The best of Johannesburg theatre this October

• Wednesday 30 September - Saturday 17 October, Various Times

• Location: Theatre on The Square, Sandton

• Cost: R180 - R220 via Webtickets

A troublesome birthday sets two sisters off on an unexpected adventure involving a very unusual bathtub. Maureen and Vera are at the centre of Ladies of Lavare, a comedy-drama that takes audiences on a journey through memories, old experiences and imagined futures.

Ageing and sisterhood might sound like serious territory, but this production approaches both with warmth, humour and a lighter touch. Shaeleen Tobin and Camilla Waldman bring the central characters to life, with Juliette Jenner directing.

• Thursday 1 October - Sunday 4 October, Various Times

• Location: Kippies, Market Theatre

• Cost: R100 via Webtickets

Four actors and a boxing ring provide the setting for a story that packs an emotional punch, too. The Champion delves into questions of manhood, fatherlessness and alcoholism as four township characters come to terms with the absence of someone they once trained alongside.

It balances humour and physical theatre with more serious questions about identity, belonging and the pressure men face to keep up a strong front. The ring is only the starting point, with the story turning its attention to the battles that continue long after the gloves come off. 

• Friday 9 October - Saturday 10 October, Various Times

• Location: Blue Theatre at Soweto Theatre

• Cost: R80 - R100 via Webtickets

Behind the familiar walls of the Skhumba family home, a few secrets are waiting to come out. Disorder follows a family trying to hold on to its carefully crafted image as cracks begin to show. 

Their lives have been documented as a story of resilience, but behind the cameras, a very different reality is beginning to emerge. The four daughters’ individual struggles soon open the door to long-buried secrets and complicated family dynamics. The gap between what the family shows the world and what happens at home makes this a compelling watch for fans of layered family dramas. 

• Thursday 15 October - Sunday 8 November, Various Times

• Location: Mannie Manim, Market Theatre

• Cost: R110 - R220 via Webtickets

Larry is a closeted Coloured librarian trying to find a place to live in the final years of apartheid, only to end up under the roof of a deeply religious widow in SHOCKWAVE. With political tension and the HIV/AIDS crisis looming in the background, the production explores the complicated intersections of race, sexuality, religion and morality. What makes the story compelling is the way Larry’s personal life collides with the pressures of the society around him.

• Thursday 15 October - Sunday 8 November, Various Times

• Location: Barney Simon, Market Theatre

• Cost: R110 - R220 via Webtickets

Malcolm Purkey returns with The Breasts of Tiresias, following Michael, a trans man fascinated by the Greek prophet Tiresias, who was said to have lived as both a man and a woman. Michael longs for a similar transformation, setting the stage for a story about gender, identity and self-discovery.

Starring Gerard Bester and Sandi Dlangalala, with live music by Carlo Mombelli, this is one for anyone looking for contemporary theatre that tackles identity and gender through an unusual blend of mythology and modern experience.

• Friday 16 October - Sunday 22 November, Various Times

• Location: Teatro at Montecasino

• Cost: R250 - R480 via Ticketmaster

If you hear the opening notes of Dancing Queen and immediately start singing, consider this your sign. You can escape to a sunny Greek island this October when Mamma Mia! returns to Teatro at Montecasino, with ABBA providing the soundtrack.  

Wedding plans take an unexpected turn when Sophie invites three men from her mum Donna’s past to the island, hoping to discover which one is her father. There’s family, friendship and romance at the heart of it, but it’s the ABBA soundtrack that really brings the feel-good factor. 

• Thursday 22 October - Saturday 7 November, Various Times

• Location: Centurion Theatre

• Cost: R350 via Quicket

Tracy Turnblad is back, and she's bringing plenty of energy with her. Hairspray takes audiences to 1960s Baltimore, following Tracy as she chases her dream of appearing on television while finding herself caught up in the fight against segregation. 

There are big dance numbers, colourful characters and plenty of heart, with a story about fitting in, following your dreams and challenging discrimination. The show keeps things lively with music and dance while exploring the bigger issues that shape the characters’ lives. 

• Saturday 24 October, 10:30am

• Location: space.com at Joburg Theatre

• Cost: R200 via Webtickets

King Hintsa ka Khawuta’s story gets a theatrical retelling in How England Stole My Head, which looks back at his reign between 1820 and 1835. The story delves into Hintsa’s assassination and the events that followed, including how his head ended up in British possession, bringing questions of power, betrayal and colonial history to the stage.

It’s a chance to revisit a complicated chapter of South African history and consider the questions that still surround it, this time from the theatre seat. 

• Saturday 24 October, 3pm

• Location: Basement Theatre at Roodepoort Theatre

• Cost: R150 via Webtickets

The story centres on Violetta, a celebrated Parisian courtesan whose romance with Alfredo, a young man from a respectable family, sets the drama in motion. Their love story becomes more complicated when Alfredo’s father objects to the relationship, worried about what Violetta’s reputation could mean for the family.

It’s a story of romance, sacrifice and societal expectations, backed by some of Verdi’s most celebrated music. Opera newcomers can expect a mix of romance, heartbreak and memorable music in this enduring classic. 

Wicked and The Wizard of Oz

• Wednesday 28 October, 7pm

• Location: Main Theatre at Roodepoort Theatre

• Cost: R200 Children and Pensioners, R250 Adults via Webtickets

Oz takes centre stage in Wicked and The Wizard of Oz, bringing together the stories of Dorothy, the Wicked Witch and the magical world beyond the yellow brick road.

The magic of Oz gets a live theatrical treatment, giving audiences a chance to revisit its best-known characters and stories. If Dorothy, Elphaba and the Emerald City are already favourites, this production offers a fresh way to revisit their world.