Art
Art Cologne
Art Cologne, the world’s first contemporary-art fair, holds its 58th edition this year, featuring 65 galleries from 25 countries. Divided into four sections — Galleries, Neumarkt, Collaborations, and A
rt + Object — it features everything from established artists to cutting-edge experiments.
Dates: November 6-9
Venue: Koelnmesse, Cologne
Tickets: From €29
V&A Cartier
London’s V&A Museum is shining a spotlight on Cartier’s legacy in a major exhibition featuring more than 350 sigh-worthy jewels, watches, clocks and gemstones, charting the history of the maison since the start of the 20th century. Highlights include a spectacular necklace made to special order in 1928 for Sir Bhupindra Singh, the maharaja of Patiala, and a Panthère clip brooch bought in 1949 by the Duke of Windsor for Wallis Simpson. (If you can get your hands on tickets, do — they’re almost as rare as the gems featured.)
Dates: Until November 16
Venue: V&A South Kensington, London
Don’t miss:
- John Meyer’s “A Remarkable Journey” retrospective at Everard Read Cape Town from November 6-26.
- William Kentridge’s “The Pull of Gravity” exhibition at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, UK, until April 19 2026.
- Simon Venter’s “The Stories We Tell” solo exhibition at Sisonke Gallery, Cape Town, until November 18.
- Themba Khumalo’s “Imvelaphi” solo show at Candice Berman Fine Art Gallery from November 8-28.
- “Not So Everyday” exhibition at Kim Sacks Gallery, Johannesburg, until November 15.
- Andrew Tshabangu’s “Communion” solo show at Gallery Momo, Johannesburg, until November 15.
- “Gathering Fragments” group show at Goodman Gallery Cape Town from November 23, featuring Ghada Amer, El Anatsui, Nolan Oswald Dennis, Leonardo Drew, Remy Jungerman, William Kentridge, Kapwani Kiwanga, Atta Kwami, and Hank Willis Thomas
- Ingrid Uys & Elli Wahl’s “Metamorphosis” at Candice Berman Fine Art Gallery from November 8-25.
Opera
La Sonnambula | Bellini
This new Met Opera production of Vincenzo Bellini’s gorgeously romantic tale of love lost and found has been getting rave reviews and is being screened in SA as part of “The 18th Met: Live in HD” series. It features Nadine Sierra as the sleepwalking Amina, with tenor Xabier Anduaga as Amina’s fiancé alongside soprano Sydney Mancasola as her rival. Riccardo Frizza takes the podium.
Dates: November 2-4
Venues: Cinema Nouveau and select Ster-Kinekor cinemas
La Boheme | Puccini
Franco Zeffirelli’s lovely production of the ever-popular La Boheme brings 19th-century Paris to the Met stage. Soprano Juliana Grigoryan is seamstress Mimi opposite tenor Freddie De Tommaso’s Rodolfo. Keri-Lynn Wilson conducts.
Dates: November 8 (livestream at V&A Waterfront), November 23 & 25
Venues: Cinema Nouveau and select Ster-Kinekor cinemas
Ballet
Giselle
This production of Giselle — a romantic ballet filled with love, betrayal, and ticked-off ghost brides — is choreographed by internationally acclaimed Maina Gielgud and performed by Cape Ballet Africa.
Dates: November 13-20
Venue: Baxter Theatre Centre, Rondebosch, Cape Town
Tickets: R200-R495
Comedy
Riaad Moosa: What’s the Point?
Comedian, presenter, writer, and actor Dr Riaad Moosa (aka the Comedy Doctor), is touring with his new show, What’s the Point? and grappling with the absurdity of life and the chaotic state of the world.
Dates: November 18-29
Venue: Baxter Theatre Centre, Rondebosch, Cape Town
Tickets: R200
Return of The Hilarious Deep Amazing Joburg Comedy Show with Gilli Apter
Gilli Apter has been performing to sold-out shows across Europe, riffing on everything relevant: relationships, AI, ADHD, kids/not kids, crime/not crime, the past, the future, politics, Gilli’s identity, the politics of Gilli’s identity. It’s a hoot (check out her Netflix show).
Dates: November 25-29
Venue: Theatre on the Square, Sandton
Tickets: R250
Theatre
Barber Shop Chronicles
Barber Shop Chronicles, staged for the first time in Africa and written by Nigerian-born British playwright Inua Ellams, has been getting rave reviews internationally. Directed by Sibusiso Mamba, it chronicles six barbershops in Johannesburg, Harare, Kampala, Lagos, Accra, and London, exploring masculinity, vulnerability, and connection.
Dates: November 6-30
Venue: Market Theatre, Newtown, Joburg
Tickets: R170-R275
Afropocalypse
Afropocalypse is a new SA production, directed by Daniel Buckland and workshopped by the Market Theatre Laboratory students, that won a Gold Standard Bank Ovation Award at the National Arts Festival. The play is set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland and follows a community of travelling players.
Dates: November 19-December 7
Venue: Market Theatre, Newtown, Joburg
Tickets: R110-R220
Far Gone
Inspired by John Rwothomack’s own experience of nearly being kidnapped by the Lord’s Resistance Army, Far Gone is the story of a young boy’s journey from innocence to child soldier, told with humour, poetry, and startling physical theatre. The one-man play, originally co-produced with the Sheffield theatre, returns to international stages after its original 2019 run.
Dates: November 19-22
Venue: Joburg Theatre
Tickets: R150
Music
The Corrs | Talk on Corners Summer Tour 2025
Irish darlings The Corrs are doing their first-ever tour. The sibling quartet have sold over 40 million albums since their debut Forgiven Not Forgotten in 1995.
Date: 22 November
Venue: SunBet Arena, Times Square, Pretoria
Tickets: From R885
