Show Archive
Browse and search the archive of shows and events presented at Alexander Bar from Oct 2012 (when the theatre opened) to August 2019.
Sonic Scans & Ritual Noise
Jason Stapleton captures surroundings in Cape Town using 3D lidar scans. He uses the point clouds as source material and manipulates them with various inputs in Resolume. This is in conjunction with Justin Allart’s heavy, distorted, cacophony / rumble of electronic textures & noise manipulated by found objects on guitars and modulators and Andrea Dico’s textural drumming on old objects
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Dinners to Die For
Chief of Police Lauren Law and Detective Lee Justice lead their guests in a murder investigation over a mouth-watering meal. Guests are given character briefs and play the suspects at the event. They have to analyse the evidence, consider clues and investigate each other in order to absolve themselves. Depending on the script, there are 8 suspects at each table,
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Nicky Schrire, Matthijs van Dijk, & Ariella Caira
Violinist Matthijs van Dijk, vocalist Nicky Schrire, and cellist Ariella Caira team up for a performance that celebrates collaboration and reinterpretation. The trio perform and celebrate new music, from pop to classical, as well as revamped and reconstructed versions of songs by Nirvana, The Beatles and Massive Attack.
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Nicky Schrire & Ariella Caira
Friends for over twenty years, Nicky Schrire and Ariella Caira reunite for a special, intimate duo performance after concerts that have seen them collaborate with composer Matthijs van Dijk, Prime Circle drummer Kevin Gibson, and double-bill with Beatenberg frontman Matthew Field. The two recorded and released the EP "An Education" on London label Wild Sound Recordings in 2015, followed by
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Old Town Band and Friends
A night of foot tapping country/bluegrass/folk music with the exciting new Old Town Band. Old Town comprises Grace Newton on vocals and guitar, and Arno Van Zyl on the banjo. They will be joined by some wonderfully talented guests for a night of hauntingly beautiful music. Featuring: Christoph De Chavonnes Vrugt (Crimson House) on drums, Jonno Tait (Hatchetman) on guitar
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The Funeral
Through movement, poetry and monologues, Mpapa Simo Majola reveals in moments of physical and lyrical performance a restless soul who cannot find peace in death. In vignettes and disconnected monologues, The Funeral is a meditation on our own fraught connection with life and death.Scotch finds his spirit caught up in the space of limbo, where he is yet to find
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Tribal Cafe | Featuring Kathleen Pearlson
Cape Town based Soma Fusion Bellydance Company joins forces with London Tribal Fusion bellydancer, Kathleen Pearlson, in this once off showcase of bellydance. Both with aesthetics rooted in the vintage and timeless, expect a show paying homage to old styles of bellydance with modern concepts, and a tapestry of original group and solo choreographies.
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Tape Hiss and Sparkle and Thomas Krane and Joy Smith
Tape Hiss and Sparkle will be sharing an intimate evening with Thomas Krane and Joy Smith, come enjoy a Friday evening at the Alexander Bar Theatre and listen to these 3 offbeat acts do what they do best.We need your help to make this event unforgettable. We want you, you and YOU to make black and white drawings to use
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A taste of shnit - Best of shnit Worldwide Shortfilmfestival 2016
The shnit Worldwide Shortfilmfestival is a non-profit organisation based in 8 cities around the world.The annual festival takes place every October over five days (18-22 October 2017). The festival delivers a high quality programme of new and established International and South African short films.shnit CAPE TOWN have teamed up with The Alexander Bar to bring you 'A taste of shnit'.
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The Plothole
Fresh from The National Arts Festival, Two of Cape Town’s renowned comedians (Westley Cockrell and Stuart Cairns) have taken a new twist on comedy, where two whimsical characters take you on an explorative journey to becoming standup comedians. Hilarious, explorative, energetic. Those are just some of the words used (by critics) to describe Cairns’ and Cockrell’s The Plot Hole directed
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Oscar & Noel Encore
In my study, we will chat about my adoration of Lily Langtry, among others, and my eventual marriage to Constance - all sprinkled with wit! We will share the delightfully absurd Lord Goring and his manservant Phipps and revel in the macabre story of Picture of Dorian Gray. The outrageous Lady Bracknell is our highlight. My life is incomplete without
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Wordplay - Inspired Improv
Wordplay (play-on-words) is often defined as “a literary technique and a form of wit in which the words that are used become the main subject of the work, primarily for the purpose of intended effect or amusement.” ImproGuise, (Cape town’s oldest, award winning Improv troupe, best known for their brilliant ‘off the cuff ‘performances), bring you another innovative piece of
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My Johannesburg
Based on the book by Margit Niederhuber & Albie Sachs, 'My Johannesburg' is a collection of inspiring, true stories of South Africans on their journey from oppression to freedom. From high court judge Albie Sachs and writer Mandla Langa, to teachers, travel guides and Soweto’s first bicycle tour operator, the stories are brought to life with original music by Christian
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Taste. Play. Discover. A Blindfolded Wine Tasting
Can you tell your white wine from your red wine, blindfolded? Join us for a fun and interactive tasting. Sommelier Xavier will guide you through a selection of nine refreshing and exciting South African wines in three different acts: colour, age and dryness vs. sweetness.Act I: Red or white? Recognise the colour of wine, by taste alone.Act II: Older or
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The Sin Eaters
A One Man Drug Caper. An Evangelist, A Rent Boy and a Drug Dealer walk into a bar...and what happens next is surreal and darkly funny. Told in the form of intersecting monologues and songs, this tour-de-force performance dips its toes in the seedy world of illicit drug dealing and the sex trade; but ultimately asks, what the cost of
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LOVE SEX FLEAS GOD, Confessions of a Stay-at-Home Dad
What drives a man to say, "I'd rather get a dog," when his dying mother suggests he settle down, marry, have children. The answer is in Bruce Clark's autobiographical book, Love Sex Fleas God, confessions of a stay-at-home father, now a theatrical adaptation Directed by Celia Musikanth, Circle Productions has David Muller as Bruce and a host of other roles in
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Scrape
Catch Scrape fresh from its Standard Bank AHA! Award-winning run at the 2013 National Arts Festival.Scrape is the story of an everyday woman suffering from an unusual condition. After falling and scraping herself, Beth discovers that not only does skin heal, it can sometimes do so with a vengeance."Scrape, with its visceral imagery, is darkly funny and goes deep beyond
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The Deficit
A young man finds himself trapped between financial and academic struggles. He strives to find a balance between the two but the debt that he faces as a result of an unjust system and the manipulators of society becomes too much for him. A pawn in a political game, his dreams and academic success are threatened and shattered.
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bRENT - A Mobile Thriller
The Mobile Thriller series is here for the very first time in Cape Town! The three audience members hop into a car, on their way to a party with Brent - but their host isn't what he seems. In bRENT - A Mobile Thriller audiences will literally be taken on a journey through the streets of Cape Town where they
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The Wrecking Ball: Goodbye 2013
2013 has been a wreck! We've seen ratchett behaviour become the norm amongst the world's rich and famous, twerking went mainstream, we've seen natural and man-made disasters, we've suffered great losses and gains, one of those gains is great friendships, new partnerships and the ability to laugh at life's idiosyncrasies. Dress up as your favourite or least favourite 2013 person
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YouTUBE night presents Scifi Surprise
This YouTUBE Night eschews the usual videos of amusing cats, psychotrophic imagery and people falling over to bring you something special... we've crawled through the shady tangle of the web to bring you Scifi Surprise, a night of short movies guaranteed to give you a nerd on of note. Fan flicks, special effects, terrible costumes, animation and stories from the
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The Worst Auditioner in the World
Join Michaela Harris, a young actress armed with a master’s degree in dramatic arts, a top notch agent and a big dream, on her hilarious journey as she navigates the daunting world of theatre and film auditions, all in the attempt to land her dream role. Actually, she’ll take any role at all.
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Bryan Miles: Open Your Mind
BRYAN MILES is a young and unique performer in the world of magic. He can seemingly predict and influence human behaviour. He describes his art as a combination of skills including; magic, suggestion, psychology and devilish good looks.Bryan reads thoughts, predicts seemingly impossible events and ultimately makes the impossible possible. Whether he is focusing on the name of someone you
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PENNY
Penny has been arrested for stabbing her boyfriend after an act of domestic violence. He also happens to be the director of the TV-series she stars in. With charges against her for attempted murder and defamation of character, Penny has to think about the dangers of mixing show business with pleasure. Using comedy, drama and a non-linear narrative Penny reflects
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The Communion with Sounds & Words
A communion of creatives and an amalgamation of Art presented with words to heal and sounds to commune with the soul. Expect an intimately emotive fusion of Jazz, Afro-beat, Highlife, Reggae and Soulful funk complementing the literary aesthetics of poetry and spokenword.
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World Upside Down - ep Launch
“I got expelled, I got wasted, I’ve been to Mars and back and I was taken for a fool.” Gavin Gold’s Punk Pop songs tell real life stories that will relate to your youth and rebellious side. The loudness of his songs has been toned down into an acoustic unplugged set that will get you rocking without bursting your eardrums.
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Coal
Coal is a band from Cape Town. They perform dark & haunting lullabies to soothe any heartache. Their music is rich with the strains of loss, fleeting moments, deceit, distance and, sometimes, love.
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Carla Conradie & Natasha Meister
Come join the inspiring Natasha Meister (CAN) and Carla Conradie (SA) as these songstresses promise a night of passion, heartfelt lyrics and pure musical genius in one of Cape Town’s most intimate and magical venues: The Alexander Bar, Café & Theatre.
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Tony Cox live in concert
Making a rare solo appearance in Cape Town and surrounds for only three shows this Feb/Mar is South Africa's premier acoustic guitarist, Tony Cox.Known throughout South Africa as one of its finest guitarists, Cox's shows are filled with humour and stories from his life that often reduce his audience to fits of laughter and then gasps of amazement at what
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Mischa | Collections
Mischa returns to Alexander Upstairs for Collections, an intimate solo show consisting of new and old self-written songs. Along with Mischa’s signature guitar style, you can expect intricate vocal melodies and literary-style lyrics. Rumour has it she will be experimenting with some percussion too. Grab a glass of wine and a loved one and head over to Alexander Bar on
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CityVarsity Melodrama One-Acts
CityVarsity Acting Department presents two one-act plays in the classic style of a melodrama. The students in the degree stream have spent the year conceptualizing, writing, rehearsing, designing and directing themselves towards two stories that deal with family, love and honour. Given the events of a departure and an arrival, they have developed productions where each character struggles with a
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Reel Lives Mini Documentary Festival
5 short documentary films around personal, human-rights-related narratives. Shot and edited by new film makers: 5 young people living on the fringes of society, who are often spoken about, but rarely heard from.Marginalized young adults are facing a number of challenges aside from technical and vocational skills. Reel Lives programming supports our participants in engaging with their own lives through
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You Suck (en Ander Afgryslike Waarhede)
‘You Suck (en Ander Afgryslike Waarhede)’ deel die avonture, misverstande en mislukkings van die eksentrieke tiener, Pretina de Jager. Deur haar ‘liewe- dagboek’ vertolking neem die chappie-kouende Pretina, wat sukkel om haar voete te vind in die nuwe Engelse skool, jou op ’n reis deur onbekende hashtags, twerking faux pas en wiskunde wat nie sin maak nie. Groepsdruk en verwerping
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Dirge
A song of grief delivering us from pain. The light that called you in has not taken the memory as the deep pit grows wider swallowing all smiles and joy. We will make contact and see what happens. Join us for an alchemic, sonic experience accompanied by independent self-narrated visuals.
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Mapumba Live at Alexander Bar
Originally from the DRC, Mapumba is a talented performing and recording artist who has released 6 albums over his 17 years in the music industry. He has toured internationally, sharing a stage with legends Salif Keita and Miriam Makeba and has performed for Nelson Mandela and Bill Clinton.Singing in French, Swahili, Chiluba and English, Mapumba’s versatility of soul and folk
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Little Germany
This show is in German. If you don't speak German, then this is probably not the right show for you. We wanted to write "Nur für Deutsche!", but the last time we did that, it didn't work out so well...In Berlin bekommt man für 4 Euro einen überteuerten Döner.In Kapstadt bekommt man für 4 Euro eine erstklassige deutschsprachige Komödie: Little
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Stof
'n Hond en drie vervreemde pelle is oppad na die begrafnis van ’n vierde. Die manne hap mekaar oor die verlede al wil hulle dit net eintlik begrawe. Teen ’n helse spoed kom hulle langs die graf tot stilstand, maar nie sonder ’n paar aangrypende, pynlike, soms skreeusnaakse oomblikke en nuwe insigte oor die aard van vriendskap.
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That song by Lexi Frame
Lexi Frame's warm and emotionally haunting music plays with the borders of folk and pop. In this very personal show Lexi shares her process, exploring what goes into writing a song. Who inspires the melody and lyrics? When and where does it all begin? What's the end goal? Lexi shares her answers to these questions and more with an exclusive
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Lara Frances
For Lara Frances, recording her new album was an exercise in musical honesty and vulnerability. On her latest release, “Relinquish” the talented singer/songwriter lays herself bare with a stripped down collection of songs that put her emotions front and centre. With vivid lyrics and raw instrumentation layered over beautiful melodies, the new songs are captivating, atmospheric soundscapes with gentle hints of
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Spiritrials
In Spiritrials, addiction, religion, and the law intersect in a government funded drug rehabilitation program. A timely exploration of the American criminal justice system, this multidimensional play blurs the lines between hip-hop and dramatic performance. Dahlak Brathwaite weaves through the autobiographical and the fictional, music and monologue, to examine his place in what appears to be a cultural rite of
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The Swing Collective at Alexander Bar Upstairs
"Something old, something new" - The Swing Collective is sure to get your toes tapping with their unique blend of swing pop. Come on down to vintage Alexander Bar's intimate theatre for a late night show on the 11th of June for an hour of pure entertainment as we take you right back to the roaring '20s with a modern
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Julia and Carl at Carnegie Hall
JULIA AND CARL AT CARNEGIE HALL is a pastiche of 1960s television variety specials, particularly those performed live in supersized concert halls by Julie Andrews and Carol Burnett. Julia (Robin Botha) and Carl (David Fick) and two Julie and Carol superfans, and they are hitting the road with their long-suffering pianist (David Lubbe) to perform a cornucopia of musical theatre
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Twenty-One Light Years
Twenty-one light years is a play about five young people who take the MyCiti bus. It is a journey through the thoughts and feelings of common people. It takes a harder look at the stranger beside you. What lies beneath the surface while we are on this ride called life? What do you see if you use your peripheral vision?
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Caroline Blundell Band: Telling Tales
South African singer-songwriter and folk legend Caroline Blundell teams up with Brydon Bolton and James van Minnen, who will be bringing you new works from Caroline's upcoming album, some unexpected twists on traditional tales, and above all, beautiful acoustic music. A celebration of life's palate of love, tragedy and humour, this show will warm up your Thursday night from the
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An evening with BRYNN
An intimate and unplugged evening with the alternative/folk act that's got everyone talking. Stripped down especially for Alexander Bar's intimate theatre, this show will see Brynn's vocalist and guitarist, Jules Terea (NZ) and the music of BRYNN in it's most raw and organic form.
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The Underground Library
Khanya is on the verge of getting through matric and out into the world when she crosses path with a fugitive from the cops. He gives her something forbidden in this future Johannesburg... a book. And inadvertently kicks off a race between government agents, terrorists and hackers to get control of the truth. Jon Keevy presents his new play for
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Oddo Bam & Mischa Live
Oddo Bam and Mischa are both Cape Town based indie/alternative/folk musicians. The two musicians share a love for Ben Howard, Persian Rugs and literature. You will experience a little of each of those things in their performance. Mischa will be playing solo, while Oddo Bam will be accompanied by drummer, Martin van Rooyen, and violinist Kirsten Adams. They are excited
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First Glance Album Launch
First Glance is an Afro Pop Album, performed by Mae Sithole and her talented team of musicians. The renowned Rashid Adams, plays a wide range of instruments ranging from guitar, keyboard, djembe, kalimba/mbira and the African harp. Lusani Nemalili is a gifted acoustic guitarist, drummer and singer. This show will keep you on the edge of your seat as Mae
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