Star 2023-01-04

Live show lovers, brace yourselves for an exciting new year as theatre houses around South Africa are bringing a fantastic range of new and exciting locally produced shows to hit the different stages during 2023. Whether you’re into musical theatre, drama, comedy, tragedy or dance, there is something for audiences of all ages as we welcome new and returning productions to showcase Mzansi’s talented performers. Tien Duisend Ton The Market Theatre opens with the multi-award-winning Afrikaans production, Tien Duisend Ton. A flagship production at the 2019 SU Woordfees, it’s a funny and moving drama that follows a couple through their relationship as they grapple with questions of family and change, hope, betrayal, coincidence, and the terrible pain that you can only cause the people you love. Translated into Afrikaans and…

Lucien Laviscount has emerged as a contender to be the next James Bond. The 30-year-old star has caught the attention of 007 chief Barbara Broccoli for his performance as heart-throb Alfie in the Netflix series Emily in Paris. Lucien would fit the bill as Daniel Craig’s replacement as the iconic spy after Broccoli said that she wanted to cast an actor who can play the role for the next 15 years. It is also thought that Bond bosses are keen for an ethnic minority actor to play the character to ensure that the franchise reflects modern society. A source told the Mail on Sunday newspaper: “Lucien ticks all of the boxes. “He is a super talented actor, is extremely handsome and in the past 18 months has won lots…

HOW I BECAME A GANGSTER NETFLIX An ambitious gangster works his way up the ranks of Warsaw’s criminal underworld, and ultimately takes his shot at the big time. DIEPCITY MZANSI MAGIC, DSTV CHANNEL 161, 8.30PM Themba fights for his future. A social worker visits the Jele family. Lerato wins a fight! CHARLIE’S ANGELS: FULL THROTTLE NETFLIX In this reboot of the TV classic, the Angels are tasked with finding lost rings encoded with the personal information of people in witness protection.…

The 55th ANC National Conference, which resumes its abandoned programme from last year in a hybrid format across the nine provinces, will not discuss the Phala Phala farm scandal. This was revealed by the party’s new secretary-general Fikile Mbalula at a state of readiness update held at Luthuli House yesterday. Mbalula was in the company of the party’s first deputy secretary-general, Nomvula Mokonyane, and its second deputy secretary-general, Maropene Ramokgopa. The governing party is set to conclude and finalise some of the matters that were left outstanding after the party adjourned its 55th conference, which resumes tomorrow. The outgoing transport minister said that it was expected that more than 4 000 delegates would take part in the conference, which would also see the party celebrating its 111th anniversary via…

Experts, Cosatu sound alarm with expected rate hikes to push up cost of living further EXPERTS and labour federation Cosatu have forecast that 2023 will be a difficult year for consumers, as the cost of living is expected to rise further and interest rate hikes are also on the cards. Neil Roets, CEO of debt counselling firm Debt Rescue, said the outlook for consumers was not looking good. “Consumers are already facing challenges as they are paying higher costs for electricity amid continuous load shedding. This (load shedding) is costing the economy millions and leaving consumers with less money in their pockets. We are also finding that small and medium-sized enterprises are struggling to survive due to the electricity crisis.” Roets added that half of South African consumers who have…

COSATU says President Cyril Ramaphosa should use his next January 8 statement to unite the ANC and set the tone for solving the socio-economic problems plaguing the country. The trade union federation’s parliamentary representative, Matthew Parks, said Ramaphosa faced the mammoth task of ensuring that the ANC comes together. He said a divided ANC meant that the government would be dysfunctional and important policies would not be implemented. For some time, the worker front has experienced tensions with the ANC leadership, with some calling for a breaking down of the tripartite alliance and for the SACP to contest elections on its own. Several ANC leaders, including Ramaphosa, had been heckled by workers at mass gatherings. Factional battles in the ANC have also been playing out in the media, indicating bitter…