‘ luxurious fun’ that makes them feel something.”
Higgs adds that the line between hospitality, entertainment and lifestyle is blurring rapidly.“ Luxury brands are no longer content with static spaces,” he says.“ They’ re creating experiences( coffee trailers, pop-up lounges, immersive venues) – all designed to bring their world to life. Dining is just the most delicious way to do that.”
In South Africa, both The Luxurious Marble Circus and the Royal Countess Zingara speak to this cultural shift.“ Luxury is now about participation,” says Constantinou.“ Being part of a curated, one-of-a-kind experience signals status in a way that feels deeply personal.”
Behind the curtain
Of course, creating such magic demands extraordinary precision, especially when food and theatre must operate in lockstep.“ Timing is everything,” says De Beer.“ The kitchen needs to be ready for the next course exactly as the last act ends. There can be no service during a performance, so communication between front and back of house has to be flawless. If the kitchen runs behind, there’ s a cue to play another song; it’ s all part of the show.”
At The Luxurious Marble Circus, the same logic applies on a far grander scale.“ Large events come with their own set of complexities,” says Higgs.“ We can’ t close our restaurants during the Circus, so we rely on trained temporary staff.
They go through rigorous preparation to ensure they bring the right energy – because that energy is instantly picked up by guests.”
And at the Royal Countess Zingara, even the servers are part of the spectacle.“ Our staff go through an intense interview process,” De Beer explains.“ We’ re looking for that x-factor: charisma, flair, high energy. They call working for Zingara an‘ extreme sport’ for a reason. The‘ floor fairies’ train with multiple departments, even doing choreography sessions with the production team. By the time the curtain rises, every movement is rehearsed, but it still feels effortless.”
A delicious future What unites both the Circus and Zingara is a shared belief that dining can be transformative; that it can make people feel alive again.“ The Luxurious Marble Circus isn’ t just redefining events in South Africa,” says Higgs.“ It’ s reimagining what cultural experiences can look and feel like. Luxury should make people feel – and that’ s exactly what we aim to do.”
For De Beer, the revival of Royal Countess Zingara is about rekindling the sense of wonder that first captured audiences years ago.“ It’ s the same magic, the same heart – just told through a new story,” she says.“ People want to escape, to laugh, to be moved. That’ s what theatre does. That’ s what dining, at its most creative, can do too.”
As pre-registration opens for the 2026 edition of The Luxurious Marble Circus and Zingara continues its triumphant return up until 17 May 2026, one thing is clear: theatrical dining is no passing trend. It’ s a celebration of food, of art, of human connection.
Or, as Constantinou puts it with a smile,“ It’ s not just dinner and a show. It’ s dinner as the show.” TT
36 TRADE & TASTE / 2026