, will automatically, have free entry to the party. This year, tickets are also available for the party only, with a live DJ, from 22:30 on Saturday 31 December. Tickets do not include the traditional balloon drop, complimentary glass of champagne or orange juice, and a live band. Book through Webtickets online or at Pick n Pay stores.
Some of the stars from the respective productions (Marc Lottering’s Aunty Merle – Things Get Real, Christo Davids’ Platform 9: Coming Home and Alfred Adriaan’s Unfit & Forty), will do the countdown and lead audiences into the new year.
Comedic legend, Marc Lottering’s, latest instalment of Aunty Merle – Things Get Real, continues to delight audiences and play to packed houses, following the sell-out success of the two previous productions in the musical comedy series.
It’s been two long years and Merle Abrahams from Belgravia Road has since survived Covid-19 and lockdown restrictions, and is just about finding her way through the darkness of loadshedding. This time around, however, things are about to get very real as Dennis, her loving husband, has been found to be keeping a secret from her – one which has affected his heart and is about to turn Merle’s world upside down.
Performances are at 19:30, except on 31 December, when it will start at 20:00, with 15:00 Saturday matinées, and runs until Saturday 21 January. There is an age restriction of 13 years.
Top South African television stars, Theodore Jantjies (7de Laan) and Maurice Paige (Isidingo and Suidooster), can be seen in Platform 9: Coming Home. They are directed by renowned actor, director and producer Christo Davids (7de Laan), who is in the proverbial driver’s seat, at the Baxter Golden Arrow Studio until Saturday 7 January.
The trio return to the stage with their hugely successful comedy, where it had its first run, nine years ago. Performances are at 19:00 daily, with Saturday matinées at 14:30 and 21:00 on 31 December.
The funny two-man show is performed in Afrikaans and some English and has played to sold-out audiences throughout the country. Platform 9: Coming Home is a collaboration between three childhood friends who coincidentally all first gained popularity as local soapie stars.
Some familiar characters, mixed with bunch of new ones, all making their way to the Utopia of South Africa. There is a love story that goes wrong when some pills get mixed up. An evangelical priest with a dark secret. A blind man that has missed his stop. All this hysterical chaos must be managed by Theo and Mau as their friendship is once again put to the test. There is an age restriction of 13 years.
Following his sold-out run earlier this year, stand-up comedian and social media sensation Alfred Adriaan is back at the Baxter Concert Hall with his hilarious Unfit & Forty for a limited festive season run, until 31 December.
In his latest comedy, he laments the trials and tribulations of a middle-aged, married man, as he looks at his own aging, married life, and his fear of being cancelled due to old age. His comedy is relatable, clean and a must see for South African audiences of a certain age.
With a decade of jokes under his belt, his popularity increased rapidly during lockdown when his relatable, family man-style comedic video clips and vlogs, in which his wife Natalie is frequently annoyed with him, went viral on social media.
However, Alfred gained success long before lockdown. He is an eight-time South African Comics’ Choice Award nominee and has travelled the world doing stand-up comedy to sold out audiences in London, Sydney, Perth, New York and SA. He is also the host of the hugely popular Afrikaans talk show ROER on Kyknet & Kie.
With a dedicated social media following, his polarity skyrocketed from 300 views to a whopping three million views per month. During lockdown his livestreaming show had the second highest sales for an online streaming comedy show, following on from his idol Marc Lottering.
Performances are at 20:00 nightly and at 21:00 on New Year’s Eve. There is an age restriction of 13 years.
Bookings for all three shows can be done online through Webtickets at www.webtickets.co.za/baxtertheatre or at Pick n Pay stores.
