Woza Albert! makes a highly anticipated return to The Market Theatre for a strictly limited run of two weeks as part of the Theatre’s 50th anniversary celebrations. The work was first created and staged at The Market Theatre in 1981 by Mbongeni Ngema, Percy Mtwa and Barney Simon. Through biting satire and chilling truthfulness, the creators explored what would happen if Morena – the Lord – were to return to a racist, oppressive apartheid South Africa.


The current version is performed by Hamilton Dhlamini – who also directs it – and Thulani Mtsweni. The two actors move between characters to capture the daily realities of Black lives under apartheid. They highlight the resilience, imagination and defiance of Black South Africans, while confronting audiences with the moral contradictions of the time.


Set to run in the Barney Simon Theatre from 15 July – 26 July 2026, this hugely influential piece of protest theatre is an honest and raw portrayal of the apartheid regime’s brutality as it satirically revisits the ground we walk on today.
Actor-director Hamilton Dhlamini regards the staging of Woza Albert! as an opportunity for the nation to sit back and reflect on its progress more than 30 years after democracy, especially in a high-stakes local government election year.

At the height of apartheid in the ‘80s, which included the declaration of the State of Emergency alongside calls to make the country ungovernable through mass action, Woza Albert! commanded attention globally as a strong voice against the regime. Through impactful performances, the work contributed to the international condemnation of the system, proving how powerful art can be in giving language to people’s struggles.

Almost 50 years later, the play has enjoyed a prolific local and international life, with successful tours and rave reviews at the Edinburgh Festival, Berlin, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Philadelphia and more.
It has also won numerous international awards and is now among South Africa’s stage classics read in schools nationally, and is studied worldwide.


Tickets for Woza Albert! are available on Webtickets https://www.webtickets.co.za/v2/event.aspx?itemid=1597019803 starting from R110, with special discounts for the preview performance, for groups of four or more, and with all Wednesdays at half-price.
Affordable, safe and secure underground parking is available at the Newtown Junction.