Theatre
I watched The Stranger at the National Arts Festival in 2024, I think. It felt like my soul dropped into the underworld; some people were lulled to sleep, hypnotised. You leave blinking back reality. A ritual drama of love, consciousness, and impermanence, on 27 and 28 Feb at Theatre Arts, Observatory. Brett Bailey’s reworked version of the Orpheus myth is set loosely within a local context, battling xenophobia. A haunting meditation, with the deeply spiritual sounds of Nkosenathi Koela aka Mntana.Wexhwele.The first show is already sold out. Get tickets, be transfixed. They cost R150, R100 on concession. Available at theatrearts.co.za.
A Good ol’ classic summer Shakespeare. Twelfth Night at Maynardville Open Air Theatre runs until 14 March. The Bard’s beloved comedy gets an al fresco production, this time set to the sultry jazz of 1960s Rome. A tale of love, deception, and mistaken identity, infused with the decadent glamour. Directed by Steven Stead, with a creative team including Greg King, Maritha Visagie, and composer Wessel Odendaal. It’s 100 minutes (with no interval). Ticket prices range between R200-R400 per seat, age-dependent. Available on Quicket.
Soapboxing: Scratch Night is back on 1 March, Theatre Arts in Observatory, at 7pm. Curated by Natalie Fraser, it’s a low-stakes, high-fun performance space for artists to test new work. Audiences get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the creative process in a supportive environment. Could be kak, could be fun, that’s the magic. Tickets cost R100. Available at theatrearts.co.za.
Solo comedy show Don’t Believe a Word I Say, performed by Tankiso Mamabolo, directed by Faniswa Yisa at Theatre Arts, Observatory, until 4 March. It follows the journey of an awkward 30-something-year-old woman as she takes the audience through funny, heartbreaking and powerful stories from her childhood as an awkward black girl who just wants to be loved and accepted. Should be well-made and funny! Age restriction of 13 plus. Tickets cost R150 or R100 on concession. Available at theatrearts.co.za.
A late 20’s mid-life crisis, FAG/STAG at Theatre Arts from 12-17 March. Written by Jeffrey Jay Fowler and Chris Isaacs and directed by Tara Notcutt, two besties hurl towards 30 with the usual emotional bandaids: Hinge, Grindr, binge-drinking, and half-hearted hook-ups. The schtick is that it’s one story told from two perspectives by unreliable narrators Jimmy and Corgan. Age restriction of 13+. Ticket cost R190, R170 on concession. Available at theatrearts.co.za.
African Storytelling, adapted for the stage by Qondiswa James, Bone Stomach runs on 24 and 25 March at Theatre Arts. Written by Ziawa Jande, it is a haunting, lyrical story about inheritance, womanhood, and the unseen forces that bind family and memory. It follows three generations of women healers – all born without navels – who use ancestral ritual to awaken their buried history. PG12. Starring Funeka Zondi, Cheyenne Pearce, Sithembile Zungu, Sinobabalo Dlokova, Lerato Sotshinga, Lesedi Mbewu. Tickets cost R120, R100 on concession. Available at theatrearts.co.za.
The 16th Annual Baxter Zabalaza Theatre Festival runs from 13 to 22 March 2026 at the Baxter Theatre Centre. This annual festival develops theatre practitioners with a packed programme of new theatre, live music, and workshops, showcasing youngblood performances. Tickets are available via baxter.uct.ac.za.
Dance
Now’s your chance to see a vampire in tights, with some gothic jetés at the Artscape from 13 – 29 March. The Cape Town City Ballet presents David Nixon’s full-length adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula with some “physically daring” choreography. Like an opposites attract situation spooky and ballet are an unusual pair, should be a sumptuous spectacle. PG12 is advised. Tickets cost R299 – R450. Available via the Artscape website.
The CAPE TOWN HIPHOP FESTIVAL & NGQONDO QINA BOPHA is back at the Artscape’s Arena between 19-21 March as a funky mix of dance, workshops and activations. The core production, Ngqondo Oina Bopha, is a powerful hip-hop and poetry piece exploring a man’s psychological turmoil after killing his lover. The festival jol includes a massive line-up of headliners like Buntu Jobela, Sinesipho Sophini, and Sonelisiwe Maleki, plus sets from Chasa, Zilimbola, and a workshop by the legendary Driemanskap. Tickets cost R120. Available via the Artscape website.
Art
A nighttime arts meander through the glorious gardens, The Spier Light Art exhibition transforms the working farm into an immersive adventure. Make your own path through the gardens and historic buildings filled with installations from renowned artists. The exhibition runs from 6 March to 6 April 2026, starting at 18:30 at Spier Wine Farm. Entry is free, but booking is essential. They’ve also added ticketed food experiences, so you can plan your full evening, whether that’s a burger, a picnic, or a relaxed sit-down dinner. Book via spier.co.za.
With the Irma Stern Museum temporarily closed, the Norval Foundation has swooped in to keep the work accessible. Hosting the Irma Stern: A Life Of Displacement, a landmark series tracing the extraordinary life, journeys, and artistic legacy of one of South Africa’s most celebrated modernists. This exhibition runs from 12 February until 17 August, and pulls exclusively from her massive archive. Rarely seen works, travel artefacts from Stern’s significant personal collection, personal documents, paintings and works on paper created across the many landscapes Stern inhabited — from Berlin to Zanzibar. Admission is Free for under 18s, R110 for a Day Pass for ages 18-24, R220 for African Nationals (anyone with an African passport) aged 25+, and R330 for Internationals aged. Internationals. Thursdays are half price for pensioners (R110). More information on the Norval Foundation website.
The profound, phenomenal, legendary artist Steven Cohen has laid out his 40-year career for us, the public, in a major retrospective showcasing forty years of pioneering work. Steven Cohen: Long Life had a tense opening in December last year, attendees reported that, allegedly, the ‘higher-ups’ at the Museum, at the last minute, deemed certain works too ‘provocative’ for the public eye, and covered them with black cloth. These were pulled down during the walkthrough by the crowd. Because WHO TF CENSORS STEVEN COHEN? Honestly. From textile-based works from the late 1980s, to documentation of Cohen’s public interventions in the late 1990s and early 2000s, to more recent performances conceived for the stage. At the Iziko South African National Gallery until 30 June. Local adult entrance is R50.00, children (2-17) are R30.00, and South African pensioners and students (with a valid ID) are R30.00 or free on Fridays. More information on the Iziko website.
Music & Festivals
The Cape Town International Jazz Festival on 27th and 28th March at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC). A bold new vibe, blending the history of jazz with fresh talent from around the world. The lineup features international artists like Jacob Collier, local legends Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse, the Yellowjackets, Nduduzo Makhathini, and the fire of Scorpion Kings. Ticket options include single-day and a range of priced weekend passes. Available on Ticketmaster.
The last few Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concerts. The gardens are beautiful, the sound echoes up the mountain, it’s lovely. The final March line-up includes Derek Gripper/Kyle Sheperd Trio, then Matthew Mole, Thandiswa Madzwai, Will Linley and Ben Rodrigues, and for young audiences: the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra and Rob Van Vuuren – Peter and the Wolf. Tickets cost R255 – R360. Available on Webtickets.
The Cape Town Carnival: Follow Your heART returns on Saturday, 21 March 2026, to the Green Point Fan Walk. Expect over 1200 performers, moving artworks, and striking costumes in joyful, family-friendly fun. Special guests include Zolani Mahola, DJ Ready D, and Siv Ngesi. Tickets cost R350. Available on Quicket.
Cape Town Pride Festival & Mardi Gras 2026. The Mardi Gras is the final event of the 2026 Pride month calendar, with South African artists on the main stage all day and a full market. It’s also corporate rainbow fun—don’t let the whispers of capitalism fool you, this is commercial. Tickets cost from R65 on Saturday, 28 February. Available on Quicket.
If you want an ‘anti Pride’ happening, The Death of Glitter partners with artist Brett Seiler at Ganesh in Observatory for “LIKE PRIDE MONTH U ALWAYS CUM AND GO” on Feb 28. Entrance is FREE. Follow them on Instagram for updates (@thedeathofglitter).
Other
The South African International Tattoo Convention is a 3-day event that hosts over 120 of the world’s best tattooers from over 20 countries. This annual, tattooer-owned and operated event hosts local bands, a beer tent, a cocktail bar, and local food trucks. They even have a few post-convention traditions like a #tattoosafari. Happening on 28-29-30 March 2026! Tickets range from R270 day passes to weekend passes. Information is available on southafricantattooconvention.com