Goat

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.

La Bella

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La Bella

Day 1 of my birthday weekend at The Cirk to watch “La Bella – I am a woman”. Big weekend, you have to start strong!

I can’t imagine anything better than The Cirk to kick-start the festivities. It didn’t disappoint. All female cast, so many beautiful, literally perfect ladies on the stage. God’s glory, perfect bodies, beauty incomprehensible. The show beams sexuality. It is sultry, passionate and sexy – to reference Beyonce, oh so bootylicious. Costumes: underwear, lingerie and poles to dance for you.

The female form is a thing of beauty, it is art. When it stretches and bends like elastic, it is awe-inspiring. It stimulates your imagination, it’s suggestive, it makes you day-dream with your eyes wide awake. It’s so difficult to keep your eyes off the ladies on the stage, they are captivating and embody the spirit of femininity. Nothing exists besides them, beauty and talent like that doesn’t negotiate. They are liberated and embrace their sexuality. There’s singing, dancing and a violinist who is absolutely mezmarrizing. Silks, splits, cages that hover in the air and aerialists doing the impossible are a given. They spin in the air like tops, stretch and hang by their legs in the air in a manner that makes your heart drop. Done with a smile to indicate it’s all in a days work. Typical Cirk at their typical best.

I usually have reservations about calling August ladies month because I was born in August and I am a serious man, but after a show like that, sure you can have it. I have no problem with you ladies, it’s your month. I took a picture with the all female cast after the show and you can see the happiness on my face. I’ve never been that happy, ever!

Congratulations to The Cirk for a great show and a deserved standing ovation.

Spring Awakening

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smart

Spring Awakening

Best show ever! Honestly, it’s better than great. It is amazing story-telling. Everything tells a story, from the lights, to the sound and the effects. You don’t even have time to be bored, your mind doesn’t wander, you just hooked from the first moment the actors get on stage. Masterful story-telling, the details, the tone, everything was deliberate and meant to contribute or convey something to the story, it’s content on another level, an example of world-class theatre. It’s Sylvaine Strike, she’s the common denominator, she’s the one with the magic wand, the conductor, I got the same feeling after watching “The Promise”, the feeling of this is the greatest day of my life. Wow! That was a great show! I enjoyed every moment. Ah, It’s beautiful to be young even in Germany, I didn’t think you could do that on the stage, clears throat – Coitus, it was certainly saucy, that moment certainly got my full attention. Thoroughly satisfied, happy there was an interval for a little breather, happy with the overall length of the show, happy with everything, I am in love with theatre. The show is captivating, your eyes are locked to the stage, everything disappears, you get immersed in the story, it’s an experience. She’s the best director in the world. The actors on the stage were amazing, so talented, so in love with their craft. The singing was amazing and the cheography perfect. Everything was perfect. Again, the lighting and sound effects! Everything was on cue. The hours and practice it must have took to create that! They worked hard. It’s amazing, they created magic on the stage with a minimal set. The actors made use of the stage to perfection. It’s Sylvaine Strike, she’s the common denominator, she makes great art, a master storyteller, a theatre world champion, the greatest of all time. A deserved standing ovation and congratulations on the whole team for creating a masterpiece. Thank you Sam for yet another great pass ♥️. SamSays on the credits.

curb your enthusiasm

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Curb Your Enthusiasm

Best show ever! I swear I laughed in every episode, the only show that has ever had that effect on me. Seinfeld was great, I am a fan but I didn’t trust Larry David after the finale. The audience deserved more especially after investing so much in the show and the characters, 9 years is a long time. I didn’t want to see the gang go to jail. It left me with a negative cognitive effect. It looked like Curb was heading in the same direction but it was a mistrial and Larry walked. Oh, Thank God! They really should have ended Seinfeld like that! The last scene is beautiful as we see all the friends together in the plane heading home after the trial doing what they always do – bickering. Much better, great finale Larry. Curb Your Enthusiasm the greatest sitcom of all time. Shout-out Ted Danson, a favorite of mine and JB Smoove is funny as hell. Great cast, great fictionalized characters, funny is an understatement. Larry David is a genius. I am happy with the finale, I am happy with the whole show. I doubt it will ever be surpassed.