Broadway brilliance at Cape Town’s community stages

Fast-paced musical full of disguises, drama and delightful chaos

Last updated: Thursday, 26 March 2026

What to do when you learn you’re ninth in line to inherit an earldom? If you’re Monty Navarro in A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder, you start eliminating the competition. 

This Tony Award-winning musical is being brought to life by volunteer performers in a co-production between The Masque Theatre and Milnerton Playhouse, proving that grand theatre can thrive on a community stage. Catch it at Masque from 22 May to 6 June 2026 and at Milnerton Playhouse from 19 June to 5 July.

Every year, both theatres stage a range of productions and offer theatre classes for all ages, powered by their volunteer communities. Image: Sara Hassall

LIVE SHOW IN CAPE TOWN

Darkly funny, fast-paced and musically dazzling, The Masque and Milnerton Players’ latest production follows Monty Navarro as he decides to get rid of the eight inconvenient heirs between him and an earldom.

What follows is a wildly entertaining farce packed with incredible music, ridiculous coincidences and razor-sharp humour. Told through Monty’s memoirs, the story jumps between quick, vignette-style scenes as he recounts the scandalous path that led him to power.

Expect elegant 1910s-inspired costumes reminiscent of Downton Abbey and a nimble set design that shifts rapidly between drawing rooms, gardens and parlours as Monty’s outrageous plan unfolds.

The musical features a fast-paced romp full of elegant mayhem, dark humour, delightful surprises and a clever score. Image: Sara Hassall

65 YEARS OF COMMUNITY THEATRE

Founded in 1959 by attorney Bertie Stern, The Masque was established as a multiracial space, defying apartheid laws, while Milnerton Playhouse has been a cornerstone of Cape Town’s community theatre scene since 1989.

For decades, both theatres have been powered by passionate volunteers who prove community theatre can be just as ambitious and polished as professional productions.

Both Masque and Milnerton Playhouse are powered by performers, directors and crew who often have formal training in acting, directing or technical theatre. They now work in other industries, returning to the stage after hours purely for the love of it.

​​Community theatre is where local talent gets their start, like Stuart Brown, a previous Masque actor who has gone on to lead major productions like We Will Rock You and Dear Evan Hansen, winning a Fleur du Cap Theatre Award for Best Lead Actor in a Musical and earning several other award nominations along the way.

The community-driven spirit still defines the theatre today. Image: Sara Hassall

INTIMATE THEATRE EXPERIENCE

Both theatres keep things intimate, with The Masque seating 170 and Milnerton Playhouse’s auditorium seating 112. It’s an up-close theatrical experience where every witty punchline from Monty lands right in front of you.

Tickets range from R180 to R200, making it easy to swap a usual dinner-and-movie night for live theatre. You get to enjoy the magic of performance without the premium price tag.

At The Masque, you can arrive early for savoury bites like pies and quiches, along with sweet treats and cakes. Milnerton Playhouse leans more towards tuckshop-style snacks, with chips, chocolates and sweets on offer.

Both venues have an onsite bar with beer, cider, wine, bubbly and spirits, and you can even take your drink into the shows. Free parking is also available at both venues.

GET THEATRE TICKETS NOW

The show will run at The Masque before transferring to Milnerton Playhouse later in June. To buy tickets for The Masque, check out Quicket (22 May to 6 June 2026), and for Milnerton, see Milnerton Playhouse’s website (19 June to 5 July 2026). 

Cost: From R180 to R200
Book: Via

• Quicket (22 May to 6 June 2026)
• Milnerton Playhouse’s website (19 June to 5 July 2026)

By Khadeeja Adams

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