Creative Cape Town

The Fugard Theatre

The Fugard Theatre, the award-winning Isango Portobello Company’s new Cape Town home in the historic District Six, will have its gala opening at 7pm on the 12th February with a performance of the Company’s Olivier Award-winning West End hit show THE MAGIC FLUTE – Impempe Yomlingo.

The gala evening is to be hosted by Cabinet Minister Trevor Manuel, who is also the patron of Isango Portobello and the founding producer of Isango Portobello Eric Abraham, who commissioned and sponsored the theatre and underwrites the company.

The Fugard is located within the historic Sacks Futeran building with the original congregational church hall in Caledon Street as its entrance. The theatre is named in honour of Athol Fugard, South Africa’s greatest playwright who will be present at the opening.

The 270 – seat theatre building includes a rehearsal studio, foyer space, dressing rooms and office space, transforming two warehouse spaces and the original congregational church hall.

The opening season of The Fugard will comprise the Isango Portobello’s award-winning London West End hit shows – the 2008 Olivier award-winning The Magic Flute – Impempe Yomlingo and The Mysteries – Yiimimangaliso and a world premiere on March 19 of Athol Fugard’s new play, especially written for the opening – The Train Driver which he will direct.

The members of the creative team behind The Fugard have a solid history in international theatre and film and a global reputation for artistic innovation.

• At the helm of the UK-based Portobello is producer Eric Abraham. He heads up Portobello Pictures, an independent film, television and theatre production company with its head office in London. In October 2006, the company opened an office in Cape Town and set up Isango (meaning “gateway” in Xhosa) Portobello in collaboration with award-winning director Mark Dornford-May and South African opera star and music director Pauline Malefane, to produce theatre and film projects in South Africa. The Fugard now becomes their much anticipated home base.

• Mannie Manim, a garlanded mainstay of South African theatre and a co-founder of The Market Theatre in Johannesburg, joined The Fugard team on a full-time basis in January. Having been both a long-term supporter of the Company and Lighting Designer for all its productions to date, Manim will work with Georgina Rae (General Manager) and the Company in developing The Fugard and the local and international profile of the Isango Portobello Company.

• The rest of the Isango Portobello creative team is made up of co-music director Mandisi Dyantyis and Lungelo Ngamlana as choreographer and associate director.

Tickets for the opening season performances at The Fugard can be booked by phoning the box office on 021 461 4554.