If 2025 taught us anything, it’s that events are no longer just a place to gather; they are platforms for storytelling, data-driven experiences, and bold creative risk-taking. As we step into 2026, South African eventing is accelerating along three intersecting paths: entertainment that demands immersion, speaker programmes that celebrate authenticity and social resonance, and technical production that blends AI and cinematic craft to deliver theatre-grade moments on (and off) stage.
Entertainment That Pulls You In
According to The Financial Times, live music and theatre are back but audiences now want to participate, not just watch. The traditional stage setup is evolving into a playground for interaction. Expect more immersive theatre experiences, themed “IP-driven” activations and residency-style shows that blend live performers, projection mapping, and reactive soundscapes. Globally, this shift has moved from novelty to mainstream, and South African producers are adapting these models for local content, cultural storytelling, and touring productions.
Locally, artists such as Larry Soffer, the master mentalist and illusionist, are already redefining what it means to engage an audience. His performances transcend the stage, merging illusion, psychology, and audience interaction to create shared moments of wonder. Similarly, the high-energy Drumbots bring rhythm to life through industrial percussion, lights, and movement transforming corporate stages into pulse-driven theatre. And of course our wildly successful Singing Waiters, Arias Anonymous still creates an immersive memory that leaves guests with a memory they’ll never forget!
At Elegant Experience, we’re also seeing a surge in demand for custom-created shows entertainment designed specifically for a brand narrative, venue, or audience. With our theatre backgrounds these aren’t off-the-shelf acts; they’re story-driven productions built to immerse delegates in a brand’s ethos. From Industrial Theatre to fashion-infused performances to dance pieces enhanced by motion-triggered visuals, these experiences keep guests inside the story rather than observing from the outside.
Speakers with Substance
In 2026, speaker line-ups are shifting toward real conversations. Delegates crave relevance and relatability over rehearsed scripts. South African audiences, in particular, respond to speakers who connect with authenticity storytellers, innovators, and disruptors who embody the event’s purpose. Curating panels that include a mix of lived experience, social insight, and emerging technology expertise will be key. Think less “PowerPoint”, more “powerful point of view”.
Technology Meets Theatre
On the production side, 2026 will see the marriage of cinematic techniques and artificial intelligence. Expect AI-driven lighting design, augmented reality layers, and even the emergence of the AI MC, a digital host that can deliver introductions, moderate Q&A sessions, and adapt its tone to audience reactions in real time. Far from replacing human presenters, these tools enhance engagement and continuity, freeing human hosts to focus on emotional connection. From drone shows that replace fireworks to interactive projection tunnels that reveal brand stories as guests walk through them, the line between technology and theatre continues to blur.
The Takeaway
The future of events in South Africa is not about bigger screens or louder sound, it’s about deeper immersion. It’s about crafting experiences where entertainment, speakers, and technology converge to create emotional resonance and lasting memories. In 2026, the most successful events will not just be seen or heard, they will be felt.
– By Clinton Hourquebie, Creative Director at Elegant Experience.
