Seatavern

Set in modern Cape Town, this gripping, darkly comic play follows Thabo Kani’s delusional rise to power. Reality unravels, madness takes hold—don’t miss this bold, unforgettable twist on Gogol’s Diary of a Madman!   Our production reimagines Nikolai Gogol’s Diary of a Madman (1836) with a bold new lens. Set in modern-day Cape Town, South Africa, Thabo Kani—played by award-winning actor Bizo Maxegwana (Best Actor, 2024 48hrMovieProject)—is a low-ranking parliamentary secretary who begins to believe he’s destined to lead the nation. Hilariously delusional yet tragically sincere, Thabo spins wild fantasies into his reality. Staying true to Gogol’s satirical tone, the story is propelled into a contemporary—and unsettling—future. As South Africa’s broken political system collapses around him, Thabo’s descent turns him into both a threat to the state and to his own mind.