Upstairs Downstairs: A Musical Memoir

A first-of-its-kind musical memoir that blends storytelling with lyric readings, original songs, and videos.

“Knock-knock, anybody home?”

For 20 years, Karina Marais and her partner have lived apart together in a shared residence—his bachelor pad upstairs, her retreat downstairs—connected by a staircase that links their spaces while preserving their independence. No unannounced visits, no dull routines—just passion, freedom, and a love story shaped on their terms.

In Upstairs Downstairs, Marais shows how they successfully manage a Living Apart Together relationship where love, ambition, and independence coexist. But her memoir isn’t just about love after divorce—it’s also about passion and daring to dream. Some of her dreams took flight, others fell short, but she didn’t want to leave this world without chasing them. 

That drive makes her jump out of bed every morning, a trait many aspiring entrepreneurs share. Through multisensory storytelling with words, lyric readings, and music, she brings to life the emotions behind love, loss, and the pursuit of dreams in this South African memoir.