With music composed, script written and directed by Bongani Titana, Egoli is a musical theatre piece which follows one woman’s quest for her husband.

Madlamini’s search has her leave her home and village to look for him in Egoli, the big city of Johannesburg. 

This show is entertaining and what is particularly special about Egoli is that the musical is fully performed in the Xhosa language and narrated in English. It doesn’t matter if you don’t speak isiXhosa; the performance is convincingly strong and everyone can follow the plot. Next to the impressive acting, the musical is filled with fully harmonic singing that are cultural, rhythmic, African, and heart rending. 

Egoli – The Musical was premiered at the Ikhwezi Festival in 2010.  The show was re-worked and then selected for the Zabalaza Festival 2015 where it won four awards including Best Musical Director (Bongani Titana), Best of the Festival (Best Selling Production).  Egoli was then invited to do a run at the Baxter Theatre and Cape Town Fringe 2015 and in 2016 it had two seasons of performance at Theatre Arts Admin and Masque Theatre.

 "You MUST see Egoli the musical. This is ensemble play at its very best! This show deserves full houses - move away from the hardy chestnuts and get thee to the Masque and watch and learn! The show is simplistic yet real, haunting and humorous. It has passion and compassion and everything in between. Go see real acting, sublime harmony with excellent voices. Support this show it deserves full houses." 

Audience Responses

Hi Sue: I bought the tickets for Fortune and wife Tamara as his birthday present and they enjoyed it very much. (Fortune is my employee). So I now also bought tickets for him to take his 3-yr old on Friday morning to Dassie's tale (also birthday present for his son Bright). I'm sure the latter is going to love it.

I attended the performance with my friend from Vienna - we both could follow the plot without any problems and were thrilled by the performance truly enjoyed the wonderful music!

Absolutely brilliantl! Amazing cast and such beautiful singing and acting - we were blown away by this moving story...

Amazing, powerful beautiful voices heart wrenching, talented cast loved it

felt so sorry for them - badly attended - was touched at the end when they sat there asking for advice - hope they go far and well done for supporting them

A very enjoyable evening. Lovely singing, good acting and also funny. The cast gave it all and fast changing of different roles, no dull moments. Even if we did not understand the language, we got the story (including the train). Definitely to be recommended. So sad if people of Strand and Somerset West will miss this show. The only negative part was that we could not hear some of the explanation in English (due to a bit too load signing at those times). But value for money.

Some English commentary.?