WELCOME
WELCOME
Etienne Rousseau Theatre (Sasolburg),
Maynardville Theatre, and VR Theatrical present
5 - 16 August 2025
ERT | Sasolburg
Live Theatre. Real Shakespeare. Lasting Impact.
The Etienne Rousseau Theatre (Sasolburg), Maynardville Theatre, and VR Theatrical are proud to present Macbeth - Shakespeare’s gripping tragedy of ambition, power, and consequence - brought to life in a dynamic and accessible stage production.
This version is tailored for high school learners and designed to support curriculum learning in an engaging and impactful way. While Macbeth is currently the prescribed text for Grade 12 English First Additional Language (FAL), the production is relevant and enriching for all learners exploring the works of Shakespeare. Running time is approximately 2.5 hours, including a Q&A with the cast after the performance (90 mins performance, then 20 min interval, then Q&A for 30 mins).
This unique offering is a collaboration between the Etienne Rousseau Theatre, Maynardville Theatre (based in Cape Town and home to the continent’s longest running Shakespeare festival), and VR Theatrical. This is the fourth season of Shakespeare presented by the ERT. Directed and performed by professional theatre-makers, it offers students the rare opportunity to experience Shakespeare live, as intended, with fresh staging, strong performances, and clear storytelling that brings deeper meaning to the text.
Limited season only.
WHY BRING YOUR LEARNERS?
Shakespeare’s plays were written to be performed, not read in silence. This live performance provides learners with a fuller appreciation of the text, helping them to grasp tone, subtext, emotion, and intent in a way that the classroom alone cannot provide.
This production will:
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Bring clarity to complex scenes and language.
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Help learners visualise character motivations and plot developments.
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Reinforce curriculum content through performance.
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Provide a memorable and meaningful connection to the Grade 12 FAL set work and help learners prepare for their final exams.
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Provide further insight through a Q&A session with the actors after the performance.
WHAT DOES IT COST?
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R120 per learner
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Teachers can accompany learners at no cost
Schools are responsible for the transportation of learners to the theatre and back.
STEP-BY-STEP BOOKING PROCESS FOR SCHOOLS:
1. Complete the Booking Form
👉 Click here to complete the Google Form
Fill in your school’s details, select two preferred performance dates or time slots, and provide an estimated number of learners attending.
This estimate will be used to calculate your initial 50% deposit.
Our team will contact you if you have any questions or special requests.
📄 Prefer a PDF? Download the booking form here and email it to sales@vrtheatrical.com.
🗓️ Please note: We will confirm your final performance date and time based on the number of schools that book and whether a performance is scheduled for that day. While you may select preferred time slots, we cannot guarantee a performance on that date as it depends on seat availability and other bookings.
2. Receive Your Invoice & Pay the Deposit
You will receive an invoice within 3–5 working days.
A 50% deposit is required to secure your booking.
Due to high demand, bookings without a deposit may be released if another school confirms theirs.
3. Final Numbers & Payment
You may update your learner numbers up to one week before the performance.
The remaining balance is due no later than 48 hours before your confirmed performance date.
BOOKINGS & ENQUIRIES
Email: sales@vrtheatrical.com
WhatsApp & Phone: 068 217 8141
Booking form: https://forms.gle/Zd5SyaHPDafvnGBS7
PDF Booking Form: Download
ABOUT
VR THEATRICAL
VR Theatrical is an award-winning South African theatre production company known for producing high-quality theatrical experiences that balance artistic excellence with audience accessibility. With a particular passion for educational and family-friendly content, the company has built a reputation for reliability, professionalism, and creative storytelling.
Our work has been seen across major venues in South Africa, including the Teatro at Montecasino, Theatre on the Square, Gold Reef City, and the iconic Maynardville Open-Air Festival, where we are proud producing partners.
In 2025, VR Theatrical returned to Maynardville with The Tempest, continuing our long-standing relationship with South Africa’s most cherished Shakespearean stage. This follows our productions in 2023 with A Midsummer Night’s Dream and 2024 with Romeo And Juliet, which brought learners and adults alike into the enchanting world of Shakespeare with clarity, and creativity.
For younger audiences, our long-running hit Alice in Wonderland has delighted thousands of children and their teachers as well as our original adaptions of Jungle Book and The Little Prince, were praised for their vibrant staging and imaginative retelling. We are also the original producers of A Christmas Carol, which has become a festive tradition in many South African cities and classrooms.
Our original South African works such as How to Date Like a F@#$%^! Grownup and Dead Tinder Society have sparked meaningful conversations among high school audiences, tackling themes of identity, relationships, and self-worth in an honest and theatrical way.
At the heart of everything we do is a commitment to making theatre an essential part of education - both in the classroom and beyond.
ABOUT
MAYNARDVILLE
ABOUT
ERT
For over 70 years, the Maynardville Open-Air Theatre has been one of South Africa’s most iconic cultural institutions. Tucked into the heart of Maynardville Park in Wynberg, Cape Town, this magical outdoor theatre is best known for its annual Shakespeare-in-the-Park season—an enduring tradition that began in 1956 as a community-led initiative supporting underprivileged children.
What started as a dream by famed ballet teacher Cecily Robinson and theatre doyenne Margaret Molteno has grown into a world-class performing arts festival. Generations of South African audiences have encountered the beauty of Shakespeare under the stars at Maynardville, making it a cherished rite of passage for learners, families, and theatre lovers.
In recent years, VR Theatrical has proudly joined this legacy as a producing partner of the Maynardville Open-Air Festival, bringing new energy and vision to the theatre’s future. Our productions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2023), Romeo and Juliet (2024) and The Tempest (2025) uphold Maynardville’s commitment to educational excellence, theatrical craft, and access for all.
This partnership is built on a shared belief: that Shakespeare - and theatre itself - should be as thrilling, relevant, and accessible today as it was centuries ago. Whether in a historic park or a state-of-the-art theatre like the ERT in Sasolburg, VR Theatrical continues the Maynardville spirit of storytelling that inspires, educates, and delights.
By bringing abridged, curriculum-aligned versions of Hamlet and Othello to your learners, we are not only sharing Shakespeare - we are sharing a piece of South African theatrical history.
Designed as a multi-purpose theatre, the Etienne Rousseau Theatre (ERT) is known for being one of the prime acoustic theatres in South Africa. This non-profit theatre a proud history as a cultural centre and has brought the best local and international performing artists to Sasolburg since 1975. It was donated to the community of Sasolburg by Sasol, to commemorate its 75th anniversary. Sasol also refurbished the theatre in 2014, to bring it up to international standards.
Programming is varied, and national and international productions of drama, opera, and other musical genres, as well as ballet and other dance forms are regularly presented.International artists showcased include Pietro Roffi (Accordionist, Italy), Toeac (Accordion Ensemble, the Netherlands), Charles and Sofia (Piano duo, Spain) Joanna MacGregor (Pianist, UK), Bodhi Dance Theatre (Dance company, Austria), and the LGT Young Soloist Orchestra (Switzerland). Local talent includes Charl du Plessis (Pianist), David Kau and Skhumba Hlophe (Comedians), Nataniël (Musician and Writer) and choirs such as the Drakensberg Boys and Stellenbosch University Choirs.
The Theatre mainly caters for Sasolburg and the broader Fezile Dabi district, but also draws audiences from Gauteng and the North-West, due to its programming and excellent facilities.
Bringing Shakespeare dramas to local audiences has been part of the ERT’s repertoire. Over 4,000 learners attended live performances of Hamlet and Othello in 2019 and 2022 as well as screenings of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) of Hamlet, Macbeth and The Tempest in 2023.