Reviews

Review: Aldo Brincat’s ‘The Moon Looks Delicious From Here’ – A Dazzling Triumph in Storytelling There are performances that entertain, and then there are performances that linger—etched into your memory long after the curtain falls. The Moon Looks Delicious From Here, currently showing at The Market Theatre until 27 July 2025, is undeniably the latter. Written and performed by Aldo Brincat, and directed with finesse by Sjaka Septembir, this production is a breathtaking theatrical experience that is both deeply personal and universally resonant. Hailed as a masterclass in writing and performance, Brincat’s solo show is a semi-autobiographical tale that navigates the complicated terrain of immigration, identity, sexuality, and heritage. What makes this production so powerful is its raw honesty paired with Brincat’s magnetic stage presence and chameleonic ability to shift between characters—each one fully embodied and emotionally layered. Brincat takes us on a captivating journey as a first-generation South African, born into a fragile, postcolonial household marked by cultural displacement and evolving political tides. In the span of 80 minutes, we meet a vivid cast of characters—some tender, some tough, all unforgettable—representing a global diaspora of personalities who shape, disrupt, and enrich his path to self-discovery. The storytelling is deeply vulnerable, yet it avoids self-indulgence. Instead, Brincat’s openness invites empathy, allowing the audience to see their own stories reflected in his. He masterfully balances humor and heartbreak, often switching between emotional highs and devastating truths with precision and nuance. His transitions are so seamless and commanding that the audience is transported effortlessly between timelines, accents, and emotional states. Adding depth to the performance is the evocative musical score by Bongeziwe Mabandla, whose haunting melodies and atmospheric soundscape elevate the show into an otherworldly realm. The music doesn’t just underscore scenes—it breathes with them, echoing the emotional pulse of Brincat’s journey and enriching the play’s sensory landscape. Director Sjaka Septembir ensures that the production never loses pace or focus. The minimalist staging, combined with bold lighting and fluid direction, allows Brincat’s words and movement to take center stage. There is no excess—only purpose. Every detail is intentional, every silence pregnant with meaning. It’s no surprise that The Moon Looks Delicious From Here earned a Standard Bank Silver Ovation Award at the 2024 National Arts Festival and the Special Jury Award at London’s Bitesize Theatre Festival. The acclaim is well deserved. This is theatre at its most essential: intimate, courageous, and transformative. In a time when global displacement, identity politics, and cultural preservation are at the forefront of public discourse, Brincat’s performance couldn’t be more timely. But beyond its political relevance, the production triumphs as a deeply human story—one that affirms the enduring power of art to heal, connect, and provoke thought. The Moon Looks Delicious From Here is a must-see. If you are a lover of bold, intelligent, and emotionally resonant theatre, get to The Market Theatre before this gem completes its run. Brincat doesn’t just perform his story—he lives it on stage, and in doing so, allows us to reflect on our own. Rating: 4,5/5 starsVenue: The Market Theatre, JohannesburgDates: 9 – 27 July 2025Written & Performed by: Aldo BrincatDirected by: Sjaka SeptembirOriginal Music by: Bongeziwe Mabandla

In the gritty heart of 1993 Soweto, where the sun often rose to the sound of sirens, screaming mothers, and gunshots, Msodra Lite emerges as a powerful and unapologetic theatre production that tells the raw, unfiltered story of a community cornered by violence, poverty, and trauma. Written with brutal honesty and staged with heartfelt intensity, the play does not offer answers—it demands attention. Set against the volatile backdrop of a pre-democratic South Africa, Msondra Lite explores the daily realities of township life, just before Nelson Mandela’s presidential inauguration in 1994. But in this Soweto, political hope and national rebirth seem distant dreams. What reigns supreme are crime, gender-based violence, school bullying, and the constant presence of death—so frequent and casual that the local mortuary becomes as familiar as a spaza shop. At the centre of the story is Mam’ Nandi, a strong yet weary grandmother whose life is marred by the loss of her daughter Malifu (mother of death) to the streets. She is left to raise her grandson, Thapelo—ironically named “answered prayers”—whose presence is both a blessing and a burden. Thapelo, a product of his environment, mirrors the chaos that surrounds him, forcing his grandmother to confront both her trauma and her own resilience. Alongside them is Malifu, a complex figure who reflects the survivalist mentality of many black Women hardened by the streets. Msodra Lite does not romanticize township life. Instead, it illuminates the bitter ironies of black South African existence during a time when the world celebrated a nation’s freedom while the oppressed continued to bleed quietly. The play dives deep into themes of generational trauma, gender-based violence, and the cyclical nature of pain, asking: How do you raise a child when your community is in ruins? How do you love when you’ve been taught survival more than compassion? The production uses stark realism, poetic monologues, and township vernacular to drive its emotional core. It embraces the language of the people, the rhythm of the streets, and the soul of those lost too soon. There is laughter, pain, and moments of stillness that haunt the viewer long after the final bow. Directed by ERNEST GINGER BALENI and Written by THABISO T RAMMALA, Performed by ZETHU DLOMO-MPHAHLELE and TSHEPO MATLALA brings a uniquely human lens to the harsh truths of black society, drawing from both historical reality and present echoes. Msodra Lite is not just a performance—it’s a social mirror and a cultural reckoning. It reminds us that liberation is not only political; it must also be personal, familial, and spiritual. In a world still plagued by injustice, Msodra Lite becomes more than a stage play—it becomes a voice for the silenced, a memorial for the forgotten, and a reminder that even in the midst of darkness, stories matter. This is not just Soweto’s story—it is South Africa’s soul laid bare. Catch this ground-breaking production and witness the resilience, complexity, and courage that exists where love and death often share the same bed.