By Louw Mulder

You see the posters, two of South African Theatre giants in drag. You get convinced to go see this show, just because of VR Theatrical’s reputation. Half way through the first act, you think, “What am I watching”. At the end, when the actors take their final bow, you are saying: “I have to come see this again.”

With effects that totally hypnotise the naked eye, The Mysteries of Irma Vep recently entertained the audiences of Johannesburg with huge success. Presented by special arrangement with Samuel French by VR Theatrical, audiences in Cape Town are next to be in for a treat.

Two actors are responsible for portraying no less than eight characters. This will normally go hand in hand with on-stage costume changes, and visible transformation, but not in Irma Vep. The story is about Jane Twisden, the maid, who expresses absolute loyalty to her former employer, Lady Irma Vep. She cannot stand Nicodemus, the groundsman. Besides a funny hairstyle, his only other characteristics, is his peg leg and cockney accent.

Lord Edgar is the Lord of the Manor but also an Egyptologist, who is haunted by the memory of his first wife, Irma Vep. His second wife, Lady Enid, is a former actress, and also the current Lady of Mandacrest. We also meet Alcazar, the Egyptian tour guide, Pev Amiri, the Egyptian Princess and Mummy, as well as an Intruder, who… intrudes. But what about the lead role, as indicated in the title of this play? That, is the mystery.

Craziness is constantly unfolding throughout both acts. It is craziness perfected. Two actors are constantly changing, transforming from male characters to female ones, and then vice versa again. Wigs off to the efficiency this was carried out throughout the show. The real magic lies within the phenomenon, that whilst two actors are visible on stage, you are truthfully mislead by the fact that there are more characters backstage… disremembering the true identity of the on-stage actors. This was simply immaculate.

Nadine and Louis Minnaar were responsible for the set of Irma Vep, with the lights in the hands of Oliver Hauser. The score was written especially for this production by associate producer and sound designer, Wessel Odendaal. Together with the stage hands, and the impeccable direction of Elizma Badenhorst, the all-inclusive creative team created a fitting milieu, which completely assisted the magical madness to unfold in theatre brilliance.

It is no mystery that Irma Vep would not have been this successful, without the two giant South African stage names cast in this production. Bringing together a well-known musical theatre choreographer, and our country’s leading musical theatre actor, to put them in a play, might be a tall order. Giving them each more than two characters to play, makes that task even bigger. But giving the talent and the je ne sais quoi of Weslee Swain Lauder and Jonathan Roxmouth, the brilliance of the production was guaranteed from the start.

Being great friends off the stage, Lauder and Roxmouth created the perfected duo to unravel the mysteries of this production. The chemistry, as well as their theatrical skills, knowledge and experience played together like a hand and a glove. The two performances, irrelevant of the character, complimented the other, which add ease to the optical misapprehension of who is who in this tale. From musicals to comedic plays, there is no mystery in our talent in South Africa.

The Mysteries of Irma Vep is an experience that should not be missed. It has the ability to even make the grumpiest person laugh. A stellar all-star cast, with all boxes of professional theatre ticked, makes this production, one of 2017’s big ones.

The Cape Town season of The Mysteries of Irma Vep, runs from 3 to 19 August at the Theatre on the Bay in Camps Bay.

Watch the Johannesburg promotional video clip here:

https://youtu.be/LA1j6s1kHaI

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After much anticipation, the Naledi Theatre Awards is proud to announce the nominees for productions staged during 2016.

The Nominations Reveal was hosted by the Market Theatre and took place on 27 March at the Mannie Manim Theatre amidst great excitement from the theatre industry’s key players.

BEST THEATRE SET DESIGN

Greg King – Suddenly the Storm

Karabo Legoabe – Waiting for Jack

Kayli Elit Smith – Cheers to Sarajevo

Sarah Roberts – iLembe

Saul Radomsky – Bad Jews

Sylvaine Strike – DOP

Wilhelm Disbergen – AS

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Jade Bowers (assisted by Camille Behrens) – Scorched

Floris Louw – Mannequin

Greg King and Shanti Naidoo – Shrek The Musical

Niall Griffin – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Onthatile Matshidiso – Egoli

Sarah Roberts – iLembe

Thando Lobese – TAU

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN

Gareth Hewitt Williams – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Hlomohang Mothetho – TAU

Mandla Mtshali – A Raisin in the Sun

Nomvula Molepo – Egoli

Oliver Hauser – Scorched

Thapelo Mokgosi – 6 Characters in Search of an Author

Wesley France – Suddenly the Storm

BEST SOUND DESIGN

Disney Nonyane – 6 Characters in Search of an Author

Emily Adams – I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change

Gladman Balintulo – iLembe

Lee Brune – Shrek The Musical

Mark Malherbe – Annie

Mark Malherbe – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Richard Smith – Sneeuwitjie

BEST CHILDREN’S PRODUCTION (Supported by ASSITEJ SA) (0 – 12)

Disney’s Peter Pan – People’s Theatre.

Disney’s Junior Aladdin – People’s Theatre.

Khokho’s Treasure – The National Children’s Theatre.

Library Lion – The National Children’s Theatre.

Mr Popper’s Penguins – The National Children’s Theatre.

Ntombi Dreams Big – Alt Eye Productions, Redhill Festival and PopArt

Seussical JNR – People’s Theatre.

BEST PRODUCTION FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES (Supported by ASSITEJ SA) (13 – 17)

Hoopvol – Pit Productions.

Just Antigone – The Movement.

My Japan – Andre Stolz,

Narrative Dreams – Seeds of Water

Shakespeare’s Coriolanus – National Children’s Theatre in ass with Renos Spanoudes

Woza Albert – Market theatre

BEST PERFORMANCE IN A CHILDRENS’ THEATRE PRODUCTION (Supported by ASSITEJ SA)

Gamelihle Bovana – Library Lion

Jovan Muthray – Just Antigone

Mathabo Tlali – Ntombi Dreams Big

Nyakallo Motloung – Just Antigone

Thapelo Sebogodi – Shakespeare’s Coriolanus

Veronique Mensah – Library Lion

Palesa Makhalima – Seussical Jnr

BEST NEWCOMER / BREAKTHROUGH

Aubrey Mogali – Narrative Dreams

Dean-John Smith – A Cock and Bull Story

Edwin van der Walt – A Cock and Bull Story

Daniel Richards – Pay Back The Curry!

Ezbie Sebatsa Moilwa – The Dying Screams of the Moon

Phillru van Achterbergh – Porselein

Wilhelm van der Walt – DOP

BEST ORIGINAL CHOREOGRAPHY

Duane Alexander – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Janine Bennewith – Shrek The Musical

Lennox Sibisi – Umshado – A Marriage of Heritage

Nhlanhla Mahlangu – TAU

Sonia Thandazile Radebe – Sophiatown & Nhlanhla Mahlangu

Weslee Swain Lauder – Saturday Night Fever

Oscar Buthelezi – iLembe

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE / ARRANGEMENT / ADAPTATION

Charl-Johan Lingenfelder – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Dawid Boverhoff – Altyd In My Drome

Eddie Mathiba – Umshado – A Marriage of Heritage

Heidi Edeling & Francois Steyn – Sneeuwitjie

Neo Muyanga – Turned Away and She Was Gone

Warrick Sony & Brendan Jury – Ubu and the Truth Commission

BEST MUSICAL DIRECTOR

Arthur Molepo – Sophiatown

Bryan Schimmel – Annie

Dawid Boverhoff – Altyd In My Drome

Heidi Edeling – Sneeuwitjie

Louis Zurnamer – Singin’ In The Rain

Rowan Bakker – Shrek The Musical

Wessel Odendaal – I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change

BEST ENSEMBLE

Egoli

I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change

Sophiatown

Sherlock Holmes

6 Characters in Search of an Author

TAU

Tease!

BEST CUTTING EDGE

AS

I See You

I Turned Away   and She Was Gone

Les Cenci: A play about Artaud

Porselein

TAU

The Year of the Bicycle

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Ameera Patel – Scorched

Ashley Carine de Lange – Bad Jews

Barileng Malebye – Sophiatown

Lesedi Job – A Raisin in the Sun

Renate Stuurman – Suddenly the Storm

Tholani ‘Khoni’ Miya – iLembe

Toni Morkel – Tobacco and the Harmful Effects Thereof

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A PLAY

Alesandro Mendes – iLembe

Brandon Auret – The President’s Man

Craig Jackson – Sherlock Holmes

Katlego Letsholonyana – Egoli

Oli Booth – Bad Jews

Tiaan Slabbert – Porselein

Wilhelm van der Walt – DOP

BEST DIRECTOR OF A PLAY

Jade Bowers – Scorched

John Kani – The Dying Screams of the Moon

Lara Bye – Oskar en die Pienk Tannie

Marthinus Basson – A Cock and Bull Story

Sibusisi Mamba – 6 Characters in Search of an Author

Sylvaine Strike – DOP

Thabiso T. Rammala – TAU

BEST DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL/REVUE

Elizma Badenhorst – I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change

Nataniël – Mannequin

Neels Clasen – Altyd In My Drome

Paul Warwick Griffin – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Steven Stead – Shrek The Musical

Weslee Swain Lauder – Sneeuwitjie

BEST SUPPORTING/FEATURED PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL/REVUE: FEMALE

Delray Halgryn – Annie

Kiruna-Lind Devar – Saturday Night Fever

LJ Nielson – Saturday Night Fever

Taryn-Lee Hudson – Singing In The Rain

Taryn Sudding – Annie

Tessa Denton – Altyd In My Drome

BEST SUPPORTING/FEATURED PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL/REVUE: MALE

Bongi Mthombeni – Saturday Night Fever

Jacobus van Heerden – Shrek The Musical

Jonathan Roxmouth – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Rory Booth – Shrek The Musical

Stephen Jubber – Annie

Steven van Wyk – Singin’ In The Rain

BEST LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL/REVUE: FEMALE

Angela Kilian – Sneeuwitjie

Bethany Dickson – Singin’ In The Rain

Charon Williams Ros – Annie

Jessica Sole – Shrek The Musical

Kate Normington – Robin Hood and the Babes in the wood

Lilla Fleischmann – Annie

BEST LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL/REVUE: MALE

Earl Gregory – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Graham Hopkins – Robin Hood and the Babes in the wood

Grant Almirall – Singin’ In The Rain

Lyle Buxton – Shrek The Musical

Neels Clasen – Annie

Willem Botha – Altyd In My Drome

BEST PERFORMANCE IN A PLAY: FEMALE

Busisiwe Busi Zofuka – Ubu and the Truth Commission

Busisiwe Nyundu – iLembe

Charmaine Weir-Smith – Suddenly the Storm

Ilse Klink – Scorched

Masasa Lindiwe Mbangeni – The Dying Screams of the Moon

Sandra Prinsloo – Oskar en die Pienk Tannie

Tinarie van Wyk Loots – Plant vir my ‘n Boom André

BEST PERFORMANCE IN A PLAY: MALE

André Odendaal – DOP

Andrew Buckland – Tobacco and the Harmful Effects Thereof

Andries Babalo Mbali – iLembe

Desmond Dube – I See You

Lunga Radebe – I See You

Motlatsi Mafatshe – Mooi Street Moves

Mpho Osei-Tutu – Scorched

BEST NEW SOUTH AFRICAN SCRIPT

DOP – Written by Retief Scholtz

I See You – Written by Mongiwekhaya Mthombeni

iLembe – Written by Small Ndaba & Phyllis Klotz

Pay Back The Curry! – Written by Mike van Graan

Sherlock Holmes – Written by Robert Fridjhon & Bronwyn Gottwald

Suddenly the Storm – Paul Slabolepszy,

TAU – Written by Thabiso T. Rammala.

BEST PRODUCTION OF A PLAY

Bad Jews

I See You

Scorched

6 Characters in Search of an Author

Suddenly the Storm

A Raisin’ in the Sun

Ubu and the Truth Commission

BEST PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL

Altyd In My Drome

Annie

I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Shrek The Musical

Singin’ In The Rain

Umshado – A Marriage of Heritage

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Executive Producer Bernard Jay is proud to announce the completion of casting for South Africa’s first ‘non-replica’, professional production of the legendary disco musical, Saturday Night Fever. “We have an absolutely fabulous, world class company of all South African artists,” says Jay. “The crème-de-la-crème of the amazing pool of musical theatre talent we have in this country.”

Leading the company on stage at the Opera Theatre of the Pretoria State Theatre from September 13th will be Daniel Buys as Tony Manero, Natasha Van Der Merwe as Stephanie Mangano, Matthew Berry as Bobby C, L J Neilson as Annette, Craig Urbani as Frank Manero, Charmaine Weir-Smith as Flo Manero, Bongi Mthombeni as Monty and Kiruna-Lind Devar as Pauline. Also featured in the all-star cast are Joanna Abatzoglou, Cameron Botha, Vanessa Brierley, Clint Lesch, Londiwe Dhlomo, Keaton Ditchfield, Toni Jean Erasmus, Devon Flemmer, Zane Gillion, Nurit Graff, Nathan Kruger, Sebe Leotlela, Brandon Lindsay, Phumi Mncayi, Raquel Munn, Mark Richardson, Phillip Schnetler and Steven van Wyk.

Winning the highly coveted role of the iconic Tony Manero – made legendary in the 1977 movie starring John Travolta – Daniel Buys (Mamma Mia!, Jersey Boys, West Side Story) declared “my inner Bee Gee just came out at the auditions!”.

Saturday Night Fever is presented by The South African State Theatre and Bernard Jay. Direction is by award-winning Greg Homann (A Voice I Cannot Silence), choreography is by Weslee Swain Lauder, musical direction by Rowan Bakker (this year’s Naledi Award Best Musical Director for Sister Act), with set and lighting design by Denis Hutchinson, costume design by Sarah Roberts and sound design by Trevor Peters.

The original stage musical of Saturday Night Fever was based on Nik Cohn’s 1975 New York Magazine article Tribal Rites of the New Saturday Night and the 1977 film. The famous Bee Gees score – one of the best-selling movie soundtracks of all time – includes Stayin’ Alive, Disco Inferno, Night Fever, More Than a Woman, If I Can’t Have You, Nights on Broadway, How Deep is Your Love and Tragedy. The State Theatre’s production is a new version of the show adapted by American writers Sean Cercone and David Abbinanti: “We went back to the screenplay and edited it down,” says Cercone. “The songs needed to carry the emotional journey.”

Saturday Night Fever previews at the Opera Theatre from September 13th, with its official Opening Night set for September 16th. The season runs until October 9th. Tickets are on sale now at Computicket from R150. Visit www.computicket.com.

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