'From Hanover Street' celebrates spirit of District Six, marking 60 years since forced removals

The 11th of February 2026 marks 60 years since the forced removals from District Six began under the apartheid government.

A musical commemoration and celebration of the spirit of the displaced Cape Town community opens at the Artscape Opera House on this date.

From Hanover Street is also a full circle moment for the creators and performers of District Six: The Musical, the iconic show which first opened in Cape Town in 1987.

It brings together Jody Abrahams, Loukmaan Adams, Alistair Izobell, Emo Adams and the man behind the idea, David Kramer - "the broetjies and the bra unite", as the production's Facebook page proclaims.

"For the first time, the original performers who each portrayed the role of 'Broetjie' in District Six: The Musical now return and come together as producers.."

Kramer and his late collaborator Taliep Petersen were honoured with Cape Town's Freedom of the City just a few weeks ago, in recognition of their cultural contribution to the city, which includes their collaborative work for District Six and Kat and the Kings.

The idea for the new show had been percolating for a while as the 60th anniversary of the declaration of District Six as a white group area neared, says Kramer.

"It's also the same date that prompted the start of writing the District Six musical forty years ago with Taliep Petersen... And up until that point - since the declaration and the forced removals and demolitions which took place over about 15 years, District Six had become almost a not-spoken-about subject."

Jody Abrahams - just 12 when the forced removals began - confirms this point, remembering what an important journey it was being part of that very first production, which is what got his family talking about District Six for the first time.

"It's something deep inside... and it was only through exploring that story that it was reawoken in the family context... that kind of celebration of the culture, and the music and the people, and the stories."

While he was initially apprehensive about working with the three performers he shared the stage with in District Six so many years later, it has been a great experience, says Abrahams

"It has been a blast... It really feeds my soul; it makes me happy. I haven't been this happy for a long time."

Both creatives emphasize the importance of keeping history alive, especially "hidden history", as Kramer calls it.

"I started to realise back then that there were things that were never represented in the mainstream, particularly with artists and musicians who were just ignored or neglected... I sort of feel a duty to find these hidden histories and to tell them."

As they say in the musical, "we must never forget", echoes Abrahams.

If you don't have tickets yet for From Hanover Street, hold thumbs for the announcement of another run, as the six February performances are sold out.

To listen to David Kramer and Jody Abrahams in conversation with Sara-Jayne Makwala King on CapeTalk's Weekend Breakfast, click on the audio link below: