The Market Theatre prescribes Vier Panado’s en ‘n Chardonnay

The Market Theatre, Drama Drama and Zietsies Restaurant proudly present Vier Panado’s en ‘n Chardonnay, an award-winning cabaret by legendary performer, Elzabé Zietsman. Its performances are scheduled every Thursday for four weeks, starting from 24 October 2024, at the Market Theatre’s newly refurbished Gramadoelas space.

In the cabaret, Zietsman is accompanied by exceptional pianist and music director, Tony Bentel, a long-standing collaboration that brings together these stage veterans with nearly 100 years of combined experience. The show consists of a diverse repertoire of songs spanning Weimar-era cabarets, stripped-down renditions of contemporary hits and a few original compositionsis seamlessly woven with personal stories.

Vier Panado’s en ‘n Chardonnay is an edgy work of honesty and critical reflection, laced with humour, through which Zietsman narrates her real life story in celebration of her own resilience, and that of her fellow South Africans. The 75-minute cabaret entertains while unpacking multiple adversities such as the kleptocracy robbing the country blind, crime, unemployment and other social ills.

Zietsman recognises our courageous ability to produce positive outcomes despite our country’s challenges, as illustrated by the collective joy we feel when our athletic and artistic excellences are showcased on world stages.

“Resilience is not just the ability to bounce back from adversity, but also refers to the capacity to adapt to a changing environment.

In today’s world, we need it more than ever, and Vier Panado’s en ‘n Chardonnay is a celebration of South Africans’ resilience and our ability to laugh at ourselves (and others),” Zietsman says. For its brilliant narrative and musical performance, the production won a Kanna Award for Best Offering: Music at the 2024 Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees (KKNK).

It is also nominated for Best Achievement: Contemporary Music – Solo/Duo at the recent 2024 Woordfees, and has received two nominations at Aardklop for Best Music Performance and Best Music-Driven Production. The cabaret is the first in a series of upcoming programming of the recently refurbished and repurposed Gramadoelas space at the Market Theatre, which can now offer an alternative space for intimate gatherings alongside its core theatre experience. Greg Homann, Artistic Director at the Market Theatre Foundation, described the decision to use Gramadoelas as a deliberate move to reactivate the space and diversify the Market Theatre’s value offering.

Homann shares, “Staging this wonderful piece of work at the Gramadoelas is the next step towards the regular use of the venue as a multi-functional space. It’s part of the new energy we have injected into our offering, ensuring that we give our audiences experiences that go beyond our dedicated theatre venues.” So, each Thursday from 24 October – 14 November 2024, bring all the headaches unique to being South African to the Market Theatre for your prescription of Vier Panados en ‘n Chardonnay, written with sharp comedy and biting satire. Tickets via Webtickets cost R400 including dinner prepared from Elzabé Zietsman’s restaurant, Zietsies, or at R200 excluding food.ENDS