This week we bring you 10 events ranging from entertaining the kids during school holidays to getting into the groove with vinyl. You can also play mini golf, lose yourself in the sounds of a youth orchestra and indulge your love of art. There is also a touch of comedy – enjoy, Joburg!
Hentie van der Merwe: After de Jongh
Date: Exhibition runs until 29 August, 10:00 – 16:00
Address: Wits Art Museum, Jorissen Street, Braamfontein
Tickets: Free
Despite the winter chill, Hentie van der Merwe: After de Jongh has opened at Wits Art Museum (WAM), with the exhibition launched by acclaimed arts writer and poet Johan Myburg. Drawing inspiration from the Dutch-born South African painter Tinus de Jongh (1885-1942), Van der Merwe revisits imagery deeply embedded in Afrikaner visual culture and collective memory.
DJ Charles Leonard brings Vinyl Records to the Courtyard
Date: 4 July, 15:00 – 19:00
Address: Breezeblock, 29 Chiswick Street, Brixton
Tickets: R50 (Bookings: 078 175 2556)
There is always a good groove when Charles Leonard takes to the decks. If you have been looking for an opportunity to dance, Breezeblock on Saturday is the place to be, welcoming both the secret and not-so-secret dancer in all of us. This Saturday’s session features a wide selection of progressive protest music from America to coincide with the country’s 250th anniversary celebrations.
Midnight in Parys
Date: Extended until 2 August
Address: Montecasino, Pieter Toerien Studio Theatre, Montecasino Blvd, Fourways
Tickets: R200 to R250 on Webtickets
Midnight in Parys is set in a diner in Parys, where the audience meet two life-beaten characters – one is running from a past and the other one facing a future they can’t avoid. It’s just before midnight, tensions are high and hard truths begin to emerge. Paul Slabolepszy stars alongside the hugely talented Bianca Amato under the direction of award-winning Bobby Heaney.
Disney’s Peter Pan JR
Date: Running until 26 July
Address: Joburg Theatre, The Peoples Theatre, 163 Civic Blvd, Braamfontein
Tickets: R180 on Webtickets
Disney’s Peter Pan JR is a family favourite and, with the school holidays upon us, there are few better outings than a trip to the theatre to see this much-loved story brought to life on stage. Packed with memorable songs, energetic dance and plenty of audience participation, this production will keep even the youngest first-time theatre-goers captivated from beginning to end.
Paul Hanmer presents Tribute to Feya Faku
Date: 9 July, 18:00
Address: Untitled Basement, 7 Reserve Street, Braamfontein
Tickets: R300 on Quicket or R350 at the door
Few South African musicians command the respect that Paul Hanmer does, making this tribute to the late, great Feya Faku one not to miss.
For Paul Hanmer presents Tribute to Feya Faku, Hanmer has assembled a top-drawer line-up featuring Sydney Mavundla on flugelhorn, Nhlanhla Radebe on bass, Bernice Boikanyo on drums, a string quartet comprising Bonolo Kgaile and Lebogang Ledwaba on violin, Khotso Langa on viola and Daliwonga Tshangela on cello, together with the unmistakable sounds of DJ Bob. One of South Africa’s most respected composers and pianists, Hanmer has spent more than four decades performing, composing and collaborating across a range of musical genres.
Comedy Night with Mark Banks
Date: 3 July, 19:00
Address: The Whirlwind Café & Bar, The Whirlwind Theatre, Delta Park, Intersection of Rd No. 3 & Rd No. 5, Victory Park, Randburg
Tickets: R180 and pensioners R130 on Quicket
Who does not know Mark Banks? One of South Africa’s most celebrated comedians, he returns to the stage with Comedy Night with Mark Banks. His unique blend of razor-sharp observation, satire, storytelling and improvisation has earned him a loyal following and cemented his place as one of South Africa’s true comedy icons. If you’ve seen him before, expect classic Mark Banks – delightfully unpredictable and gloriously unfiltered. If you haven’t, mark the date in your diary.
Wat om te Doen as die Wêreld Brand
Date: 4 July, 19:00 (Doors open at 17:30 for dinner)
Address: Die Pienk Kerk, 24 Chatou Road, Richmond
Tickets: R450 for dinner and a show on Quicket
A new performance venue in Joburg is always welcome and, after months of successful shows, this eclectic, intimate venue and restaurant has become a place where artists are keen to perform. It’s no surprise that celebrated actress and singer Elzabé Zietsman has chosen this venue to perform her show Wat om te Doen as die Wêreld Brand, alongside award-winning musician Jody Jason Petersen.
First Sunday at Vic Yards
Date: 5 July, 10:00 – 17:00
Address: Victoria Yards, 16 Viljoen Street, Johannesburg
Tickets: Free
Victoria Yards began life as a steam laundry in 1913 and, more than a century later, has reinvented itself as one of Johannesburg’s most vibrant creative precincts. Home to artists’ studios, artisan workshops, beautiful urban gardens and independent makers, it’s one of the city’s coolest places to spend a day. On the first Sunday of every month diarise the ever-popular Victoria Yards First Sunday Market, now firmly established as one of Joburg’s favourite cultural experiences for locals and visitors alike.
Washington DC Youth Orchestra
Date: 5 July, 15:00 and 19:00
Address: Linder Auditorium, St Andrews Road, Parktown
Tickets: R100 on Quicket
The Washington DC Youth Orchestra will perform two concerts on Sunday at the Linder Auditorium. Working closely with Richard Cock Enterprises on the South African tour, the orchestra has a long tradition of cultural exchange through music and has grown into one of the US’s leading youth orchestras. Sunday’s concerts, under the baton of Artistic Director Evan Ross Solomon, feature an exciting repertoire that is accessible to both young audiences and seasoned concertgoers alike. As Youth Month draws to a close, it’s a wonderful opportunity to introduce young people to the power and excitement of live orchestral music in a beautiful concert venue.
Neon Glow Mini Golf
Date: Until 30 July, from 12:00
Address: Bedford Centre, Van Der Linde Rd, Bedfordview
Tickets: R50 at the door (Enquiries: 082 765 9300)
If you thought you could only play golf outside on a golf course, here’s a new challenge. Neon Glow Mini Golf is back by popular demand and, by all accounts, it’s a whole lot of fun. The only real skill you need is to be able to hold a golf club. Imagine taking on a 12-hole mini golf course lit up with vibrant neon colours, adding a whole new twist to the game.
Joburg ‘Person of the day’
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David Frankel is a South African-born venture capitalist and co-founder of Founder Collective (an early investor in Uber and PillPack) and Internet Solutions, Africa’s first private internet service provider. He and his wife Tracey set up the NextUp Foundation, which recently donated the money for the Maharishi NextUp Institute of Technology to buy a building in Main Street in Marshalltown for an exciting new tech accelerator that will train students for high-demand roles in the fourth industrial revolution. “We believe in a future where Johannesburg becomes one of the pre-eminent tech capitals on the continent,” said David Frankel. “We are confident we will see youth trained as future tech leaders who will drive forward South Africa’s digital economy.”
The Weekend Essay – Ferial Haffajee
Joburg’s boomtown at the bottom of the pyramid – a guided walk
The danger of a single story is that it blinds us to what’s in plain sight. In Johannesburg’s inner city, amid busy pavements and thriving businesses, a different future is already taking shape.
Joburg is popping – it’s the counter-narrative to the meta-narrative of decline. As a city reporter, I witness the dangers of the single story in real time almost every day, and my guide today is Gerald Olitzki, the founder of Olitzki Property Holdings (OPH).
This article first appeared as a Johannesburg newsletter. Subscribe here.