5 Reasons You Need to See Madame Zingara, The Celebration [Review]
Madame Zingara fans will be thrilled to hear that the queen of entertainment and all things bizarre and quirky is back for another tour. This time around the Theatre of Dreams pulls out all the stops and commemorates 15 years of Madame Zingara magic with its latest show, The Celebration starting its run on 7 July 2015 in Cape Town. Of course, it comes as no surprise that the Madame has once again pulled out all the stops to bring South Africans a spectacular show that they will be talking about for months to come. So, if you’ve been ummhing and aahing about whether or not you should book your ticket then keep reading because we’ve got 5 reasons you need to see Madame Zingara, The Celebration.
1. The MZ tent has had a makeover
Presented in the world’s biggest mirrored palace, The Celebration is outshone only by its decadent home. If you’ve been before you will be blown away by the massive changes in the tent’s indoor appearance and if you’ve never been to a Madame Zingara show then be prepared for your jaw to hit the floor. In fact, both newbies and returning fans will be in awe of the beautiful three-storey high, 650-seater hand-crafted mirrored tent which now offers upper-level balconies!
This was my fourth time to the MZ tent and my first reaction, when stepping into the dining area for the first time in 2015 was; “Oh my god! It’s beautiful!” The bar area is also grander and more decadent than ever before with ample seating and standing space for early arrivals wanting to sip on their welcome drink and nibble on their canapes in style. You’ll have loads of fun snapping selfies on all the props and interacting with the weird and wonderful MZ characters roaming about before the show.
2. The show is bigger and better than ever before
After fourteen months of pre-production the Madame is finally ready to blow us away … again. The MZ team have left no stone unturned for this year’s show which is nothing short of sensational. They have really gone out of their way to bring new and exciting acts to South African audiences – if you think you have grown tired of seeing the same types of acts year-on-year then think again because this year the palace offers everything from daring musical performances to acrobatics and aerial acts. Showcasing performers from 11 countries and SA, there isn’t an act that falls short in this year’s line-up.
I also loved that MZ has brought back some old favourites from last year including singing quartet, The Specifics and their leading lady, Cathy Specific (of The Rocky Horror Picture Show fame). They’ve also added some new voices to the mix which makes for some incredible performances.
3. The food is better than ever
If you love dinner theatre then Madame Zingara’s Celebration is a must-see for you! Directed by Madame Zingara founder, Richard Griffin, The Celebration is dinner cirque theatre at its very best. I know what you’re thinking; “yeah, yeah Chilli Chocolate Steak again!” But, this year’s 4-course menu by chefs Heinrich Koen and Linda Beuken offers so much more than just their much-loved signature dish. There are 6 mains to choose from including Roast Beef on a bed of exotic mushrooms, a vegetarian curry platter and Lamb Shank! I also had the best soup of my life for starters and I loved that it came with a selection of cream, spices and chilli so you could adjust the taste to suit your palate (genius!) If you’re heading to the show soon, then I implore you to get the soup!
4. It’s a 4-hour extravaganza!
The show officially starts at 20:00 and ends around 23:30 but if you arrive at 18:30/ 19:00 you will be treated to 4 or more hours of incredible entertainment. There’s always something happening in the MZ tent – from life-sized lamps floating about in the background to gorillas getting up close and personal with anyone and everyone you will never be bored! Even the floor fairies (or waitresses) offer up some entertainment with their constant costume changes and infectious party spirit.
5. The tent has a new home in the city centre
The Theatre of Dreams has popped up somewhere quite unexpected this year – smack bang in the middle of the CBD! Situated on the Cape Town Grand Parade this new location offers plenty of secure parking space for guests and is a lot more accessible for Capetonians coming from all over the city. It also offers the tent more space to breath and allowed the organisers to add so much more excitement within the walls of the Theatre of Dreams including increased bar space and a larger party shop.
Madame Zingara, The Celebration runs Tuesdays to Saturdays from 7 July to 26 September in Cape Town and at Montecasino in Johannesburg from 22 October to 31 December 2015. Tickets range from R650 to R1250 per person, which includes welcome drinks, canapes and the 4-course dinner. Booking is via 0861 623 263 or boxoffice@madamezingara.com. Advance booking is highly recommended. Please note the age restriction: 16+.
