West Side Story
Fugard Theatre

© Karen Rutter – Weekend Special: “The stage design by Conor Murphy, based on a concept by the late Johan Engels, is almost a character in itself, a massive Lego set of interlocking pieces, each a scene on its own (…). Coupled with some whimsical touches (…), it makes for a memorable setting.”

© Theresa Smith – Independent Online: “The Fugard Theatre production team have realised a spectacular version of West Side Story at Artscape. Using every aspect Artscape’s stage is capable of, they have taken Johan Engels’ design ideas and made them sparkle. A car rides onto the stage, three-storey high stairwells move on and off, an entire basement is revealed, starry lights fill up the heavens. The entire huge stage is a wide open pit at the beginning, and when they open the back, you see it is even bigger than you realised and your jaw drops just a little more. (…) This is a wonderfully realised, really huge production that dazzles on a visual level and reminds us that wholly South African productions can be even more wonderful that international imports.”