by Betty Bangles

Daaaahlings!

I took a trip down to Cape Town and with lots of thanks to The Fugard Theatre and Stage and Screen, I got to see Kinky Boots, and now I have something to say….

I first saw Kinky Boots two years ago on Broadway and fell in love with the show. So, when they announced that The Fugard will bring an original production of this show to South Africa, I threw glitter in the air and did a little celebratory dance of my own. But also, I was a little scared; Will they find the perfect Lola? Will the boots be fabulous? Will ‘Lauren’ be funny?

Well, in true Fugard style, they did NOT disappoint! This show is entertaining, and appropriate for all Walks and Feathers of life, but kiddies under 10 years old, may require some PG.  Before I get ahead of myself, let me tell you what Kinky Boots is about.

The story of Kinky Boots is based on true events, about two people who think they have nothing in common.  Factory owner, Charlie, struggles to save his family business, with Lola, an extraordinary entertainer having wildly exciting ideas of her own.  As the story unfolds, these two characters starts the journey to embrace their differences, to form their unique, and sensational friendship… and their own line of the infamous stilettos, unlike anything ever seen before.

Now back to me… or rather, my fears about this SA production. Like I said, The Fugard did not let me down. Lola is sensational, the boots are fierce, and ‘Lauren’ is a hoot.

Firstly, can I get an ‘Amen’ for Paul Wills’ set design. He used every square inch of a fairly small staging surface in such a way that it feels like you’re experience the Musical on a bigger scale stage. The lighting design by Tim Mitchel also deserves a special courtesy. A standout moment for me was the projection during the design scene.

Matthew Wild gets a kiss on the cheek from me. His direction plays a pivotal role in the smooth transitions of the scenes on a stage with some limitations.  Birrie le Roux gave me life with the costume designs. My favorite being the Angels’ outfits for the boxing match, with those high ponytails.

Darren Craig plays Charlie and Oh Boy, does he do it well. The song Soul of a Man is a tough one, and he smashed it. He can sing to me all day, every day.  Earl Gregory steps into the heels of Lola and do I dare say, it’s his best role I’ve seen him in yet. Gregory doesn’t play Lola, he becomes Lola. He forces you to look at him without saying a word.

Lola’s Angels are played by Tshepo Ncokoane, Philip Schnetler, Chester Martinez and Emile Doubell. They strut their stuff on stage in full fabulocity and makes you want to join them! Namisa Mdlalosa, who plays Lauren is fantastic and completely makes the character her own. Her version of Lauren actually works better for me than the ‘Broadway Lauren’. She steals every scene she’s in and her comedy timing is so perfect… I can’t even deal with it!

Kinky Boots tackle real life issues and pulls hard on your heart strings. It teaches acceptance and challenge the closed-minded. Not my Father’s Son made me do the ugly cry because I could relate to it so much. That is why Kinky Boots is such a loved and important show.

Everybody will find something they can relate to in the story and overall, it’s a toe-tapping, feel-good show.

If you have a heart, you will Love Kinky Boots!

This show currently plays on stage of the Fugard Theatre in Cape Town, until October 27, 2019.

Photo credit Jesse Kramer

[box type=”info” align=”alignright” ] [dropcap]B[/dropcap]etty Bangles is South Africa’s leading drag artist, and a self-confessed theatre junkie. As a created character by artist-in-his-own-right, Bernard Buys, Miss Bangles’ involvement within the theatre and TV industry, stretches from on the stage, to behind the scenes.  Stage and Screen thought it to be very appropriate, to have a musical like Kinky Boots, reviewed by her.

This review was voluntarily done by Bernard Buys, and acted purely as a trusted contributor to Stage and Screen. The views depicted in this review, are that of the contributor, but edited and published according to the established identity and standards of the publication. We thank Betty for the contribution, and hope for many more collaborations to come.[/box]

The post Review: Kinky Boots appeared first on Stage and Screen.

With thanks to Pieter Toerien Productions, we are giving away 10 sets of tickets to Equus, currently running at the Pieter Toerien’s Montecasino Theatre.

When teenager Alan Strang’s pathological fascination leads him to brutally blind six horses in a Hampshire stable, psychiatrist Dr. Martin Dysart is tasked with uncovering the motive behind the boy’s violent act. As Dysart delves into Alan’s world of twisted spirituality, passion and sexuality, he begins to question his own sanity and motivations in a world driven by reckless consumerism.

Equus Competition is now closed.

Please Note:

1. This competition Closes on Friday, 19 May 2019.
2. Tickets are only valid for the specified dates and performance times.
3. Seat allocations are up to the discretion of the promoters.
4. Tickets may not be upgraded, or exchanged for cash, or for alternate performances.
5. The prize comprises of two tickets per prize winner.
6. No-Shows will not receive replacement tickets.
7. By entering this competition, the participant agrees to the terms and conditions.
8. Prizes does not include accommodation and / or travel to and from the event.
9. Winners will be notified by mail.
10. One Entry per Email Address will be entered into the draw

The post Win Tickets to Equus appeared first on Stage and Screen.

by Louw Mulder

During the last 12 odd years, I have written ample reviews about entertaining theatre shows that effortlessly tell the story, requiring no effort from the patron to understand the subject matter. But this is certainly not the case with Peter Shaffer’s Equus, which I saw this weekend at Pieter Toerien’s Montecasino Theatre. This play is higher grade, and I was as excited as one would be when experiencing something you never have before.

Equus admittedly turned out to be the best non-musical stage production I have ever experienced. During this tumultuous journey of two acts, I was offended, confused AF, relieved, I felt compassion, anger, even aroused to some degree, which in fact, for lack of a more appropriate term, is a mind-fuck happening right in front of your eyes. I know this description may raise some eyebrows, but not if you were there, realising the powerful grip a production like this can have on your love for Theatre-Magic.

Equus is a psychological thriller, written in 1973. It once more made theatrical headlines in 2007 when it was brought back to the stage in the West End, with Daniel Radcliff, as the young lead. Even though I went into the theatre blind, and totally unaware of the story, nor the depth of the script, I was anxious to see it. For a South African production to go all out, you knew it had to be good, with the full nudity being a huge hype around this play, amongst many other things.

I make no secret about the fact that I am a theatre enthusiast and not an educated theatre expert at all. So during the first act, the degree of the English text, combined with the pace of the story being told, caught up with me as an Afrikaans speaking person. The story, dialogue and actual acting out of the various subjects, were in its own right very overwhelming, so much so that in my attempt to follow the plot, some disconcerting inferences were made, like hints of bestiality, even blasphemy, which is a personal no-go for me. These inferences of mine proved to be wrong.

Being open minded, my friend and I took some time during the interval to quickly read up on Equus. Since English is my second language, I knew there was room for error in my initial understanding of the text. This overview of what the essence of Equus is, shed some light on the play itself, making it much easier for me to enjoy and thrill with the rest of the theatre during act two.

For me, what makes this production by Pieter Toerien, as directed by Fred Abrahamse, the success it deserves to be, is the spot-on casting of its stars. I already mentioned the full-on nudity scenes Equus contains. Having seen several types of nudity acts on stage before, nothing compared to the ones I had experienced during Equus. With the psychological thrills and the very intense nature of the various subjects, I was completely astonished, by the power of theatre again, taking me captive to put me right there where the story cuts to the bone.

Sven Ruygrok plays the role of 17-year old Alan Strang, clearly challenged by certain psychological issues. The climax of the story, so to speak, unfolds during act two, when Strang, totally nude, is seduced by Jill, also completely undressed, which culminated into an on-stage simulated sex scene. In my humble opinion, Ruygrok here reintroduced himself this time around, as an artist, driven by the passion, dedication and commitment of a true stage professional.

I am fully aware that my awe of Ruygrok’s performance may seem exaggerated, but allow me to elaborate. For me, even the thought of being completely naked in front of a full theatre during an opening performance, is something daunting, audacious and typically not within an actor’s comfort zone on stage. The thing I noticed, which was clearly evident and extremely powerful for me, was that Ruygrok was completely in-character. Ruygrok fully surrendered himself to his role, being confronted by all the psychological elements. I experienced his portrayal of a spellbinding emotional breakdown and full-on loss of control, while being totally naked, as the true art form it is supposed to be. I sat there cold, without words, biting on a finger, trying to process the scenes in front of me.

I want to even further and say that Ruygrok demonstrated in true class, what it really means to portray a character no matter the intensity thereof – in this case referring especially to a scene in total nudity, forcing an overwhelming noise of a full theatre’s complete silence. His nudity was just another costume in the story of his character, in pursuit of delivering the perfect conclusion of the production’s riddle. I was captured by his performance in such a way, I had forgotten he was even naked…

It would however be unfair for me to refrain from mentioning the performance of Monique Basson as the Delilah of the storyline, Jill, whose equally naked performance brought the necessary support to Ruygrok’s role, to instill the sense of reality and power of that scene. But who better to affirm support for this daring role of Alan Strang, than world class South African Veteran Stage great, Graham Hopkins. Hopkins plays the psychiatrist, entrusted to get answers from the disturbed boy, showing subtle hints of being somewhat disturbed himself.

For me there was just a chemistry that sparked between Hopkins and Ruygrok, which made it work. Their characters were in constant conflict, compromising tussles and even though some may argue that there was a notable sense of discomfort between these two, it was exactly that, which caused their interacting roles to be as mesmerizing as it was.

Maggie Gericke, Andrew Roux, Marc Goldberg, Cassandra-Tendai Mapanda and Len-Barry Simons completed the rest of the cast, acting as various supporting characters, but mainly as the life within, and bodies of the horses, very incremental to the plot of the story. Initially, I thought that the well-toned bodies, slim, yet sexy sleek physiques of these actors, were used to create, or even emphasize the idea of a sexy theatre play, with the nude sex scene everyone knew was coming. When you get to the bottom of what is indeed happening, you realize that these sex-appealing bodies, and their intimate, luscious interactions with the disturbed young Alan, were the actual core cause, responsible for the psychological riddle that unfolds during Equus.

At the end, Equus, the powerful, yet deep-cutting play, is a stage production, which was made just more spectacular with Marcel Meyer, Charl-Johan Lingenfelder and Marc Goldberg on Abrahamse’s creative team. Effects, surrounding the fixed set of a stable for the six horses, included effective lighting design, which gave the theatregoer just that additional push into the intended direction to where it should go. Not to mention how the calculated positioning of certain lighting effects added goosebumps to clever choreography of Alan riding his horse, at the end of act one.

With the lights, smoke, simple props and sexy artists, came the masks of horses’ faces, which I think could not have been more mesmeric. Designed in such a way, even the slightest movements and tilting of their faces, could non-verbally tell a tale of its own… No wonder, young Alan became obsessed, psychologically enslaved, and in a way corrupted by these creatures, completely creating some sense of empathy with the audience, for the twisted, and also some scary viewpoints, Alan made known throughout his consultations with Dr. Martin Dysart.

Equus is a theatre play, but in its real definition, a pure piece of art, which means it will by some not be comprehended as intended, appreciated as justified, or even be praised as the magical piece of theatre I got to experience. With so many elements, magical theatre techniques, a story that will leave you cold, and yes, the naked sex scene that turned into the most powerful emotional breakdown you will ever see on a stage, the fact is that you will have to go judge the success of this production, for yourself.

Please be reminded that this Production, is not for the feint hearted and I think that if you are an old-school conservative sceptic, rather stay away, than to be scarred for life.

I have added the link to the Official Synopsis of Equus below, if you feel the need to be informed about this masterpiece, in order for you to enjoy all the theatrical elements of this play, without the unnecessary confusion… lol, like I was confronted with.

Equus will run in Montecasino until 26 May 2019.

[button color=”gray” size=”medium” link=”https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equus_(play)#Plot_summary” target=”blank” ]Click here for the Synopsis of Equus[/button]

This Review was edited by Genevieve Viera

The post Equus appeared first on Stage and Screen.

Uit die pen van Hugo Ludik, Reynardt Hugo en Nerine Gardiner, stel ADAM hulle nuutste enkelsnit, Iets In Die Water, bekend.

“Ek het die inspirasie gekry toe Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters die titel van Mej Heelal ingepalm het in 2017. Ek het gedink Suid-Afrika het al so baie skoonheidstitels verower en met al die ADAM-toere, het ons besef dat Suid-Afrika regtig die mooiste meisies het. Die enigste verduideliking hiervoor, moes wees dat daar iets in die water is”, verduidelik Hugo.

Hugo en Reynardt het die melodie geskryf en toe die hulp van Gardiner ingeroep om hulle gedagte proses korrek te verwerk en die lirieke vas te pen, sodat die aanslag van die liedjie korrek kon oorkom.  “Iets in die Water was van die begin af een van ons gunsteling liedjies op die album. Die mense dans en sing uit volle bors saam. Dit is ‘n trots Suid-Afrikaanse liedjie”, voeg Reynardt by.

Die liedjie is beskikbaar op ADAM se album, Bewe, wat in 2018 uitgereik is.

ADAM bestaan uit Hugo Ludik, Reynardt Hugo en Kyle Grant.

The post Adam: Iets in die Water appeared first on Stage and Screen.

by Louw Mulder

The wonder, awe and art of theatre is very special to the team at Stage and screen. When I visited the Fugard Theatre in Cape Town this past December, the level of specialness was magnified in such a way, that the theatre outing in its whole became one of my Top 10 theatrical experiences in the Inestimable Sentiment category.

It all happened on a beautiful Sunday afternoon in the Mother City, with clear skies outside, and inside, a full house, eagerly awaiting the matinee performance of David Kramer’s Langarm. Revisiting past productions like Kat and the King and Blood Brothers and understanding to what extent the talents of Kramer can go, I was really excited to see this production!.

I got my selfie with the man himself, and was super amped when I found that he was seated right next to me. I grew up with Die Manne van die Royal Hotel, so having the opportunity to write a review on a production with its creator, writer and director sitting right next to me, I felt extremely honoured.  You then witness this purely magical show, which is set in Cape Town’s District Six.  You really enjoy this production with all its elements, and with that sheer glow of theatre magic fresh in your mind, you leave the theatre, also situated in Cape Town’s District Six, with a heartfelt feeling for our country and all the hardships it has had to endure. With the majestic, powerful view of Table Mountain welcoming you to The Mother City… This day was special.

Langarm advertised itself as “He was White, She was not. They Broke the Law to Dance.”, but for those like me who initially thought of this production as just another racial plot of how bad it was in the Old South Africa, go see this show, and then be just as surprised as I was.  Kramer cleverly used facts of that era and events which were evidently close to his memories of that time, and combined it with a love story, to grab you from curtain lift, to curtain call.

I took my chance when we all took our seats after the interval, to introduce myself to Mr Kramer, to get some background on his story. “The story is fictional, but all the adjoining events in the Musical that supports the main story, is based on facts of that time” Kramer told me: “I have done a lot of research to find events suitable for the story I had in mind.”  What is more interesting, is that Kramer admitted that when seeing the show, audiences will realise the love story between Angeline and Jeff, is in fact secondary to the more serious and hidden message he wanted to bring through to the audience.  In the second half , I gradually noticed what he meant.

When thinking beyond the special memories of Langarm, the first thing I remember about this production, is the Music.  With a newly composed score, with its own songs, combined with well-known hits that added homage to the storyline, was phenomenally arranged by the maestro Charl-Johan Lingenfelder.  Maybe it’s just this Joburger from Gauteng, with a soft spot for the Mother City and all her different cultures, to find the holistic feel of Langarm’s music to be a true reflection of Cape Town, District Six, and the nostalgic sounds of the Kaapse Klopse.

The swing band, making music with numerous variations in the harmonies between Trumpet and Saxophone, was another special element, of which I will go as far to be the first one to buy the soundtrack one day. Not just is it the music that added colour to the Idea of going to the theatre in Cape Town, the voices of the artists on stage, were adding more identity to the reminiscence on stage.  I have to highlight the voices of Rushney Ferguson, who plays Angelina, the notable versatility of Elton Landrew as Eddie, and the powerhouse Kim Louis, in the role of Kim, whose story keeps you in suspense till the end.

The last time I visited the Fugard, in my review on their production of Funny Girl, I wrote about how impressed I was with the performance of Cameron Botha.  Needless to say, his name was one of the reasons that made me choose Langarm as one of the productions to see whilst in Cape Town.  Botha plays Jeff in this musical, who has to live through many emotions.  In my opinion, it takes a specific skill of a stage actor to portray so many emotions as distinctively as what Botha did on the day.  I would say that he had an engrossing presence of an experienced actor, and in my opinion I will go as far as to say that I can see South Africa’s next Jonathan Roxmouth in this artist.

Besides a wonderful cast, the enthralling time-capsule that is the music, and the hint of something serious in the plot, audiences can also look forward to see a very clever set-design, brought to stage by Saul Radomsky. The revolving stage makes scene changes effortless, with Widaad Albertus’ design of the costumes, completing the picture.

“I just love working with the Fugard Theatre, and bringing my shows here. Their professionalism, dedication to the art form and passion for the theatre, is what makes it so wonderful to work with them” Kramer told me when I got a disappointing negative answer when I asked if Langarm might be coming to Johannesburg.  I guess we up here in the Gauteng province can’t have it all, and the Kramer Fugard collaboration, must be reason enough, to visit the Mother City at least once a year.  The next one is Kramer’s adaptation Happy New Year that will start in the Fugard’s Studio theatre, on 19 February 2019.

Produced by the Fugard Theatre, Langarm is not just a musical.  It is a variety show of so many elements ranging from the good old Cape Town Sounds, to the joy of an unfolding love story, to even elements of an historic flash-back.  Make sure to catch David Kramer’s latest Musical offering on the stage of the Fugard Theatre in Cape Town’s District Six, now extended to 3 March 2019.  Tickets are available from www.thefugard.com.

The post Review: Langarm appeared first on Stage and Screen.

VR Theatrical expands to collaborate with various artists under the banner Crewworks, to bring to the stage Charles Dickens’ Evergreen tale of redemption, A Christmas Carol, with Jason K. Ralph as Scrooge, and Naret Loots as Everyone-one-Else, in this 2-hander adaptation by Elizma Badenhorst.

Bah, Haumbug! The famous exclamation of Ebenezer Scrooge will be heard this Christmas season at Pieter Toerien’s Studio Theatre between 08 November and 6 January.

This classic holiday favourite will come to life as you have never seen it before, wearing a brand new interactive jacket featuring animation and original music that promises to also be a sumptuous banquet for the eyes, ears and imagination. With original music by Wessel Odendaal, animation by Naret Loots, voice overs by Christopher Dudgeon and direction by Elizma Badenhorst, this play is a sensory delight for any tired soul.

Introducing several ghosts and characters from his past, present and future, the play takes us on an emotional journey from the old Scrooge’s tight-fisted, miserly ways, to the new Scrooge, spreading goodwill and cheer through his generous spirit.

A perfect outing for the entire family, this play is bound to become a family tradition!

The post A Christmas Carol appeared first on Stage and Screen.

By: David Simmons

There is a refreshing satisfaction when one leaves a theatre after a musical with children at its core. Think back to the timeless musicals you have seen not only as a child, but also more recently on our South African stages. The Sound Of Music comes to mind with unique and loveable child performances. Then we have Annie, a powerful leading role by one knockout leading lady who is all action, drive and perseverance. And now, with our newest theatre recruits, all your favourite childhood characters have come to life. Matilda the Musical has gloriously taken ownership in a true Kaleidoscope of colour and show-stopping girl power!

You may have noticed the trend of strong and powerful female leads who withstand their own storms and invariably come out stronger at the end of their journey. Whether these leads are adults or young children, the message of empowerment is particularly clear and unstoppable. Matilda The Musical has a very strong message of acceptance and courage and delivers with showstopping vitality.

It’s always interesting to witness a story that most have come to love from the pages of a book that has been communicated through song, dance and visual characterisation. The effectiveness can be far more appealing and the message more powerful when altered for a live production. In Matilda The Musical’s case, this enchanting story ignites with a huge voice and the right amount of energy for a large-scale, truly unmissable theatrical offering.

Based on the 1988 children’s book by Roald Dahl, this hugely polished and fast paced musical is suitable for a new generation of impressionable young children. With some of the most wonderful and touching music you will hear on a stage, the cast, most of which are talented youngsters, enjoy scene after scene with maturity and ease. Tim Minchin’s music and lyrics are memorable and many of the showstopping numbers have become the anthem for the powerful childhood themes of the show. This coming of age story delivers a masterful and thoughtful script and with its strong message throughout, the appeal is extremely pleasing

The plot is simple and in fact rather sad, but as we know in stories like these, it’s not all downhill and mayhem for the leading lady in question. Matilda Wormwood is a lonely child who reads books to escape her awful upbringing. She is talented beyond her age and is far wiser than her dim-witted parents believe her to be. She immerses herself in the pages of her books and creates magical tales that take her to worlds of make-believe.

There are 3 Matilda’s playing the lead in the run of this musical feat, however opening night saw the wonderfully talented Morgan Santo playing the title role. One can describe her performance as a winning combination of sensitivity and resilience. She is a tiny package of energy and sheer likability and is a huge force on stage. The same can be said about Kitty Harris, who we saw in our second visit to this production. In her professional debut performance, this young talent revealed her true gift for the stage and is certainly a bright young theatre star to look out for.

Huge admiration needs to go to the LAMTA academy, for the magic and professional training they impart onto these impressive youngsters. Their directors, Anton Luitingh and Duane Alexander, also resident Director and Associate choreographer of this tour have moulded these incredible actors into shining examples of the wonderful young talent we have in this country.

Mr and Mrs Wormwood are played by Stephen Jubber and Claire Taylor respectively. Jubber, who will be remembered for a somewhat similar role in Annie, is effortlessly wakey and gives a brilliant portrayal of Matilda’s slimy, small town crook father. Taylor, recently seen in Rock of Ages, is a marvel as always to watch. Her stage presence is truly magnetic and her loud, boisterous and ditzy Mrs Wormwood needs huge recognition.

When Matilda starts at her new school, she meets the wonderfully and sweet voiced Miss Honey played by Bethany Dickson who’s grace and demeanour on stage is remarkable. Both Miss Honey and Matilda have to deal with their demons and tackle whatever insecurities they have head-on, and the sincerity of their relationship on stage, was hugely visible through their professional approach to their characters.

Children’s stories are never complete without a villain and there probably has never been a more shining character driven role than the one given by Ryan De Villiers who plays Miss Trunchbull. De Villiers gave an unforgettable performance on both nights we saw the production and whoever he was channelling came through in bucketloads! His performance is an admirable highlight of the show and if there were any doubts to see Matilda, let Ryan’s performance be your driving force. Miss Trunchbulls flamboyant character in true panto style humour and devilish charm, is so outrageous it’s hard to keep a straight face during her scenes.

The set design is glorious and filled with huge amounts of detail and charm. You will feel as if you are floating on the pages of a book with letters and words that make up the entire expanse of the stage. Set- and costume designer Rob Howell adds sparkle and magical touches. There are fast set changes, slick choreography and how can one forget Bruce Bogtrotter and his famous cake eating scene? With a live 8-piece band led by the brilliant Louis Zurnamer, Matilda is one Musical that should not be missed!

Matilda The Musical will be running at The Teatro at Montecasino until Sunday the 2^nd of December where it moves to the Artscape Theatre from the 11^th of December.

The post Review: Matilda The Musical appeared first on Stage and Screen.

Met die komplimente van die Vervaardigers, het ons twee DVD’s van Stroomop om weg te gee.

Die opwindende avontuurverhaal, Stroomop, ook die film as Ivan Botha se regisseursdebuut, is al deur 116 999 kykers ondersteun en het al na beraming sowat R7 434 677 by die plaaslike lokette verdien het.  Stroomop op DVD is nou beskikbaar, en kan ook gehuur word op DStv BoxOffice.

Hierdie inspirerende avontuurverhaal oor vyf vroue wat die stormagtige waters van die Oranjerivier en hulle eie lewens aandurf, is op die Oranjerivier en naby Onseepkans in die Noordkaap, asook rondom Johannesburg verfilm en word gekomplementeer deur ’n sterk rolverdeling: Donnalee Roberts, Simoné Nortmann, Chanelle de Jager, Ilse Klink, Carla Classen en Armand Aucamp.

Hierdie inspirerende avontuurverhaal oor vyf vroue wat die stormagtige waters van die Oranjerivier en hulle eie lewens aandurf, is op die Oranjerivier en naby Onseepkans in die Noordkaap, asook rondom Johannesburg verfilm en word gekomplementeer deur ’n sterk rolverdeling: Donnalee Roberts, Simoné Nortmann, Chanelle de Jager, Ilse Klink, Carla Classen en Armand Aucamp.

Stroomop DVD kompetisie is nou gesluit,

Let Asseblief:

1. Die kompetisie sluit op 7 December 2018
2. Die DVD kan nie omgeruil word vir kontant, of enige ander DVD nie
3. Die prys bestaan uit een DVD.
4. Deur vir hierdie kompetisie in te skryf, ondeneem die inskrywer om die reëls te verstaan.
5. Wenners sal per e-pos in kennis gestel word.
6. Slegs een inskrywing per e-pos addres sal by die trekking ingereken word.

The post Wen jou eie DVD van Stroomop appeared first on Stage and Screen.

by Louw Mulder

After kicking myself in 2013 for only seeing the show once, I was delighted to have learnt that Dein Perry’s Tap Dogs would return to South Africa this year, to showcase the very best in Tap at Montecasino’s Teatro as well as a limited run in Cape Town. This week, I had the privilege to once again witness this high energetic dance show, which taps right into your soul.

Tap Dogs was founded by two-time Olivier winner Dein Perry, and since their World Premiere in January 1995, has toured continuously throughout the world, appearing in more than 330 cities on six continents with sometimes up to four companies touring at a given time. Now, to kick-start their 2018/19 tour, Cape Town, and now Johannesburg, made South-Africa the first country in this series.

Featuring six male tap dancers and two female musicians, Tap Dogs is a high-adrenaline, full-voltage experience which combines the art of tap dance, with an industrial infused theatre experience, highlighted by loud sounds, which are characterized by rhythm and beats. I believe that the Tap Dancing alone would not have been so successful on its own, but when adding it to the idea of Tap Dogs, the lights, the participating sets of the theatre and the entire production as a whole, it deserves all the accolades it has received.

The art of Tap Dancing is showed-off and showcased on various industrial sets, with the inclusion of scaffolding, inclining beams, ramps, ladders, and even a show-stopping scene where six basketballs are used in complete rhythmic balance to the tap. Off course, humour and water is also a part of this show, and to turn things on its head, some suspended up-side-down tapping can also be witnessed live on stage.  The Tap Dogs in this tour, feature Anthony Russo, Nathanial Hancock, Richie Miller, Chaise Rosseillo, Justin Myles, Reid Perry, Sam Marks and Nathan Beech, with the drumming girls, as Noriko Terada and Catarina Percinio.

I had the privilege of attending one of Tap Dogs’ rehearsals, where I had the opportunity to chat to some of the Dogs, as well as their founder, Dein Perry. The reason why this show is so popular, and how it’s gone from strength to strength, is that no show is the same.

“Tap Dogs is an evolving production and always has been. We developed the set that was perfect for the show, so what we do, we build on the show, sometimes remove stuff and then add stuff. We are always updating and evolving the show as we come up with better ideas as we go. In a sense, the show becomes stronger as we move along.” Dane Perry told me.

“We tried girls too once” he added humorously: “But it didn’t have the same sort of dynamics. Tap Dogs has its six guys on stage with their different characters and sort of stuff, and once we brought other elements into it, we found the show to loose dynamics. We continue to build and work on these characterisations so the show will never be, nor has it ever been, finished. We are already talking about the next best thing to add to the show” Dein Perry said.

In South Africa, 2013, the role of Kid was played by Nathanial Hancock, who started tapping from the age of six. Hancock saw Tap Dogs in Australia for the first time when he was 10, and knew that this is what he would love to do. After touring with this production now for the last eight years, he tapped himself up to the role of 2IC, the role in which South Africans can see him in this time around.

The role of Kid in this World Tour, is tapped by 20 year old Reid Perry, son of the boss, who has been dancing with his dad since a young age.  His impressive talents and fire in this production are shown visibly, and his own contributions are well deserved in its own right.

Joining the Tap Dogs team in 2016, Reid had his first international performance on South African soil, during the opening of their recent Cape Town run, marking his 10^th performance during opening night in Johannesburg.   When I asked him if he will take over from Mr Perry Senior, he only said: “Right now, I just want to fit into the show as much as I can, and enjoy it while I can.”

Tap Dogs is one of those International Touring productions you have to see, as it is much spoken off and well-remembered after the final tap. This time, I am not making the same mistake of only seeing it once…

Tap Dogs is a 90-minute energy rush, without an interval, and will run at the Teatro in Montecasino until 16 September 2018, after which it will continue its world tour to Saudi Arabia.

This review contains amateur video material, taken during a rehearsal in Johannesburg.

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deur Louw Mulder

Ons almal weet hoe krities ons Afrikaner mense kan wees, en as dit kom by hierdie spesifieke onderwerp, moet ek maar erken dat ek self skuldig was. Baie van ons het gedink dat die sukses van Pad na Jou Hart en Vir Altyd die norm gaan wees van ‘n Ivan Botha en Donnalee Roberts film, wat maar net nog ‘n Boy meets Girl rom-kom in Afrikaans gaan oplewer… Maar met stert tusAsen my bene, moet ek erken hoe Botha en Roberts diè keer ‘n aangename verassing op die silwerdoek gebring het, waar hulle teen die stroom van kommentaar, ‘n film van besonderse uniekheid vervaardig het.

Stroomop is die nuwe speelfilm uit die pen van Botha en Roberts, met samewerking van Sean Robert Daniels. Aanhangers van die Botha-Roberts duo, sal effens hartseer wees om te weet dat Ivan Botha nie self in Stroomop speel nie, maar dat Roberts se mede-speler in Balade vir ‘n Enkeling, Armand Aucamp, die manlike hoofrol vertolk.

Botha is egter nie uit die prentjie nie. Met Stroomop, druk Botha volgens my sy stempel behoorlik af as regisseur, met Stroomop as sy eerste film in die regisseurstoel. Ons almal het lief geraak vir Wimpie Koekemoer, die rol wat Botha ‘n huishouidelike naam gemaak het in die Bakgat filmreeks. Met die verloop van jare, het ons vir Botha in verskillende rolle gesien groei, en al hierdie ervaring dra nou vrugte, deur ‘n nuwe filmmaker vir Afrikaans bekend te stel. Ek dink persoonlik, dat as Suid Afrika ooit eendag ‘n Hospitaal drama sou vervaardig, Botha die regte man sal wees vir sò ‘n aksiebelaaide produk, na sy vermoeëns bewys is in die spanningvolle hospitaaltonele in Stroomop.

Ek het Stroomop baie geniet, met baie elemente wat bygedra het tot hierdie positiewe terugflits. Wat my opgeval het gedurende die Premiere van Stroomop, wat by Montecasino vertoon is, is dat die einde van hierdie film glad nie voorspel kan word nie. Die storie is so oorspronklik, en die verskillende temas binne-in die storie wat deel maak van die verhaal in geheel, word op so ‘n manier vertel dat elke kyker tot die einde moet sit om te weet hoe die Stroomop verhaal sy sirkel voltooi.

Nog een van die elemente wat Stroomop so spesiaal maak, is die ligging waar geskiet is, om met nog van Suid-Afrika se mooi en aswemrowende natuurskoon te spog. Stroomop is verfilm op die Oranje Rivier in die Noord Kaap waar die storie bymekaar kom met vyf dames wat elkeen hulle eie sielkundige uitdagings in die gesig moet staar. Ek is seker dat nes ek, elke fliekkyker met ‘n waaghalsige neiging, sal lus word vir riviervlottery op die Oranje rivier, omring deur die natuur wat mens net hier aan die suidpunt van Afrika kan kry, met sy eiesoortige, genesende uitwerking.

Ek was baie beïndruk met die rolverdeling van Stroomop. In die hoofrol is Dr Lana, vertolk deur Roberts met Aucamp as Guy, die haan onder die henne. Saam op die ekspidisie, is Diona en haar dogter Nixie, wat onderskeidelik deur Ilse Klink en Carla Classen gespeel word. Dit was ook lekker om veteraan gesigte van tyd tot tyd op die groot skerm te sien, soos Franci Swanepoel en Elize Cawood.

Daar was egter vir my twee noemenswaardige optredes wat aan my ‘n groot glimlag gegee het, as gevolg van hoe hulle karakters vertolk word. Chanel de Jager, speel die rol van Adrie. Haar rol het my die diepste geraak van al vyf dames se stories, en saam met Botha se boeiende Regie, het haar vertolking soveel emosies ontlok, veral met ‘n tema waarmee baie Suid-Afrikaners sal kan vereenselwig. Persoonlik kan ek nie glo dat van de Jager se tonele maklik kon gewees het nie, maar dit wys net die murg in haar pype deur die vermoeë om sulke tonele realisties te maak.

Die jongeling in die vyftal, en ook ‘n karakter wat deur Botha en Roberts spesiaal vir Simonè Nortman geskryf is, is Vivian. Die afgelope paar jaar is daar vele resensies van lof op Stage and Screen gepubliseer oor haar veelsydigheid, haar talente en die je ne se coix, waarmee sy elke karakter persoonlik oor skilder. Met Stroomop bou sy egter op hierdie roem.   Nortman se rol, is daardie karakter wat die ys in die ernstigheid breek. Haar karakter se verdwaaldheid en astrante eienskappe, kon nie beter deur iemand anders vertolk word nie, en met elke stap van haar karakter se groei, het dit vir my gevoel asof ek as kyker saam met haar ontwikkel.

Ek kan egter geen slegte kommentaar oor hierdie rolverdeling regverdig nie. Maar om eerlik te wees, moet krediet ook gaan aan Dawie de Jager, wat met die oorspronklike musiek, elke toneel en natuurskoon ‘n volronde dimensie gegee het.

Met kinkels in die verhaal, en verassings in die storielyn wat mens nie verwag nie, is daar genoeg drama in Stroomop om enige kyker tot die einde te vermaak. Ek is ook seker dat die lesse in hierdie fliek, ook vir elke kyker iets anders sal kan beteken. Dit is ‘n drama met aksie, ernstige humor, hartseer en talle gevoelens van verskeie emosies. Ek is van mening dat alles en almal, onder leiding van Botha, baie mooi by mekaar gekom het om weereens ‘n trots Afrikaanse film vir die nasie te bring.

Stroomop begin in Suid Afrika rol op Nationale Vroudeag, 9 Augustus 2017.

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