| What: The Masque’s One-Act Play Festival When: August 20-22, 2026 Where: The Masque, 37 Main Rd, Muizenberg, Cape Town Featuring: Plays by Kudzai Mhangwa, Lindy Wilson, Savannah Steyn and Clive Myburgh Tickets: R160 and R180 Bookings: Quicket –https://qkt.io/1-A2026 Festival Pass: Get a R50 discount if you book to see all four plays – email programming@themasque.co.za to claim your pass. Masque box office: Open Tuesday, Wednesday and Fridays between 9am and 2pm The schedule for the Masque’s One-Act Play Festival 2026: Thursday August 20 at 7:30pm – The Black Bird and Bottle Service Friday August 21 at 7:30pm – An Unexpected Guest and Lady Marmalade Saturday August 22 at 2:30pm – An Unexpected Guest and Lady Marmalade Saturday August 22 7:30pm – The Black Bird and Bottle Service If you have a play you would like to submit for the monthly Play Reading Programme, please visit the Masque website: https://www.themasque.co.za/play-reading-programme Good to know: Secure parking, wheelchair access and facilities available. Back-up generator so the show will go on, even when there is load shedding |
I was tickled (by peals of laughter) and charmed by Savannah Steyn’s quirky, hilariously funny and tender play, Bottle Service which is premiering at The Masque’s One-Act Play Festival August 20-22, 2026. There are two different programmes, with two plays each. Yes that adds up to four new plays. We saw – The Black Bird and Bottle Service. The other programme features An Unexpected Guest and Lady Marmalade.
In Bottle Service, Two dads walk into a Mommy and Me Group. Steyn blew me away with this off kilter take on men stepping up to the plate – to be daddies. Knockout performances by Liam Joseph Mick (Caleb) and Rylin Ganesan (Michael), who meet at the group and click, while burping and changing their babies (two adorable dolls which look lifelike).
The set is fun and colourful and with Andrea Grant’s lively direction, this play, this production as I say charmed me, surprised me. It is entertaining, introspective and give an alternative view on fatherhood. We don’t see the side of men who are also battling to do it all.
The character Caleb (Liam Joseph Mick) is a powerful expression of what fatherhood can be, with the 22 year; old protagonist conjuring up so much about the complexities and challenges of parenting in this country for those who come from challenging socio economic constructs, which go deep into our history as nation and our legacy of Apartheid, Joseph Mick rocks it as the dad, transforming his doll into a baby – before our eyes.
Rylin Ganesan is terrific as the architect executive dad, who invites baby Daniel to network with his baby, Rosy. The interplay between the actors as they diaper the babies is theatre magic, with physical theatre and mime. Clearly a lot of work has gone into the staging of this play. It is very different – not only in the gaze of the narrative – but in the staging with the baby dolls as puppets – which are reminiscent of the way ventriloquists manipulate their dummies. Inspired stage craft.
I loved this play. I loved the actors and loved the dolls as babies. It is hilarious and fun, quirky and warm. I hope that Bottle Service will go further. It definitely has legs – and it has babies! I hope to see this play on the circuit at other intimate theatres. Producers out there – nab this play – it is a delight.
I also thorough enjoyed the creepy thriller Blackbird by Clive Myburgh, directed by Kerith Coulson and featuring Patrick Jordi, Gabriella Roughton and Alex Ross. There are shades of Hitchcock’s horror film, The Birds in this play. Freaky soundscape of birds and things that go bump in the dark, augmented by the hooting of the trains in Muizenberg (good to know that service runs at night).
The Masque’s One-Act Play Festival runs August 20-22, 2026.
Bravo to the Masque for providing a platform for new plays. The programme runs throughout the year, with monthly readings. See https://www.themasque.co.za/play-reading-programme and box for details.
✳ Liam Joseph Mick (Caleb) and Rylin Ganesan (Michael) in Bottle Service, by Savanah Steyn, The Masque’s One-Act Play Festival, August 20-22, 2026. Pics: Supplied.
