What: Down the Rabbit Hole, presented by The Masque’s Youth Theatre Club
When: October 10 and 11, 2025 at 19h30 with a matinee on October 11 at 14h30
Where: The Masque, 37 Main Rd, Muizenberg, Cape Town
Tickets:  R150 for adults and R120 for under 18s and seniors (60+)
Bookings: Quicket
Masque box office: Open Tuesday, Wednesday and Fridays between 9am and 2pm
Good to know: Secure parking, wheelchair access and facilities available

Fantastic news is the staging of Down the Rabbit Hole at the Masque, during the school holidays, October 10 and 11, 2025 (three performances). This fast-paced and contemporary retelling of Lewis Carroll classic Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, is presented by The Masque’s dynamic Youth Theatre Club and features an all-children cast. It is the first full production of the Masque Youth Theatre Club. Read on for more. Information as supplied:

The Masque’s Youth Theatre Club presents enchanting Down the Rabbit Hole for school holiday fun

The Masque and the Youth Theatre Club proudly present their first full production, featuring an all-children cast, just in time for some school holiday fun.


Down the Rabbit Hole is afast-paced and contemporary retelling of the wonderful Lewis Carroll classic Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, brought to life by The Masque’s dynamic Youth Theatre Club members.

Directed by Melanie Horn, this is a family-friendly show that is fun for children, young and old! It will be performed on October 10 and 11 (three performances).

Tumble into a Wonderland where classic fantasy meets the digital age, full of curious caterpillars, chaotic tea parties, magic mushrooms and unfair trials.

You can expect to experience a touch of tech-madness in this telling of a maddening but meaningful adventure in Wonderland, with its familiar characters and that’s more relatable than ever.

The Masque established the Youth Theatre Club as a vehicle for young people to learn theatre skills, build confidence, ignite creativity and encourage self-expression. Aimed at 8 to 18-year-olds, sessions run in term time and includes monthly hangouts engaging in fun theatre games, optional weekly drama classes, news about children’s shows in and around Cape Town and more.

Most importantly, the Youth Theatre Club is an inclusive, welcoming space where young people can make connections through theatre games and activities.

“Our theatrical team can’t wait for audiences to see Down the Rabbit Hole, the Youth Theatre Club’s very first production,” says director Melanie Horn. “It promises to be a show filled with delight and wonder. We have been through a full process of creation, including auditions, workshopping the piece and our young members are even taking on roles backstage as well.”

“Theatre is about so much more than performance skills. It inspires imagination and creativity, develops empathy and instills confidence. It is a useful and unique way to share and understand other people’s stories, as well as be whisked into a world of wonder and entertainment,” says Horn.

Melanie Horn fell in love with theatre in primary school. She took to The Masque stage while still at high school and has been intermittently involved in amateur theatre ever since, as both director and actor. She completed a BA in English and Drama and went on to help many students find their voices, both on the page and the stage. Ms Horn also curates The Masque’s One-Act Play Festival, which has become a popular annual fixture on the local cultural calendar. The Festival is The Masque’s initiative to nurture new work by established and emerging playwrights. It is a culmination of their monthly Play Reading Programme, with four scripts selected for a full presentation at the Festival. 

Down the Rabbit Hole will be presented on October 10 and 11 at 19h30 with a matinee on October 11 at 14h30.

Tickets cost R150 for adults and R120 for under 18s and pensioners (60+)

Bookings can be made at Quicket

The Box Office at The Masque is open three days a week.

Visit them on Tuesday, Wednesday and Fridays between 9am and 2pm.

The Masque is situated at 37 Main Rd, Muizenberg, Cape Town, 7950, South Africa.

Parking is available at the venue. Wheelchair Access and Facilities available.

The Masque has a back-up generator so the show will go on, even when there is load shedding!

*Join The Masque community! Become a member and have your say in the theatre. You can also sign up as a volunteer to participate on stage or behind the scenes, from stage management to archiving the wardrobe department! 

Sign up here https://www.themasque.co.za/volunteer

The Masque- join the conversation on social media

https://www.facebook.com/masquetheatresa
https://www.instagram.com/masquetheatresa/ www.themasque.co.za  

The Masque

The Masque is an iconic cornerstone of Cape Town’s cultural landscape, celebrating over six decades of fostering creativity, inclusivity and community spirit. Founded by the visionary Bertie Stern, The Masque boldly stood as a beacon of inclusivity, one of only two theatres at the time that welcomed participants of all backgrounds through its doors. 

Home to many amateur theatre societies over the years, it was forced to close in 1997 following a devastating fire. It reopened in 1999,largely thanks to the generosity of the late Joan St Leger-Lindberg. This enabled The Masque to carry on with its work as a vibrant and resilient community-driven venue, encouraging voluntary participation in all forms of theatre by all people. 

Today, under the dedicated stewardship of the Stern Masque Theatre Trust, The Masque continues to thrive, curating high-quality amateur productions, promoting skills development, providing a service of artistic engagement with the community, celebrating diversity and building on the theatre’s reputation as a sought-after professional venue-for-hire.

Through innovation, growth and creativity, as well as the support of volunteers and members, The Masque remains an important part of the social fabric, welcoming audiences of all backgrounds to experience the magic of live theatre.

The Masque offers a wide range of projects and programmes, including:

*Annual productions such as its holiday season fairytale and Valentine’s Soiree;
*The Youth Theatre Club running for 8 – 16 year olds in term time;
*The chance for people to learn about theatre with The Masque’s workshops, covering topics such as set design, sound and lighting and directing;
*The Play Reading Programme, which provides the chance for writers to have their new scripts brought to life, as well as the opportunity for the public to be part of the development process. Selected plays are presented as part of The Masque’s One-Act Play Festival.


Invest in the future of The Masque, donate here.

✳ Featured image: Melanie Horn and cast – Down The Rabbit Hole – Masque Youth Theatre Club, October 10 and 11, 2025. Photo: Christine Kaye. Sponsored content. Images supplied.