Cape Town magician and theatre maker Jesse Brooks invites audiences into a world where nothing is quite as it seems. His new show Paper Moon, directed by acclaimed playwright and director Megan Choritz will be at Theatre Arts from 5 to 7 February 2026 at 8pm nightly. It is a playful and poetic exploration of illusion, truth and the fragile beauty of what we choose to believe.
The creative team behind the work brings deep experience and international recognition. Jesse Brooks has worked across film, television and live performance, both locally and abroad. Through his creative studio, Know Wonder, he is known for crafting immersive, visually rich experiences that reconnect audiences with a sense of everyday magic. He is particularly interested in exploring ways to rekindle experiences of wonder. Director, Megan Choritz is a proud activist and one of South Africa’s most respected theatre voices – an award-winning playwright, performer, director, theatre critic and novelist whose work spans decades and multiple genres, from acclaimed stage productions to celebrated fiction.
Illusion, art and imagination
To Megan, “working with Jesse on Paper Moon has been an amazing gift,” she says, adding “because mostly what we have done is walk around in erratic circles, getting excited, and then Jesse does magic. It’s been my best. It also made me into a completely different human being. Being an activist, Paper Moon has broken me open and allowed the creative light to shine through. How lucky am I?”
Together, they create a work that is an invitation to slow down, look closer, and rediscover how illusion, art and imagination can mend something inside us. For those who believe in magic – or are ready to believe again – Paper Moon is not to be missed.
What: Paper Moon
Where and when: Theatre Arts, Observatory from 5 to 7 February 2026
Tickets: theatrearts.co.za
WS
