Dance: Festive season family fun with Cape Town City Ballet’s A Christmas Carol – The Story Of Scrooge– December 2021 season
| What: A Christmas Carol – The Story Of Scrooge When and where: December 9 to 22, 2021, at Artscape Theatre Performances: 7.30pm on December 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21 and 22. Matinees at 3pm, on December 11, 16, 18, 20, 21 and 22 ❌ Shows cancelled because of Covid cases – due to resume Dec 18 – check with box office Tickets: R195 – R295. Bookings may be made at Artscape Dial-a-seat 021 421 7695 or through Computicket Direct booking link: https://tickets.computicket.com/event/a_christmas_carol___the_story_of_scrooge/7175780 |
Veronica Paeper’s A Christmas Carol – The Story Of Scrooge- is a stunner of a production – with breathtaking dance, costumes and sets. It is wonderful family fare – a dream of a ballet. Info as supplied:
Following a sold-out run and critical acclaim, Cape Town City Ballet’s sumptuous production of Veronica Paeper’s A Christmas Carol – The Story Of Scrooge– returns to Artscape this month and will be performed from December 9 to 22, 2021, at Artscape Theatre. Although capacity has been increased with the introduction of Level One, seating in the Artscape Theatre will still be strictly limited due to social distancing and government regulations. All Covid-19 regulations will be in place including social distancing and wearing of masks throughout.
A CHRISTMAS CAROL – THE STORY OF SCROOGE is a special Dickens treat for all ages. Dancers of the Cape Town City Ballet delight audiences in this timeless story about the triumph of joy and the human spirit over greed. The powerhouse creative team includes choreography by South African ballet doyenne Veronica Paeper. Set and costume design by design luminary, Peter Cazalet and lighting design by the acclaimed designer Wilhelm Disbergen. The role of Ebenezer Scrooge will once again be played by seasoned, multiple award-winning performer Marcel Meyer, who was most recently seen on stage at Artscape in The Lady Aoi.
Press comments about the production include:
‘Fabulous festive fun’ – Calloffthesearch.co‘Sensational seasonal fare‘ – Bizcommunity.com
‘Heart-warming story, graceful choreography, enchanting musical arrangements‘ – Broadway World
‘Superlative’ – The Cape Robyn
‘We were wowed by the sparkling costumes, delighted by the dancing and swept away by the moving music’ – Becoming You
“This uplifting tale is a wonderful way to end the year and get into the holiday spirit,” says Debbie Turner, CEO of Cape Town City Ballet. “Why not give the gift of live performance and buy theatre tickets as an early Christmas present.”
A CHRISTMAS CAROL – THE STORY OF SCROOGE is one of more than 40 ballets, among them 16 full-length works, that have been choreographed by Paeper, who began choreographing in 1972. On Christmas Eve the elderly and unpleasant old man Ebenezer Scrooge is paid a visit by the Ghost of his dead business partner Joseph Marley who tells him that three Spirits will call on Scrooge: The Spirit of Christmas Past, The Spirit of Christmas Present and the Spirit of Christmas Future. Marley tells Scrooge that unless he listens well and changes his miserly ways he will be forever condemned to be in chains of damnation. This is the story of that night.
| Cape Town City Ballet on social media: Facebook: @ctcityballet Instagram: @CapeTownCityBallet Twitter: @BalletCape Website: https://www.capetowncityballet.org.za/ Cape Town City Ballet is grateful for the support of the City of Cape Town, Western Cape Government, Food Lovers Market and the Cape Town City Ballet Endowment Trust. Cape Town City Ballet Established in 1934 as the University of Cape Town Ballet Company, Cape Town City Ballet has strong heritage and roots. The organisation is moving into the next era of dance with the objectives of delighting anew its loyal supporters as well as inspiring new audiences to engage with and love ballet, striving to achieve this by delivering unique dance performances aligned with the global dance landscape, with creativity, integrity and the pursuit of excellence. Since the Company’s inception, it has been renowned for providing opportunities for training and employment to all, despite the ruling laws of previous times. It remains committed to developing the dancers of the future, and the CTCB’s various development and education programmes have reached more than 320 000 young people. Its audience development and training initiatives include the Young Male Dancer Development Programme, the Apprentice Programme and partnerships for training programme with various dance schools. The Choreolab programme was introduced in 2019 as a platform to incubate, nurture and invest in aspiring South African choreographers from within the Company. The choreographer is supported in creating and staging a work, while developing their choreographic skills by also working with a mentor. Three dancers took part in the 2019 initiative. With the onset of Covid-19 and accompanying restrictions, the Choreolab programme was adapted for 2020. Nine dancers each created a dance piece for a short dance film in collaboration with Norval Foundation and inspired by and celebrating the work of William Kentridge from his Why Should I Hesitate: Sculpture exhibition. The Choreolab will be an annual programme to further develop new South African creative talent, each year working with different choreographers as mentors on the programme. During the 2020 lockdown, Cape Town Opera and kykNET in collaboration with Cape Town City Ballet, Camerata Tinta Barocca and Wyrd Films, presented Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater. The work was choreographed by London-based South African Mthuthuzeli November, and premiered on kykNET in October 2020. As part of their 2021 Autumn Season at Artscape, CTCB proudly presented the South Africa premiere of Mthuthuzeli November’s Olivier Award winning Ingoma, which was commissioned by Cassa Pancho for Ballet Black and which premiered at the Barbican in London in 2019. CTCB aims to serve the dance community as a whole and provides opportunities for teachers and young dancers in training from around the City to participate and gain experience in professional productions and attend various rehearsals. In 2019, students and young dancers took part in A Christmas Carol, Sleeping Beauty and Enemy Behind the Gates. In 2020 students had the opportunity to observe rehearsals of Maina Gielgud’s Swan Lake. ❇ Established as the Nico Malan Theatre in 1971, the Artscape building this year marks its 50th anniversary in existence. |
❇ Sponsored content. Featured image -Cape Town City Ballet’s A Christmas Carol – The Story Of Scrooge– by Joan Ward- supplied.
