Goat

Death List Five

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Death List Five

I am not going to apologize for looking out for myself, I am all I’ve got. Ain’t nobody praying for me, ain’t nobody got my best interests at heart. If you strike, I strike, an eye for an eye, that’s the way of the warrior, ain’t nobody gonna do me dirty. If you ganging up make sure it sticks, a coma will only give me time to recover. Pull the plug on the machines. Atrophied muscles will get some activity and come back to life, then it’s death list five time, I am coming for your life. Don’t start wars you can’t finish, cyanide won’t save you from my wrath, I will leave no stone unturned, I will scour the earth for you and I will get my satisfaction. Death list five, if you are on the offense, make sure you get the job done if not I return with a counterattacking maneuver that will take you out, no apologies, no second chances, you’re dead. Coming for everything you love and value too, wipe off your wife and your kids too. Death list five, you’re fucking with the wrong guy, I can be psychopathic too. Revenge flows through my veins. I am petty, spiteful, I hold grudges, I never forgive nor forget and I am coming for your soul. Cause why care for somebody who won’t give you a second look. Why spare somebody who won’t get you off the hook? Why help somebody whose ambition is to get you shook? Death list five, I am death in the flesh, will break your spirit in dash, get you fired and leave you with no cash. Death list five, leave me alone, you don’t want to cross this line, it will get you crucified. I am a cannibal like the King Cobra, I eat my own kind. I will end you. I am not going to apologize for looking out for myself, I am all I’ve got, I will strike. Death list five, I choose violence, let’s beef, let’s fight.

Beauty in the broken

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Beauty in the broken

On the square for the opening of “Beauty in the broken”. Theatre royalty, I love Theatre on the square.

The show chronicles Gaynor Youngs story, she tells the story. Once an actress, she fell 18 stories down an unguarded lift shaft backstage during a show at the State Theatre in Pretoria. The accident left her with extremely serious injuries: brain damage, many broken bones (including both arms, both legs, ribs, facial fractures). She was in a coma for five weeks, followed by months in hospital and a long rehabilitation process. Hearing was lost; she was totally deaf for 18 years. She also lost a large portion of her eyesight and was physically impaired from the accident. Over time, with a combination of therapies (physical, occupational, speech, etc.) and strong support from family, she regained many abilities. She credits her mother for helping her get back.

Kintsugi: an ancient Japanese practice that mounts and joins broken pieces with gold is central to the play. The idea that you can be better than before. Renewal: To love yourself with impunity. Gaynor was once broken, her dreams in the dust and she rebuilt herself, broken bones and all she fought back to get her dreams!

She’s back on the stage, doing what she loves, filling up theatres, inspiring everyone. The human spirit is so resilient. Life is a gift and we take it for granted sometimes. Stories like these remind us of how fragile life really is. How nothing is ever certain. How you have to fight for everything you have because life is always fleeting. You cannot be a victim, get up, show some strife – no one really cares.

A great touch that she was invited back to the State Theatre after many years for a Naledi Award – her speech so powerful. She talks about the woman she is now as opposed to what ifs. There’s love and gratitude for life in her tone. What a remarkable woman!

She tells her story with personality, humor, emotion and a lot of heart. She has an angel on the other side of the stage who helps her. She is engaging and captivating. The set is simple, I can only assume that it’s her living-room, with a stacked book shelf at the back, table and chair on either side and a blue resting chair in the middle. It is warm and intimate. The lighting just right, it moves the story. In the last scene Gaynor’s dog comes onto the stage and she embraces it with love and affection. A truly moving show.

Thank you Daphne Kuhn and Theatre on the square for bringing this to the stage.

Congratulations Maralin Vanrenen and the whole team for a great show and a deserved standing ovation.

📷: Phillip Kuhn and SamSays

Born to perform

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Born to perform

At the Teatro for “Born to perform”, big day, a time perform, to shine. Youthful energy, vibrant, anticipating to get this done, they love it, they want to dazzle and entertain. Stageworxs alumni, everywhere in the world, successful, thriving, living out their dreams. Jessica Driver among the alumni, served in ABBA and the Taylor Swift Eras in theatres all around the world to much acclaim. Today she was handing out the baton to the next generation, so symbolic, powerful. Zinah Rose and Graeme Watkins were outstanding as hosts. A lot of comedic moments. Like when Graeme came on to the stage with no pants. Zinah had them. The show had everything, everybody performed their hearts out, even the kids. Well practiced and delivered with precision, love and dedication. Fourways High, ST. Vincent for the deaf and NSA are the schools participating, Beauty and the Beast featured, Naledi Award winner Neo Kele performed and Mia Nupen was mezmarrizing, she sang and did ballet, standing on her toes, so majestic, so beautiful. Yahto Kraft is so incredible! He stunned Riky Rick and Lira on popular music show “The Voice”, the judges didn’t know what to say, they were pressing buttons followed by a standing ovation by everyone in the auditorium. That is still his content, he played the Evil ring master and Jesus in the same year. This time he sang Meatloaf classics, that’s always great. The crowd was appreciative. Simphiwe Ndhlovu was a lot of fun. There was a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of energy and a lot of people involved in the production. I met Matthew Marinus.

Congratulations Stageworxs and the whole team for a great show and a deserved standing ovation.

📷: SamSays

Pain

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Pain

Pain, pain, pain is in my heart. Trying to put myself together but it just rips me apart. Voices in my head telling me to push the button, cause life ain’t worth it I’d rather be chopped mutton. Every day is a struggle to get out of bed, what’s the use? Life happens without me, it frizzles into obscurity and I am left to watch on the sides observing like security. I am a spectator watching on the stands while life rules me like some kind of dictator. I don’t know who I am and lately I can’t stand what the mirror says I am. Alcohol as a form of escapism numbs the pain, it transports me to a world where everything is sane, supplement that with some white lines and the world just feels insane. Rather that than to be with people who are vain. Abiding to some false narrative to hid the shame. This life is like a sick game and every day is the same. I’d rather be boozed and snorted out on powder, the high is more exhilarating than fame. Pain, pain, pain, it fountains my existence. Often times I wish my life was in the past tense, because I don’t want to do this anymore. My life doesn’t make sense anymore, my friends and family are not with me anymore. I can’t take this anymore, living in a Godless universe with each passing day feeling like a curse. I don’t see the colors in the world and can’t appreciate a poetry verse. I feel like a motherless child, a bastard, an orphan, like nobody wants me. Zoned out on narcotics and meaningless sex. Gambling problems extort me more than tax. Pain, pain, pain, fighting a losing battle with myself. The blows are self-inflicted, I love it like a sadist because it makes me feel. I have a void in my heart that’s hard to fill.

AIDA

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AIDA

At Ster-Kinekor Theatres, Rosebank Nouveau to watch the premier of Verdi’s Aida on the big screen. A production by Cape Town Opera performed at the Artscape Theatre in Cape Town. I can claim having gone to Cape Town, such was the experience. The visuals in HD and the sound crisp, it was like being in the Artscape auditorium. I kid you not 15 minutes before the show, one of my poems titled “Cape Town” got a like. Cape Town is calling my name again, I don’t believe in coincidences, it’s synchronicities, I read Jung.

A grand production this is. It is spectacular! Egyptian mythology, Isis, vibrant costumes, colorful and bursting with imagination. 4 acts, huge stage. The Opera is sung in Italian, English subtitles for continuity and following with the story. The set evokes the feeling of Egypt with a big triangle hovering in the air against a backdrop of a gold wall that has imagery of the eye of horus. A chorus of 56 singers and dancers who are simply perfect. The singing is phenomenal, we were clapping along with the audience on the screen. A masterclass on technique and finesse, high notes are a given but it’s also about the texture and feel. Opera is emotive and expressive. US based conductor Kamal Khan leads the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra.

Set in ancient Egypt, Aida is a tragic love story involving: Aida, an Ethiopian princess enslaved in Egypt. Radamès, an Egyptian military commander who is in love with Aida. Amneris, the Egyptian king’s daughter, who is also in love with Radamès. The plot revolves around love, loyalty, betrayal, and the conflict between personal desire and duty to one’s country. It ends tragically, as Radamès and Aida are entombed alive for their forbidden love. Yes, buried alive for love.

Gregory Maqoma provides the choreography. A must see for Opera lovers. This production is simply irresistible.

Congratulations Cape Town Opera and the whole team for a great show and a deserved standing ovation.

Master Manipulator

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Master Manipulator

If you can’t detect a master manipulator you are in a deep pit. Cause the boss is the one who screams out to the whole world that he’s in charge, right? Please. Let’s fight, let’s beef, cause I ain’t gonna take your bullshit, master manipulator, trying to direct my reality like you’re Speilberg. What is this Jurassic Park? You ain’t get the part, not even an extra nor a minor, your efforts to dictate this picture are infantile like a minor, throwing tantrums and causing scenes cause deep down you’re just a minor. Maybe you need a little reminder, on who’s running this show. Lines blurred out cause they were written on the snow? Playing the victim and the emotional blackmail, what am I slow? Guilt tripping and love bombing to enhance the flow. Come on, that’s a no. I see you even when you Ghosting like Casper, I am a Ghost Buster. Gaslighting won’t give you lustre, you could never be my master, cause you a copy-head, copying and pasting your projections on anyone you don’t want to get ahead. Master manipulator, controlling all the cards, using fake moralization to control the nation, then separate your target, that’s called isolation. Master manipulator, let’s beef, let’s fight, I can’t stand your mere sight. Your mannerisms offend me and your chunks are hard to bite. I’d like to spit on your face for mere spite. You’re a liar, you lack empathy and nothing you do is ever right. Master manipulator, serial gaslighter, puppet master like Gepetto, triangulating the situation so you can remain on top, going over the limit and never having the decency to stop, please cut off the strings so I can be a real boy like Pinocchio.

Joseph and the amazing technicolor dreamcoat

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Joseph and the amazing technicolor dreamcoat

At Pieter Toerien to watch “Joseph and the amazing technicolor Dreamcoat”, LAMTA, Spring Awakening, that type of vibe. An outstanding show, vibrant energy, youthful, defined bodies, six packs, wonderful lighting, a set that illuminates, Egypt, the eye of horus, fantastic choreographed movement and dance and the best singing in the world. It’s an experience, the sound coops you in, high tempo, faster revolutions.

A musical by Andrew Lloydwebber (music) and Tim Rice (lyrics). The story follows Joseph, the favorite of Jacob’s 12 sons, who is given a magnificent multicolored coat. His jealous brothers sell him into slavery, and Joseph ends up in Egypt. Despite many hardships, including being falsely imprisoned, Joseph rises to power by interpreting Pharaoh’s dreams. Eventually, he is reunited with his family and forgives his brothers. No dialogue, it’s sung throughout. I took a picture with Joseph. A big credit to Duane Alexander and Jared Schaedler, the choreography is just awesome. The performers on the stage are incredible. They are lively and expressive, their bodies express liberation. They are free and happy. They do a lot, they become props, they carry and throw each other in the air, they run, they jump, they dance, the sing. The costumes are grand and the lighting moves the story. It’s an experience, you are in, you are in and what a journey it is.

Some of the songs performed are Any Dream Will Do, Close Every Door, Go, go Joseph, One more Angel in Heaven and Song of the King.

Congratulations Anton Luitingh and Duane Alexander for a great show and a deserved standing ovation.

📷: SamSays

WANDA

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Wanda

Hola Wanda, it’s the great antakalipa. I have a business proposition for you. I need Investors for my production company that specializes in content. In addition you would come in as a partner. I have content, I have the know how, I have enthusiasm and the business acumen. It’s small things that are a hindrance. For example, I have a blog “antakalipa.wordpress.com” and I have been releasing content everyday for more than 300 consecutive days, it’s gaining traction and followers but the traction is limited because the website is free and certain features are blocked, I can’t afford a domain name for the blog. That’s a hindrance for the potential growth of the blog because it just doesn’t look professional and the brand suffers. The big thing is to grow the brand but it’s difficult without the adequate infrastructure and resources. I want to serve millions of people around the world with great content. In the future I plan to branch into making movies, music, books, podcasts, animation – just anything and everything with a creative expression. But for now I just want to make the content that I have now come alive visually and sonically, the content must come alive and the brand must grow so I can establish distribution systems that will be enable me to serve. My dream is to create a hub for creatives, I can do it and I will. Depending on the resources at my disposal, it might take a while to turn a profit but when we do it’s going to be forever because we can recycle the content and repackage it without incurring costs for production. We just have to grow the brand, it’s going to take some effort but it will be worth it in the end. Is this something that piques your interest? Are you interested?

Belinda Davids

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Belinda Davids

Day 3 at the Joburg Theatre to watch the Whitney Houston tribute show. Whitney Houston is Sharon Spiegel-Wagner’s favorite artist of all time. Sharon is also born in August. Happy Birthday great man, long live antakalipa, live long!

Sam and Stew have watched this four times and they don’t rule out a fifth. Best birthday ever, I can’t conceive of anything better. I never saw Whitney, however she taught me the greatest love of all. I have made up my mind, Belinda Davids is my favorite performer of all time. Belinda Davids is Whitney Houston maybe even better, sacrilegious, I know, I don’t know what to say after watching something like that. She is truly amazing!

After the show, I followed Belinda on all her socials because I want her to stay with me forever. So in love with Belinda Davids, that voice, the technique. She is so beautiful. She is perfect. I’ve never experienced anything like that, couldn’t stop singing and clapping. The audience didn’t want the show to stop, Belinda escaped. The greatest tribute show of all time, Showtime Australia the culprits.

It was an absolutely great show, some might say the greatest tribute show of all time. Yes, she sings Whitney songs but that’s Belinda Davids! Maybe even better, sacrilegious, but she’s transcended. Belinda Davids is so amazing. Perfection. She sings for the love and not because of fame or a fleeting experience. She is simply technical excellence.

Full house, the audience enthused and excited. Some of the songs performed are: Saving all my love for you, Greatest love of all, I have nothing, I will always love you, One moment in time, My love is your love, I am every woman, So emotional, I wanna dance with somebody and other timeless classics.

This has been the best birthday of my life. Thank you to God for the 30 years. SamSays on the credits. Whitney Houston is Sharon Spiegel-Wagner’s favorite artist of all time. Sharon is also born in August.

Congratulations Showtime Australia and the whole team for a great show and a deserved standing ovation.

📷: SamSays

Father and I

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Father and I

Day 2 at the Market Theatre to watch this poignant and emotionally charged play “Father and I”. A play that delves into interpersonal relationships between fathers and their offspring. It explores what it means to be a father. To have someone teach you the intracies of life, someone who inspires you and hones skills in you so you can live life with purpose and deliberately. To instill good values, to be dependable, honest and trustworthy. Care and support your family. Someone to teach you stick-fighting and being an honorable man. The stories are told in the first person, making them subjective and personal. The stories evoke nostalgia and have the performers reminiscing about simpler times. Tata taking us to Spur every month and buying me ice-cream after school. He used to be a good guy when he was younger but now we are estranged, yes, he has children all over but still. We see one of the performers regress to a childlike state recounting and reliving her memories swinging on a swing. One of the performers recounts his father’s encouragement after he had a bad night at one of his show. He is distraught and inconsolable believing his dreams are over, he even cries on stage, lines are blurred, it doesn’t feel like he is acting, it’s too real. Nido baby formula, sunlight bar and R10 is a heavy fixture in the show, something the father’s did for a while, then gone boys.

‘Father & I’ uses personal stories, dance, song and music to explore the relationships between South African fathers and their children. As an interdisciplinary work, it combines song, dance, music and personal testimony to create a theatrical experience aimed at acknowledging the complexity and beauty of fatherly relationships, with all its imperfections.

Great show, meaningful, executed with care and attention. The performers inhabit the stories they tell, they have personality and charisma. They have hopes and dreams. They have an understanding for life.

Sunnyboy Motau provides the choreography
Music by Bongile Lecoge–Zulu and Matthew MacFarlane.

The actors/performers
Lesego Dihemo
Sbusiso Gumede
Wesley Hlongwane
Afrikamabiyase Ziqubu
Lucracia Magoro
Lumka Dumezweni
Thabang Chauke
Sindisiwe Mjali
Xhamla Samsam
Wenziweyinkosi Myeni

Congratulations Greg Homann and the whole team for a great show and a deserved standing ovation.