What's on in Cape Town

Thank you to WhatsOninCapeTown.com about the various goings on in Cape Town, South Africa

during the month of December. Below are a few of those events, but you can visit WhatsoninCapeTown.com for more:

Continuing Events

To 10 January - MUSICAL: CATS - The musical spectacular based on the poems from T.S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats.
Venue: Artscape Opera House (see map on WhatsoninCapeTown.com) Time: Tues - Fri @ 7.30pm,Sat @ 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Sun @ 2pm & 6pm Cost: R 150 - R 375 Tel: 021 410 9800 Email: artscape@artscape.co.za www.artscape.co.za

To 20 December - WAVESCAPES SURF FILM FESTIVAL 2009 - An annual feast of surf and sea-themed films including a showing on a giant outdoor screen.
Venue: Clifton 4th Beach 11 Dec; Brass Bell, Kalk Bay 13 – 16 Dec; Labia Cinema, City Bowl 17 - 20 Dec Time: Clifton @ 9pm, Brass Bell @ 9pm, Labia @ 6pm & 8pm Cost: Clifton - Free, otherwise R 25 Tel: 076 505 4874 www.wavescape.co.za/wavescapes-film-festival/record-15-films-for-wavescapes.html

To 30 December - THEATRE: THREE WISER MEN - Take a Muslim doctor, a Jewish linguist and the son of a Pentecostal preacher... three of Cape Town's favourite comedians; Riaad Moosa, Nik Rabinowitz and Marc Lottering are directed by another South African favourite, David Kramer.
Venue: Baxter Theatre, Main Rd, Rondebosch (10 mins from town - see map on
WhatsoninCapeTown.com) Time: Mon - Fri @ 8pm, Sats @ 6pm & 9pm Cost: R 75 - R 120
Tel: 021 685 7880 www.baxter.co.za

New Events

4 December - 2010 FIFA WORLD CUP FINAL DRAW PARTY - A street party with a big screen for a live broadcast of the draw (taking place down the road at the CTICC), which decides when and where the 32 qualifying teams for the 2010 FIFA World Cup will play their matches.
Venue: Long Street Time: 7am - late Cost: Free Tel: 021 410 5000 Email: info@cticc.co.za

5 December - MUSIC: FRESHLYGROUND - The enormously popular Afro-Fusion band performs in a line up with Lost Sock and Checked Zebra.
Venue: Dunes Restaurant, Beach Rd, Hout Bay (20 mins from town) Time: from 1pm Cost: R 150 Tel: 021 790 1876 Email: dunes@worldonline.co.za www.freshlyground.com

6 December - KIRSTENBOSCH SUMMER CONCERT: JESSE CLEGG - The soft rock artist performs.
Venue: Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens Time: 5.30pm Cost: R 75 Tel: 021 799 8783 www.sanbi.org

12 December - MUSIC: BOULEVARD BLUES - The unique and popular band performs jazz, soul and rock classics - perfect for a relaxed afternoon in a beautiful setting. Cash bar, braai food, safe children's play area.
Venue: Cape Farmhouse, 3km from Scarborough at the bottom of Red Hill Rd (50 mins from town) Time: 3.30pm Cost: R 50 Tel: 021 780 1246 Email: info@capefarmhouse.co.za
www.boulevardblues.co.za

12 December - LECTURE: THE FUTURE OF ASTRONOMY IN SOUTH AFRICA - A discussion facilitated by Professor Renée Kraan-Kortewegby of UCT. Guests then have the opportunity to view the night sky through various telescopes (weather permitting).
Venue: Main Building, South African Astronomical Observatory, Observatory Rd, Observatory (8 mins from town) Time: 8pm Cost: Free Tel: 021 447 0025 Email: enquiries@saao.ac.za
www.saao.ac.za

13 December - KIRSTENBOSCH CRAFT MARKET - 180 stalls of arts and crafts, food and delicacies as well as attractions for children.
Venue: grounds of the Kirstenbosch Stone Cottages, cnr Kirstenbosch Dr and Rhodes Ave, diagonally opposite the main entrance to Kirstenbosch Gardens Time: 9am - 3pm Cost: free
Tel: 021 799 8800

13 December - KIRSTENBOSCH SUMMER CONCERT: THE JONNY COOPER ORCHESTRA - The recreation of Glenn Miller's big band recalls the Swing era of the 1940s.
Venue: Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens Time: 5.30pm Cost: R 75 Tel: 021 799 8783 www.sanbi.org

Regular Weekly Events

Mondays - THE BARLEYCORN MUSIC CLUB - Cape Town's oldest music club provides a stage for up-and-coming Cape Town talent.
Venue: Rygersdal Sports Club, Erin Rd, Rondebosch (10 mins from town) Time: 8pm Cost: R 20
Tel: 082 493 1564 Email: info@barleycorn.org.za www.barleycorn.org.za

Thursdays - AFROBEAT DRUMMING CIRCLE - A passion for drumming brings people from diverse cultures together.
Venue: The Katalist, cnr Lower Main Rd & Scott Rd, Observatory (12 mins from town)
Time: 7pm to 9pm Cost: R 40 (plus R 10 for drum hire) Tel: 084 566 0531 Email: info@afrobeatdrumming.co.za www.afrobeatdrumming.co.za

Saturdays - NEIGHBOURHOOD GOODS MARKET - Hippy chic gathering of stalls of organic produce, wines and oils, flowers, clothes and crafts in a large elegant warehouse. Lots of delicious things to eat at communal tables. Get there early!
Venue: Old Biscuit Mill, 373 – 375 Albert Road, Woodstock (10 mins from town) Time: 9am to 2pm Cost: free Tel: 021 461 2573 Email: info@neighbourgoodsmarket.co.za
www.neighbourgoodsmarket.co.za

Saturdays & Sundays - THE SKY TONIGHT - An introduction to the current night sky and the constellations and planets that are visible this month.
Venue: Planetarium, Queen Victoria St (see map on WhatsoninCapeTown.com) Time: 1pm Cost: R 20 Tel: 021 481 3900 Email: info@iziko.org.za www.iziko.org.za/planetarium/cshows.html

Sundays - GREENPOINT MARKET - A friendly market with a relaxed atmosphere, with traders from across Africa selling carvings, paintings, jewellery etc.
Venue: cnr Beach Rd & Western Blvd, Green Point Time: 8am to 5pm Cost: free

Sundays - VINTAGE FAIR - Over 100 vendors offer a diverse range of vintage products in a great setting.
Venue: Old Biscuit Mill, 373–375 Albert Road, Woodstock (10 mins from town) Time: 9am to 4pm Cost: free Email: info@vintagefair.co.za www.vintagefair.co.za

The New Africa Theatre: Transit

Theatre goers in Cape Town's southern suburbs have frequented the Baxter Theatre since its inception in Rondebosch in 1977. But there is now a new theatre, the New Africa Theatre, that has opened to offer theatre lovers a new venue at which to enjoy performances in Cape Town.

The New Africa Theatre Association (NATA) began in 1987 as a training centre for talented people who could not get into university. Started by Mavis Taylor, a former head of the University of Cape Town's drama school, it began as an academy to teach people the various trades that are needed to put on a theatre performances.

The new box theatre, known simply as the New Africa Theatre, was set up in an old grocery store in Sybrand Park, an area that straddles two areas, Rondebosch and Athlone, that were traditionally "white" or "coloured" areas respectively during the apartheid era. As such, it is fitting that the first major performance would be Transit, a play written by Ian Bruce and directed by Clare Stopford.

(Transit) tells the tale of an ill-fated flight from Cape Town to Stockholm. The plane is detoured by a storm and is forced to make an unscheduled stop in a North African country; which has been destabilised by rebels. An assortment of Europeans and Africans are forced to wait in the claustrophobic transit area of a military airport. The passengers engage with each other in opportunistic, manipulative, and even physical ways that has sweeping consequences.

Bruce says this about the new venue:

“We have great potential to reach audiences from both sides of the apartheid created dividing line. We need this in Cape Town as theatres closer to the central business district are still inaccessible to most Capetonians. Attracting new audiences to the city theatres, no matter what effort you make, is always restricted by distances, transport and the cost of tickets. We have to still find out how successful we will be, but we believe we are in a much better position to reach marginalised audiences."

Rondebosch Guest Cottages has had the honour of providing the Swedish Royal Dramatic Theatre with accommodation for their stay in Cape Town while working with the New Africa Theatre on Transit. Rondebosch Guest Cottages has also been honoured to host other respected performers as John Kani, Athol Fugard, Winston Ntshona, Anna-Mart van der Merwe, performers from the Handspring Puppet Company, dancers from the Cape Town City Ballet, and others.