The musical shows and theatre in Johannesburg give a platform for unique entertainment, from blockbuster musicals on stage to cutting-edge performances and indie productions. We break down some of the best shows coming soon in Joburg.
The Royal Countess Zingara
Step into a world where theatre, performance art and cuisine intertwine in a dazzling spectacle as this sensory affair from Cape Town ushers in a new dazzling chapter in the City of Gold.
Guided by a Timekeeper, Joburg Zingarians are led through a journey of wonder, music, song, spectacle and daring.
Among the world-class artists performing will be former Cirque du Soleil aerial cradle specialists Juan Pablo Palacios and Victoria Perez Iacono from Argentina, rola bola balancing marvel Axel Perez from Las Vegas, acrobat Samantha Kotze from Johannesburg and The Clorettes, a vocal quartet from Cape Town.
During the show, guests are treated to a sumptuous four course dinner for palate and soul. See the menu here.
Cost: Tickets start at R1260pp and include a welcome drink, a four-course feast and the full Zingara show experience. Book via dineplan, zingara.co.za or [email protected]. Group bookings can be made via [email protected]. See the ticket info here
When: Running from 20 June from Tuesday to Sunday. Doors open at 5pm and show starts at 7.30pm
Where: Melrose Arch, Corlett Dr, Birnam, Johannesburg
All the details on this stage spectacular
Ballet of Lights: Sleeping Beauty
Ballet of Lights: Sleeping Beauty brings a beloved tale to life with classical dance, stunning choreography and beautiful glow-in-the-dark costumes.
Step into a world where light and dance intertwine in this breathtaking retelling of Sleeping Beauty which tells the classic tale of Aurora, a princess who is put under a sleeping curse that can only be broken by true love’s kiss.
As six dancers glide across the stage, their illuminated costumes create a dazzling display of colour and light, making every twirl and leap feel otherworldly.
Cost: From R405pp, book via feverup
When: Sunday, 2 August and Sunday, 1 November 2026. At 4pm and 7pm both days
Where: John Kani Theatre, The Market Theatre, 138 Lilian Ngoyi St, Newtown, Johannesburg
A Good House
Cape Town-born writer, Amy Jephta, directs her thrilling comedic hit play, A Good House, in association with The Market Theatre.
The play first premiered at the Royal Court Theatre and Bristol Old Vic (United Kingdom) in 2024 to critical acclaim, earning Jephta a nomination for the prestigious international Susan Smith Blackburn Prize that honours women writing for the stage.
In the quaint suburban community of Stillwater, a mysterious shack springs up from the dust with the inhabitants nowhere to be seen. As speculation abounds, new residents Sihle and Bonolo are recruited by their white neighbourhood to be the face of a campaign to demolish the shack in this biting satire of community politics.
This play is full of wit, humour, insight and exhilarating tension. It sharply locates itself within South Africa’s middle-class community, where complex dynamics and race relations play out behind high walls.
Cost: R110pp to R220pp, book via Webtickets
When: Running from 6 to 30 August 2026 | Wednesday to Friday at 7pm. Saturday at 3pm & 7pm. Sunday at 3pm
Where: Mannie Manim, The Market Theatre, 138 Lilian Ngoyi St, Newtown, Johannesburg
The Jury Experience
Step into a thrilling courtroom drama where the audience is the jury in a live, interactive trial.
The Jury Experience is an immersive courtroom drama that challenges you to examine witness testimonies, cross-examine key players, and assess forensic evidence, all while live actors present compelling arguments in front of a cinematic screen. As you engage with the case, you’ll make decisions at pivotal moments, with your final vote determining the fate of the accused: guilty or innocent.
Designed for group participation, this 60-minute experience immerses you in high-stakes courtroom drama where the line between right and wrong is blurred. Will justice be served? Only you can decide.
Cost: R450pp to R510pp, book online
When: Saturday, 1 August and Saturday, 31 October 2026. Both days at 4pm and 6pm
Where: The Market Theatre, 138 Lilian Ngoyi St, Newtown, Johannesburg
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
Pieter Toerien Productions revives Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd with a South African cast, for a South African audience.
Retired detective Hercule Poirot is pulled back into the business and enlists the help of the village doctor and police inspector to find out who murdered Roger Ackroyd, the master of Fernly Hall and the patriarch of a strangely dysfunctional family.
Amid the multitude of motives and a labyrinth of alibis, Poirot comes to accept that solving crimes suits him much better than retirement does. Alan Committie reprises his role as Poirot in this production packed with thrills, surprises, laughs and gasp-inducing twists.
Cost: R150pp to R300pp, book via Webtickets
When: Running from 21 August to 27 September 2026 | Wednesday to Friday at 7.30pm; Saturday at 3pm and 7.30pm; Sunday at 3pm
Where: Pieter Toerien Theatre at Montecasino, 1 Montecasino Blvd, Fourways, Johannesburg
Prima Facie at The Market Theatre
Following a successful run in London where it was nominated for (and won) multiple prestigious awards, Suzie Miller’s Prima Facie makes a South African debut this spring.
Prima Facie follows Tessa, an ambitious barrister who has worked her way to the very top of her profession, becoming a champion of the judicial system in the process.
But, following a brutal attack against her, Tessa’s ideas about justice and the integrity of the law are entirely challenged. As she herself is put on trial, retraumatised by her attack, questioned and cross-examined in the same ways that she has questioned others, she is forced to reevaluate her beliefs.
Prima Facie is a hard-hitting look at the “patriarchal power of the law” where the burden of proof and existing rules of evidence often work against victims of sexual violence.
Cost: R140pp to R220pp (half-price Wednesdays); R50pp (50th Year – code required). Book via Quicket
When: Running from 17 September to 4 October 2026 | Wednesday to Friday at 7pm; Saturday at 3pm and/or 7pm; Sunday at 3pm
Where: Barney Simon at The Market Theatre, 138 Lilian Ngoyi St, Newtown, Johannesburg
The Rocky Horror Show
The legendary cult musical The Rocky Horror Show, is set to light up the Joburg stage all through winter.
From the moment sweethearts Brad and Janet experience a stormy night, a flat tyre and a detour to a mysterious castle, audiences are swept into a world where nothing is quite what it seems and everything is possible.
Inside the castle, they encounter the charismatic, corset-clad “sweet transvestite” Dr Frank-N-Furter, his eccentric household and the muscle-bound creation Rocky, brought to life in a riot of glitter, glam and guitar riffs. What unfolds is a deliciously subversive journey of transformation, temptation and self-realisation fuelled by rock anthems including ‘Time Warp’, ‘Sweet Transvestite’ and ‘Hot Patootie – Bless My Soul’.
Cost: R200pp to R495pp, book via Webtickets
When: Running from 23 October to 6 December 2026 | Wednesday to Friday at 7.30pm; Saturday at 3pm and 8pm; Sunday at 2pm and 6pm
Where: Pieter Toerien Montecasino Main Theatre, 1 Montecasino Blvd, Fourways, Johannesburg
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