Theatre on the Square closes the curtain on an extraordinary 2025 season, marked by artistic diversity, bold storytelling and a strong sense of community. From powerful South African classics to exciting new works and packed comedy stages, the theatre thrived as a space of creativity, reflection and joy throughout the year.
Highlights included two successful runs of the physical theatre show, Musical Chairs, the gripping return of The Suit, the haunting The Pillowman, and the staging of Athol Fugard’s iconic Master Harold… and the Boys, the third time this seminal work has been produced at the venue.
South African stories took centre stage with powerful new works including Becoming Benno, an original local production, and the bold new South African show A Doll’s Life, alongside Beauty in the Broken, where it was especially moving to welcome Gaynor Young back to the stage as she bravely and generously shared her deeply personal and powerful story with audiences. International works added further depth to the season with acclaimed productions such as The Dumb Waiter and A Doll’s House, Part 2, while audiences were also treated to the uplifting musical concert season of Striking a Chord.
A major milestone for the theatre was the South African debut of Diary of a Wimpy Kid – The Musical, which filled the auditorium with young people and marked a joyful moment in nurturing new talent, both on stage and in the audience. Family favourites such as The Wizard of Oz and festive hit The Jingle Belles added to a season that welcomed all generations.
Comedy once again proved a cornerstone of the programme, with sold-out runs from Nik Rabinowitz, Schalk Bezuidenhout, Stuart Taylor and Gilli Apter, while music lovers continued to enjoy regular concerts, with Theatre on the Square proudly remaining the only venue in the country to host regular weekly Classical Music Concerts. The stage also buzzed weekly with stand-up comedy, young performers’ productions and cultural showcases, including many sold-out arrangetrums.
One of the year’s standout theatrical debuts was The Tramp – The Charlie Chaplin Musical, which the theatre is proud to announce will return in February 2026 due to popular demand.
Reflecting on the year, theatre owner Daphne Kuhn shared “2025 has been deeply meaningful for me and for this theatre. It’s been a joy to welcome so many new faces onto our stage, while also seeing our loyal audiences and artists return time and again. The Theatre on the Square has truly been alive with energy, curiosity and heart this year.”
With full houses, bold productions and a thriving cultural calendar, Theatre on the Square proudly celebrates a year that honoured both tradition and innovation, and looks ahead with excitement to welcoming audiences back for another dynamic season in 2026.
The theatre will be closed from the 14th December and reopen in the new year with the Amy Winehouse tribute show, The Diva and her Demons on the 15th January.
Keep your eyes locked to your inbox, as we announce our 2026 Summer Line Up. You can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
We wish you all a happy and peaceful festive season. Don’t forget it’s the last week of our festive season musical revue, The Jingle Belles. If you haven’t seen it yet, we invite you to join us as we deck the halls with bells and holly…
We cant wait to welcome you back to the theatre in 2026.
