Stage: Fun for all ages at Magnet Theatre’s Summer Season 2024

Exciting festive theatre news is Magnet Theatre’s Summer Season 2024, which will be presented from November 30 to December 13 in its theatre in Observatory. There are two shows geared for younger audiences and their families/care givers which will be on in the day and there are four solo shows on in the evenings. Read on for more. Info as supplied:

From Toddlers to Teens, Parents and Grandparents, MAGNET THEATRE’S SUMMER SEASON Offers Family Fun for Everyone!

Magnet Theatre is proud to present a bumper end to the year, offering theatre family fun for everyone!  Over two weeks, the multiple award-winning companypresents MAGNET THEATRE’S SUMMER SEASON kindly supported by the National Lotteries Commission and the Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme.

The Season runs from Saturday 30 November to Friday 13 December, featuring three performances a day, at 10h00, 12h30 and 19.30.

Start the day at 10am with Mina Thina, a show aimed at 3 – 7-year-olds but which will delight the whole family. Directed by Jennie Reznek, it is about community, about being together and being alone as well as the importance of human connection. Three performers work with song, dance and shadow puppetry and all the objects of home to create a charming and delightful 40 minutes of theatre. The cast features Melusi Molefe, Yvonne Msebenzi and Lusanda Soboyise.

Next up at 12h30, is Glimmer, returning by popular demand after its incredibly successful run in August. Directed by Roshina Ratnam, Glimmeris made specifically for teenagers and young adults, exploring the dangers and pressures of the online world.  For anyone who has a child growing up in today’s world, this production is a must. It received rave reviews from all press and Magnet Theatre is thrilled to bring it back to the stage!

The cast features Lusanda Soboyise, Karabo H.Banda, Buhle T. Stefane, Mihlali Bele, Melusi M.Molefe, Azola Mkhabile, Sanele Philip, Emmanuel Ntsamba and Yvonne Msebenzi.

In the evenings at 19h30, catch three new Solo Shows that have been created specifically for the season by different emerging playwrights and theatre-makers – Khanya Ngcuka, Jenna Fish and Nasfa Ncanywa. These are super talented young theatre makers, mentored by Magnet Theatre Artistic Directors – Mark Fleishman, Mandla Mbothwe and Jennie Reznek -who have been given a platform to present new productions showcasing their skills.

·       Khanya Ngcuka’s show, Pumla’s Song presents an unconventional image of mothers who took up arms for freedom. The play navigates motherhood and soldier-hood, using memory, and gestural language.

·       Unpacking Mr Becker, by Jenna Fish (written in collaboration with Robin Kitto) deals with the uncovering of ‘things’. The literal, left to gather dust and the figurative, the memories, secrets…lives forgotten as people grow old and the stories buried by a world moving too fast to stop and listen.

·       Nasfa Ncanywa’sIntsebenzo is a work reflecting on the consequences of absent black domestic workers, the relationships between their absence and what is fractured or missed in their lives of their children while they are working in the city.

·       A fourth solo show will be performed by Buhle T. Stefane – a reworking and development of his wonderful work Uhambo (the travelling) exploring the impact of mental health on the life of an artist and the redemptive power of creativity and dance. 

“Our Summer Season is an all-round, end-of-year celebration:  of theatre, young audiences, families, storytelling and of the talented force of our incredible Magnet Theatre Youth Company. This festival marks the end of their six months in the Magnet theatre building,” says Jennie Reznek, co-founder of Magnet Theatre.

“Theatre has the power to engage, entertain, teach and delight us all at once. Come and share the magic of theatre, family and friends at our final festival for the year.”

The Summer Season follows hot on the heels of the brilliant new work mAnJE ! MaNJe (an epic) created by Mark Fleishman and performed by Jennie Reznek and Mwenya Kabwe and the Magnet Theatre youth Company with original composition by Neo Muyanga and visual score by Marcus Neustetter and design by Craig Leo.

MAGNET THEATRE’S SUMMER SEASON  will be presented from November 30, 2024 at Magnet Theatre: Cnr Lower Main & St Michael’s Roads in Observatory.

The programme line up is:

Mina Thina:                  Sat Nov 30 & Dec 7 @ 10h30

(3-7 years)                    Mon – Fri Dec 2-13 @10h30

Glimmer:                      Sat  Nov 30 & Dec 7 @ 12h30

(teen/young adults)  Mon – Fri Dec 2-13 @12h30

Solo Shows:                 Sat  Dec  7 @ 19h30

                                     Mon – Fri Dec 2-12 @19h30

The schedule is:

Unpacking Mr Becker & Intsebenzo (double bill)

December 2, 4, 6, 9, 11 @ 19h30

Uhambo (The Travelling) & Pumla’s Song (double bill)

December 3, 5, 7, 10, 12 19h30

Tickets cost:     

Mina Thina R30 children; R50 adults.

Glimmer R120 for general admission; R80 for scholars, students, pensioners.

Solo Shows R120 for general admission; R80 for scholars, students, pensioners.

Bookings for the shows can be made on Webtickets

Magnet Theatre is one of South Africa’s best known independent physical theatre companies that has been operating in and outside of South Africa for the past 37 years. In addition to creating original, award-winning productions, Magnet runs multi-layered educational programmes that are aimed at the transformation of young people’s lives and the theatre industry as a whole.  Our programmes help youth bridge the gap to tertiary education and employment in the creative economy. To date, our youth development programmes have been instrumental in facilitating access for 36 first generation university attendees. On average over the last 5 years, an incredible 92% of all graduates either find employment (short or long contracts/permanent employment), are self-employed or furthering their studies.

Magnet Theatre is generously supported by: The National Arts Council, Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme, The National Lotteries Commission, Oppenheimer Memorial Trust, HCI Foundation, TK Foundation, The Potjie Foundation, MAID Foundation, HCI Foundation, HCI Foundation Community Transport Support Programme, Western Cape Government Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Andrea Fine Theatre Bursary, Ampersand Foundation, The City of Cape Town, Business And Arts South Africa, Redefine Properties, University of Cape Town, Ben Strauss Legal and the Carl & Emily Fuchs Foundation.

✳ Featured image: Lusanda Soboyise Yvonne Msebenzi and Melusi Molefe in Magnet Theatre’s Mina Thina which will be on Magnet Theatre’s Summer Season 2024 in its theatre in Observatory.  Photo: Phakamani Waka. Supplied.