Maynardville Open Air Theatre — Attraction in Wynberg

The show was excellent and the set up was beautiful. The picnic box was VERY disappointing though. We bought the picnic box as the website says you aren't allowed to bring your own picnic or food/drinks however we saw plenty of people that brought their own picnic and food/drinks. There was also no mention of any food stalls so we decided to buy the picnic basket thinking its the only choice. It was really disappointing, you get a stale roll with cheddar slices and salami or grilled peppers (the peppers werent even grilled. Just raw chopped up bell peppers). You assume that this would already be made but we had to sit on the grass and put everything on the rolls ourselves. They roll wasn't even cut and we had to find a knife just to cut the roll. You would expect for R180 per person you would get something fancy like maybe facier cheeses or something but it was honestly just a stale roll with 3 cheddar slices, 3 tiny salami pieces or chopped up peppers, a cold piece of quiche that tasted terrible and watery, grapes that weren't fresh and you still gotta cut the roll and put everything on the roll yourself. This is something I would pack in for lunch for work that costs me R30. If I knew about the food stalls I would of rather gotten something at the stalls and it would of been worth my money, probably even cheaper than R180 and would of tasted way better. The only okay thing this picnic box had was...

This is the best open air theatre venue in Cape Town and it features established and current upcoming local actors, some recognisable from local television. Each performance features an interval during which one can buy coffee or go to the loo. It is traditional for Capetonians to arrive early (around six to six thirty PM) and have a picnic in the park next door before the eight fifteen show. There is a lively water and guinea fowl population that comes around to beg food from the picnickers and generally scratch around, even squirrels join in the mix. Many sacred ibises roost on the overgrown island in the middle of the pond. Generally, popular plays are chosen, like the comedies, and in late February Maynardville is notorious for a light drizzle at some point during the performance. Shakespearean shows are only during January and February, and the audience is middle-aged to older, mostly white. The venue is alcohol friendly and guests are welcome to bring their own drinks, generally wine consumed during the show. People also bring blankets and cushions sometimes to supplement seating depending on needs or the weather. Seating is on plastic chairs. Be prepared to park a block out two away. There is a popular restaurant/pub right across from the theatre venue as an alternative...

Please go see Romeo and Juliet at Maynardville open-air theatre. The venue is beautiful.

The variety of food items are good, bathrooms are clean and stocked, lighting is beautiful and queues not that long.

You can picnic at the park and bring your own snacks, but the vendors are good. Granted I didn't taste many options, but although a picture is worth a thousand words, the quiet comforting mouthfuls spoke volumes.

My only criticism of the event itself is no intermission, it was captivating and I was transported, forgot I was sitting outside half the time. I was there in crutches and wished I did taken the bathroom escapade before the curtain rose.

For those who might be seeing Romeo and Juliet for the first time I am not speaking of the play itself... However, the acting was engaging and if you did not cover Shakespeare during your setwork... this will fill you. You have the English verse come through in their expressions and the music, you don't have to understand all the language to keep entertained and engaged. I had goosebumps during two scenes! It was memorising. The lighting, the sound, the ushers, the actors and the ambience makes for a great work putting or...