After a decade cloaked in silence and stardust, the legendary Royal Countess Zingara makes her triumphant Cape Town return in October with La Dolce Royal at Century City. Reborn, reimagined and more enchanting than ever, the wait is finally over and bookings are now open!
This dazzling new chapter will be brought to life once again by acclaimed South African theatre visionary Craig Leo in collaboration with Richard Griffin, Valentina Leo and an extraordinary team of creatives, dreamers and master artisans. Together, they will conjure a world that honours the magic audiences have always adored, while daring to dream even bigger. More than a show, La Dolce Royal is a homecoming and a collective remembering, where the Countess emerges from the shadows with her most intimate creation yet.
A fusion of immersive theatre and emotional alchemy, La Dolce Royal invites guests into a world where reality melts into a wonderland of grandeur, visceral theatrics and a glittering rite of passage.
Set within an ethereal, otherworldly dream-temple, this is a space designed to hold ceremony, not merely performance. Time slows, breath deepens and sensations heighten as scent, sound, texture and feelings weave together to awaken something long forgotten. Guided by a mystical Timekeeper and met by the ever-watchful Waiters, guests will journey through acts that stir the soul: aerial duets between lovers torn by passion and power, meditative dances of balance and breath, daring feats of aspiration, and so much more.
Renowned for his inventive approach to visual storytelling, Leo’s creative versatility is grounded in a diverse background, including training in circus arts that informed his acclaimed design and direction for Madame Zingara, South Africa’s iconic dinner-theatre experience. Internationally, he is best known for his work with Handspring Puppet Company on the multi-award-winning War Horse for the National Theatre in London and as a performer, he appeared in Gyre and Gimble’s innovative Vivaldi’s Four Seasons Reimagined at Shakespeare’s Globe. More recently, he toured the world as a puppeteer with The Walk with Amal, a powerful global collaboration by Handspring and Walk Productions, with whom he also co-developed The Herds, a project highlighting the climate crisis.
With Leo and a constellation of top-tier collaborators in design, choreography, music and craft at the helm, La Dolce Royal reaches new heights of storytelling and spectacle as every aspect coalesces in a golden tapestry of intention, designed to create a lasting impression. “In a world unraveling at the seams, La Dolce Royal is a poetic response to chaos, grief and longing,” says Craig. “It’s an offering — a love letter to humanity and a call to remember what matters, using imagination and beauty to rekindle hope.”
From the minute they cross the threshold, guests will be transported beyond the ordinary. From the lush, open-air garden foyer, to the eclectic indoor reception and finally into the classic tent itself wherepatrons will be enveloped in opulence and nostalgia. The Countess will reign over a domain that feels neither entirely old nor new, but otherworldly, a shimmering dreamscape where time collapses and imagination reigns. You’re invited to step up to the spectacle!
La Dolce Royal takes place Tuesdays to Sundays from 11 October 2025 at Century City. Grounds open at 6pm, doors open at 7pm and the show begins at 8pm. Tickets costing from R1150 per person include a welcome drink, a five-course dinner and the performance.
Booking is through dineplan.com via www.zingara.co.za.
For group bookings (20 or more) contact boxoffice@zingara.co.za , for corporate and VIP bookings (30 to 400 guests) contact corporatebookings@zingara.co.za and for brand integration opportunities contact nicky-annedebeer@zingara.co.za.
