From grief to resistance: Cape Town theatre unveils powerful human stories on stage

Calendar Girls

Valentine’s Day is getting a cheeky twist this year with the return of "Calendar Girls" to the Playhouse stage. 

Inspired by the true story of eleven Women’s Institute members who posed nude to raise money for the Leukaemia Research Fund, the comedy-drama is a reminder that sometimes the most unexpected acts of bravery come from ordinary women who are simply tired of watching the people they love suffer.

The production was last staged at the Playhouse in 2017 under the direction of Darryl Spijkers, and thanks to strong audience demand, it’s making its return with Spijkers once again steering the ship.

And for him, this story is not just a feel-good theatre moment. It’s personal. “This story is so close to our hearts,” he says, adding that many cast members have lost family to cancer.

At the centre of the play is grief, the kind that sits quietly in your chest and changes your whole world.

It follows women who decide to honour a late husband’s memory by raising money for something simple: a couch in a hospital waiting room. A small comfort for families forced to live between hope and heartbreak.

But as Spijkers explains, their mission ends up becoming something much bigger than they ever expected.

“They ended up making a lot more money,” he says. “I think they showed the power of people in the community and that’s what it’s all about.”

And that’s the thing about stories like "Calendar Girls". They don’t sugar-coat cancer. They don’t pretend death is poetic. They simply show what happens when people are pushed to their emotional edge  and still choose to love, to laugh, and to show up for each other anyway.

In a world overflowing with bad news, Spijkers believes the play lands differently now than it did years ago.

“For me, in a world where you turn on the news and it’s just bad news… a story like this really resonates as it reminds us that we are not alone and we need to stand together,” he says.

The magic of "Calendar Girls" is how it balances humour and pain. The women are full of personality, quick with jokes, and shamelessly cheeky.

But the laughter isn’t there to distract from the sadness; it’s there because that’s how real life works. “The moment you get the audience to laugh… then you can take them to a place which is more emotional,” Spijkers adds.

In the end, "Calendar Girls" is a love letter to friendship, to community, and to the way people can turn loss into something meaningful. “It’s a good summary of life,” Spijkers concludes. “Life is full of ups and downs. A lot of laughs and a lot of tears. And the play captures it very well.”

Where: The Playhouse Theatre, Somerset West.

When: From Friday, February 13, to Tuesday, February 24, at 7.30pm.

And The Girls In Their Sunday Dresses

Zakes Mda’s "And The Girls In Their Sunday Dresses" takes place in a sluggish government food-aid queue, where two women’s lives intersect in unexpected and deeply human ways.

A sharp-tongued Lady and a weary, witty Woman (played by Awethu Hleli and Tamzin Daniels) reveal their stories with tenderness and satire, exposing the daily battles, corruption and inequalities that shape their world.

Beyond biting political commentary, the play celebrates resilience, hope and dignity. Directed by Mdunyiswa Kweyama, it’s a timeless South African classic, reminding audiences that behind every queue lies a story of survival and the quiet strength of ordinary people.

Where: The Baxter Studio.

When: Friday, February 13, to Saturday, March 7, at 3pm and 8pm.

GENESIS: The Beginning and End of Time

Gregory Maqoma’s "GENESIS: The Beginning and End of Time" is a powerful and allegorical journey through the half-life of colonial history, the timeless quest for liberation, and the inner and outer battles human beings face along the way.

Part dance, part opera, part ritual, it fuses movement, live music and spoken word with biblical imagery, regional myths and revolutionary ideas.

The performance turns the body into an archive, a protest, and a prayer - mourning, awakening, defying, and reclaiming voice, space, and stolen time.

Where: The Pam Golding Theatre at The Baxter.

When: From Wednesday, February 18, to Saturday, February 21, at 7.30pm.