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.
Charmaine Weir-Smith stopped being my friend on Instagram. Goddammit! My life was perfect just a week ago and I had to involve Mia Khalifa! A woman who was disowned by her parents and her home country of Lebanon for her despicable acts in pornography. I should have never posted those videos, I think it’s the “XXX” video that did it, could have been the “Strap-on”, it’s far too explicit, but it’s just words and it’s meant to be humorous. Sigh. But I understand, I deserve the expulsion, it’s warranted, the shock value is too high and it’s far too dirty. It’s ironic how I elevated myself above the boy in her play who got expelled for simulating rape in a video that went viral. I sat in my seat while watching the stage and called him an idiot. I even celebrated while his life was crumbling as he lost his beautiful girlfriend. I didn’t empathize with him, I felt what was happening to him was justified. Funny how life works because now I am that idiot son on the stage. That’s how you know the story on the stage was a good one because it mirrors life. Social media is the Devils playground.
Goddammit Mia Khalifa! My life was perfect just a week ago, I had my favorite actress following me on Instagram and now I am expelled like the idiot son in her play! Oh well, life goes on for the “Consciousness of culture”. These are the stories I want to tell. “Expelled” was a classic. Charmaine could never totally expel me because we are forever linked but sure, I’ll give her her space. I still love her and her work. This is the sequel to “Expelled” and I play the idiot son!
Great show, wonderful story grounded in reality. Charmaine Weir-Smith is my new favorite actress, I’ve started following her on Instagram! Her performance was awesome, she killed it! I saw my mother in her. Crazy how social media can be both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand you get to see pictures of your crush, on the other hand it can induce depression with the incessant comparing. Let’s not forget how a viral campaign can make or break you. It certainly destroyed this family, we have the idiot, insensitive son to thank for this misfortune. It was a stupid joke, why would they broadcast it to the world like that? It was easy to care for the characters, I think a family dynamic enforces that. The show was funny and the pacing was perfect, awesome writing and masterful acting down to the microexpressions. It was a performance show and the cast performed! I am also guilty of using Facebook as a form of escapism, it’s easier to live through the lives of others especially when your life is filled with boredom. Rape is never an easy topic, a lot of cringe moments, I was left frustrated and disappointed with the idiot son. I shared in the father’s disappointment. He deserved the expulsion and to lose his beautiful girlfriend, he gets no sympathy out of me. The marital problems of the husband and wife has me contemplating about marriage, is it viable? Is it worth it? Are all marriages like that or is it just a running gag at this point? The lighting of the show was awesome, the lights moved the show, the lighting told the story. I was watching but I didn’t feel like a bystander, I was immersed in their world, I could relate with the characters, I understood their conundrum and like them I didn’t have the answers. I love that there is no Hollywood-fairytale conclusion because life isn’t like that, the human condition is difficult and we improvise along the way, no one has the answers and we are all fated to die. No one will remember us in the grander scheme of things because time forgets. Ending the show with the sons fuck-up was a nice touch and we also saw the notorious viral video, true boys will be boys but that was the worst video I’ve ever seen in my life, deserving in the expulsion of all those who where involved. Yes, harmless fun, boys playing around, it’s a joke, it’s funny, no one was raped but the expulsion is justified, they tainted the schools image and potentially the reputation. I salute and applaud the whole team. That was a classic show, the best. I loved the social commentary, it’s fun to observe, condemn and laugh at ourselves on the stage.
Wonderful story, great sets and the best Jazz music, I recognized the coal stove, worn out door and cohabitation associated with being from the township. A stadium of people can coexist and live together in a 4 room house and that’s the case in this story. Maybe not a stadium but family, extended relatives, girlfriend and close friend. Jewish girl moves in and is welcomed to the family. I love the family dynamic, makes the characters relatable as you can see yourself in their image, it forces you to care for the characters and stay engaged with the story, the conversations are hearty, free flowing and feel natural, dialogue funny, witty, serious, heartfelt and emotional. The show had everything, it was supremely entertaining. There’s a lot of range, textures and layers to the acting. For the most part the show is comedic but it does get threatening and dramatic. I cared for the characters, I saw my sister, mother, father and uncle. The gangster was humanized in a way I had not seen since “The Sopranos”, we got to see what the protagonist is usually like with his family, that made him a bit likeable despite the fact that he is a bad person with questionable morality. Like on “The Sopranos”, his family are enablers of the lifestyle. The mother welcomes a life of crime since his son gives him money. The gangster’s girlfriend, Princess is textbook Carmella Soprano with the lavish lifestyle and like Carmella, she is manipulated and bought with jewelry. She stays in the relationship despite the physical and emotional abuse. She is labeled “A princess of the slums” and as such, she has to take all the abuse, she has no other place to go, she has no other options, she’s living a good life, she’s in, she’s in! For most of the show, it feels like a sitcom, the live Jazz band controls the tempo and creates the feel, the 1954 Sophiatown jazz feel, love the costumes, the double breasted suits, cane’s and hats, it is gentlemanly and gives intellectual vibes. The actors on the stage were amazing, they were convincing, they were in sync, they had chemistry, they had a lot of enthusiasm and were animated and lively. They looked like they were having a lot of fun, they connected deeply with their characters. My favorite character is Lulu, the school girl, she’s funny and I appreciate her perspective. I enjoyed the gangsters performance, he had the crowd at the palm of his hand, he is violent, a bully, exhibits preditory behavior, manipulative and an overall bad person. Oh well, what do you expect from a gangster? Yes he is a family man but a gangster nonetheless. Great cheographed moves with wonderful melodic and harmonic singing, the band are amazing throughout, they are hidden for most part of show by the set (Shacks/Informal settlements) but they are revealed to the audience when Sophiatown is bulldozed to the ground. The depiction of the township is so accurate with the loud dogs and music, it made chuckle. In the end, everybody moves out or to be precise is forced out! Even Princess snaps out the trance she was in and figures she deserves better. Segregation and apartheid prevails and the white Jewish girl moves to Yeoville, ending the chance at romance with her black writer intellectual, the gangsters righthandman Charlie, is forced to live in pipes under a bridge because he is colored and can’t move to Meadowlands. One day gets knifed to death courtesy of a fight he was involved in. The rest of the family gets relocated to Meadowlands. Their movers are unsympathetic, insensitive Dutch men who are on a schedule and don’t negotiate with anyone, they just bring everything down! Having identified with the core characters for more than 2 hours, you feel their pain and helplessness at the situation. In the end they all lost. Amazing story with authentic characters played by actors who executed optimally.
Theatre is female. Daphne opened the door, Regina called me in, Sharon took me with her and Sam showed me everything. These are all my girls, I love them with impunity, they loved me and I love them forever. After I took the “Dress Code” script, I experienced some turbulence. Me and Regina were at loggerheads and she didn’t want me at the theatre anymore. I had defied, disrespected her and my time working as stage manager was done! I was tired of being bossed around, she was tyrannical and condescending. She never missed the opportunity to remind me that I owed her for the job. It was unfair and inaccurate, I landed the job myself. I talked to Daphne, I was at the theatre every week watching shows, the theatre needed help with operations and they approached me to help and I accepted. Regina switched everything around, it was I who needed the job, I was lucky to be there and she was the one who hired me not Daphne. I went with what she said because I needed to be there so I can understand the landscape and be apart of theatre. She started with that narrative very early on, one the first day and she was on top from the very first day. She dominated me, she was overbearing, she humiliated me, every time Daphne paid me, she made it a point to ask me how much she had paid me. After my response she would proceed on reminding me how lucky I was I had that job. I was doing the job, I was perfect at it, I was an asset to theatre and yet I was in bondage to her! She used to tell me every day that this was her theatre. Her demeanor was narcissistic. I hated that. I knew I wasn’t going to last from the first day she took that R100 from me, I knew I would turn on her sooner rather than later. What she didn’t understand is that I wasn’t motivated by money or fear, I was doing this for the love. That gave me the edge to be strategic because I wasn’t afraid of losing the job, I welcomed it if it meant I couldn’t work with dignity. She wanted your balls for that paycheck and my balls were mine. I dislike being micromanaged, I prefer to work with autonomy and space, I will do the job perfect if not I will take responsibility for the down fall. I don’t need to be put down and reprimanded in front of an audience, that won’t give you the best results. The truth is that me taking that script was premeditated, I was being spiteful, I wanted her to see and acknowledge me, it was my receipt for everything and my way of showing her that I was pretty narcissistic too. The script had other uses too, I took it to get close to the cast, I knew I wasn’t going to last at the theatre. I anticipated her response, she was outraged and played the victim when I was only reflecting her, I knew my position at the theatre was secured. I stayed away for a while but I’ll be back.
Now that I wasn’t working at the theatre anymore, I connected with Sharon. When we were together working on the “Dress Code”, she said she wanted to take me with her after “Dress Code”. I never forgot that. I told her the theatre didn’t have space for me anymore and reminded her of what she said. She acquiesced and stuck to her word giving me tickets to her shows. When I talked to her, she was there, responding with speed, attention and care. It would have been easy to dismiss me but she didn’t. When theatre had turned it’s back on me and I had nothing, she was there, she was theatre and she was the best. Her show with Allen Committee “Same Time, Next Year” at Montecasino was awesome, she mesmerized me, such talent, I was in awe and she took me to Montecasino, something that raised my spirits because I was not on the square anymore. I will never forget Sharon Spiegel-Wagner, she was there for me, she’s the reason I stayed with theatre and she did it alone. She did take me with her, after the square, I was at two of her shows. I got VIP treatment, I had the best seats and got to see her and hug her after the show. Only good feelings about Sharon.
I came back on the square to watch some shows and was a regular again. They had some kid who replaced me. Good kid, good energy and we connected quite well but to be honest he wasn’t better than me. I was not intimidated at all, in fact I was relieved. True, I do have a bias that makes me think I am the best but I also give credit where it’s due. I didn’t think this new kid was going to last. I thought Regina was going to eat him up! I was happy he was there because he gave me space to maneuver around. With him around I’d be at the theatre more often and have zero responsibilities whilst engaging and living with the people in the theatre. The last time I was there, I didn’t control the narrative, I worked there for a month and towards the end I was painted as an asshole. A label I welcome because I had to be one. With the new kid there, I’d paint my picture, they would see me for who I was and not through unfair projections that weighed me down. I would interact with the staff and help out where necessary whilst avoiding being micromanaged and taking orders from the boss. It was perfect, let him do the job, I’ll take the credit, my plan was long-term. It worked out pretty well, the theatre was home again, every time I showed up I was greeted with a cold beverage and the staff absolutely loved me. When the theatre was packed I assisted the staff and Daphne would give me something in terms of monetary compensation. It was part-time work but I got what I wanted, I was working with autonomy. The new kid didn’t last, he was my replacement but I was working alongside him. I was doing his job better than him. He was the second replacement who couldn’t replace me, oh well at least he worked for a couple of months. After months of labor, Regina finally let down her guard and welcomed me back to the theatre. She gave me back my R100 and I apologized for taking the script, I acknowledged it was a jerk move and we have a new relationship. The truth is that I’ve been an asshole at times, I did her and the theatre wrong, I am not perfect. Still, she forgave me multiple times and tried to show me what was right. I realize that she fought with me so much because she cared. She was the only person who cared. She wanted me to do the right thing. I love her for that even though at times I couldn’t communicate that. Yes, I was selfish and egotistical but it was a defense mechanism. The world had not been kind to me. She gave me everything, she gave me a chance, she took me me in and I will always be grateful for that. I love her the best. Love flows, we are cool.
One day I came in to watch “Vincent”, a show I knew pretty well. It was their second run, their first run was successful. The show is highly acclaimed and was always sold out. I served as a member of the production team on the first run and I was happy to be a part of the crowd for the second. That’s when I met Sam of SamSays and we connected right away, with the greatest of ease. It was so easy talking to Sam, everything flowed. She was a theatre enthusiast and knew everything and everyone. She reviewed shows and went all around the country. We talked about theatre and the Springboks, the World Cup final was playing that day All Blacks vs. Springboks, a game we won! It was a perfect day, “Vincent” was a masterpiece and we won the World Cup. I followed her on her socials and we have been close ever since. She has taken me everywhere! She recommends the best shows and she helps out in every way possible. No hyperbole, Sam is the best thing that has happened to me in the world of theatre. She expanded my horizon and I met new and awesome people because of her. Her reviews are great and I rate her very highly. I never would have met Sam if I didn’t take that “Dress Code” script, I never would have connected with Sharon Spiegel-Wagner if it weren’t for that script. Taking that script is the best thing I’ve ever done. Theatre loves me post that script.
Spent the day as an observer for Sam, SamSays on the credits. She told me to check out the Gibson Kente lecture. I was enthused, Soweto theatre, of course, let’s go! Always wanted to come to Soweto but I hadn’t found probable cause, Sam put together content, theatre and Brenda Fassie to get me there, that my good man is an offer you can’t refuse – The Gibson Kente annual lecture. Before this I didn’t know much about Gibson Kente so I did my research and learned much about him. Legendary playwright, composer, director and producer born in the township like me 🙋🏽♂️, started a theatre in the township, collaborated with Caiphus Semenya and Letta Mbulu on his first play titled “Manana, The Jazz Prophet” – a play that depicted gangsterism. Sello Maake ka-Ncube called him the “Godfather of theatre” and he trained more than 400 artists including Brenda Fassie and Mbongeni Ngema. Let’s not forget wrote songs for Miriam Makeba and Letta Mbulu. Oh, thank you for the great pass Sam! It was an awesome day, I learned a lot, it was supreme, the Soweto theatre is beautiful, what a design, the colors, the outdoors vibe, the modern architecture is beautiful! The place is a piece of art. A great place to lose yourself, the sound is crisp, wonderful acoustics, I felt like I was in an oven being cooked but it wasn’t hell, it was pleasurable, like closing your eyes listening to your favorite music, theatre is wonderful, performance arts, an imitation of life, art, it makes life worth living because without it it’s just boredom and death. Definitely one of the best theatres I’ve been to, spacious and comfortable, accommodative and bakes you, temperature slow burning, chilled and relaxed. There is plenty of space for parking, it’s easy to get there, outside area to chill and great art to look at. The Soweto Theatre is pretty awesome! I enjoyed the lecture, it was insightful and educative, quite specular, I am inspired, Gibson Kente is a legend, 23 plays and I want to see them all! The subject matters he explored are about everyday living and life, the black experience, township life, human nature, hope, death. He dealt with what it meant to be human and alive, fought against apartheid and believed in freedom and human dignity. It was an experience and enthusiasm reigned, people connected, energy flowed, loved beamed, the lights emitted, the sound crisp and the stream of consciousness was oscillating in a high vibration. It was a day for theatre. All the theatre people were there, I am talking about directors, actors, legends, writers and producers. I also met a friend I was first acquainted with On the Square (Theatre on the Square, Sandton) who produced a show titled “From Soweto with smiles” Mojalefa Mogagabe, a talented creative I was happy to engage with. Kente, the father of black theatre, SamSays on the credits.
I usually come in an hour before the show, to prepare my mind for the experience, take in everything, be comfortable with the scenario, acquaint yourself with the environment and it was not any different this time. I came in nice and early to Jabulani, I love the fact that the theatre is in the township. I made friends. I was home. When you travel all around you realize that people are the same, we are motivated by the same things, we all want the same things, we wear the same things and we even look alike. The faces are different but we still connected, we could still be friends. I even got myself a Kota, what I eat when I am at home. The township (Kasi) is amazing, it’s the people, the community, diverse cultures, all crammed into one, we may be different but we co-exist as one, the pulse is one because all of humanity is one. Soweto is a breeding place for stories, content and inspiration roams all around, it is the place that made Gibson Kente, he told his peoples’ stories, he brought solace to those who needed it, he reflected and made sense of reality, he was a pillar, he entertained, he made people forget, he inspired, he is forever, Kente, the father of black theatre.
Dr. Andile Xaba the lecturer of the program is a great teacher, knowledgeable, prepared, articulate, passionate and has a lot of love for the arts. He grew up in Soweto and knew Gibson Kente, he was influenced and inspired by him. I learned a lot from him. It was a great lecture that covered Kente’s whole life. It was thorough and informative. iComplete and the band were amazing, heavenly voices, sharply dressed in all black, they were the tempo of the day, smooth and sophisticated. The violinist, Tshegofasto Matabane blew me away! She is so talented, showed so much focus and attention when she was playing the violin, it sounded so beautiful. Shoutout to the Artistic Director of the show James Ngcobo, the program was wonderful, it was an incredible day. It was an experience, my taste, while we chilled outside waiting for the lecture to commence we were treated to some wonderful Jazz music, it was a treat. Counselor Lubabalo Magwentshu provided the Keynote Address. Nomathemba Matu a student of Gibson Kente was the guest speaker sharing entertaining stories about his mentor. She shared life lessons with the audience. She is an amazing storyteller and I was engaged, I took what she had to say to heart. Her perspective humanized Gibson Kente, she made him a person. She was relatable. Soweto is awesome! I enjoyed the performances, everything was masterfully executed. The whole event was well coordinated and professional. One word to describe the event, “Masterpiece”. It was honestly the best day of my life. Kente, the father of black theatre, SamSays on the credits.
I’ve been struggling with my own significance for the whole day. 11:11 when I checked my phone, angel numbers, everything is in perfect alignment. I know the ego is a fabrication of the mind. A dirty trick that makes me believe I matter. How many people would miss me if everything turned to black? Who will remember me? What legacy did I leave behind? Nothing, I don’t exist. 4:44 time to prepare for the theatre, Musical Chairs is on. I get to Sandton, almost On the square, the Gautrain station in sight, then out of nowhere, with a lot of speed, from a corner, a car approaches me, I duck but it connects and hits my left leg, shook but I regain my balance, it’s not bad and I don’t fall but it hurts. I look in the distance thinking it’s a hit and run but the driver reverses. White guy, white Hyandai, in a hurry, he wasn’t paying attention. I am relieved, at least he has some humanity. It’s awkward for him, he doesn’t know what to say. I reassure him and thank him for coming back to check up on me. I tell him it’s cool, it’s okay, I can still walk but you hurt me. I was so close to the theatre, I am basically there, I let it go, I escaped, what’s done is done. I shook his hand and limped my way to the theatre to go watch Musical Chairs.
11:11 the show was stunning. From the lighting, music, dancing and minimalistic set. It was spellbinding, attention glued, difficult to take your eyes off the stage. I don’t think I even took a sip of my water. Everything lost relevance, the stage was the center of the Universe. Nothing mattered but the performers on the stage, they were simply amazing. It is story-telling like I have never seen before. No dialogue, no words, just dance and movement. It was expressive, energetic and moving. You understood the story, the story about inclusion, exclusion, relevance, validation – please like me, see me, I matter. For most of the show, the dancers fight for seats because there aren’t enough. A seat means you are a part of the group, a clique, relevance, validation, you matter. When you don’t have a seat, you are excluded, out in the cold, no one cares about you. Sophisticated metaphor about the world of social media. Social media is the pulse of the show. You want that seat, the performers on the stage fight to get that seat. Different dance styles and music genres are incorporated in the show. The performers are 3 dimensional, performing with a lot of energy and passion. They feel it. They are in the moment. They are sweating on stage. They are giving everything they have. Totally in sync, perfect cheography and wonderful chemistry – they love what they do. Now I understand the 4:44, it was a nudge from the Universe, all is linked, synchronicity, I read Jung, everything is in perfect alignment, it was a great day.
Thank you Daphne Kuhn and Theatre on the square for yet another fantastic experience. The theatre is my heaven.
Congratulations Aurelie Stratton, Hungani Ndlovu, Sipho Didiza and the whole team for an amazing show and a deserved standing ovation.
Improv – make something up, think on the spot, go with the flow, zen, Bruce Lee, be like water, be formless, quick witted, puns, irony, sacarsm and it has to be humorous! Let’s break the fourth wall, you there, yes you reading this, listening to this, yes hi, happy new year, acknowledge me, make things easier for yourself, I am not going anywhere.
On the square for the Assembly Improv show, filled to the brim, full house. Was with SamSays, it was a great show, unpredictable, spontaneous, quick witted and so funny. We couldn’t stop laughing, we were entertained from the first minute to the last. What I found to be most effective in Improv, is calm. You have to let things process, be in the moment, respond not react. Reactions are filled with anxious energy and that’s not humorous because you bulldoze the act and spoil the tone of the scene. Relax, let other performers have the spotlight. You don’t have to be in every scenario. Listen – don’t bulldoze and overpower others. Anxiety is nervous and not sure of itself, it roams around everywhere, attempts to do everything, please everyone, and it ends up having the opposite effect because it hinders the performance of the other performers to flourish. Calm is controlled, it exudes power, charisma and assurance. When you are calmer, you can be playful and ironic and your punchlines carry more weight. You listen to respond and not to strengthen your view. There were moments of calm and anxiety in the show. I understood the anxiety, entertaining a full house can be exhausting and emotionally draining. It was still a great show, light-hearted, filled with humor and completely unexpected. The show comprised off 6 acts. They improvised about chicken, boyfriend builders, being a little gay, earthworms and burning your mother’s tyre’s.
I loved the two sisters of Case Closed, Megan and Tash Casey. They had a lot of chemistry and complimented each other. They were quick witted, quirky and humorous. The girls of Mechanics of Chaos were simply outstanding! They stole the show, the audience couldn’t stop laughing, they were totally in sync, they complimented each other, they built on each other’s scenes, they listened and added to each other’s scenes, they stuck to performing the scenario the audience gave them; the boyfriend builder and they looked like they were having a lot of fun. I loved them because they were not searching for laughs, anxiety was not a factor, they were in the moment, they loved performing for the audience and it reflected with their performance. Shout-out Itu Chiloane, Mmasehume Raphiri, S’bahle (Sparkles) Hlophe, Sonia Mayor, Tafadzwa Chakanya, Unathi Shongwe and Zanele Sokatsha for a wonderful set. Shout-out to everybody, the gradient, the off cuts and thirst trap. Thank you Daphne Kuhn and the team for the whole experience. Yet another one from Bronwen and B-Sharp entertainment – thank you. Congratulations to The Assembly Improv show and a deserved standing ovation.
Sello Maake ka-Ncube, self-explaintory, it sells itself, star power, an absolute legend. Which reminds me. Where is his star? I thought I was hallucinating reality, maybe it’s at the corner? Maybe it’s still in construction? I searched and I searched – nothing. The greats have their star but where is his? He is Archie Moroka, Daniel Nyathi, Sipho Makhaya, a gladiator in the world of T.V and theatre, performed and produced the best, what more must he do? Rueful, a missed opportunity. Give the man his flowers. He deserves them, he is ours.
I was on the square for the opening of “The Suit”. Full house, esteemed individuals and celebrities, the excitement was contagious, Covid style. Everyone was infected by the spirit of the show. A story about betrayal, set in Sophiatown. Tells the story of a wife who commits adultery when his husband is at work and is one day caught in the act. The man flees leaving his suit behind. As a form of punishment, the spiteful husband forces the wife to integrate the suit in their every day life, dinners, social gathering, church, everything. What used to be a duo is now a trio. Humiliated at the gazing and the constant talk behind her back, the wife ultimately takes her own life. The show was humorous, gritty and serious, I appreciated the work of artists. They did their best to tell the story as authentically as they could. However, I did have a couple of issues with the story-telling techniques. Great story but it could have been executed better. Too much telling and not showing. Although the writing was great, it was descriptive and emotive. You got the two perspectives of the partners. They shared their inner most thoughts and communicated their state of mind. We know that Matilda (the wife) felt lonely and the husband oppressed due to his long hours at work. It still felt like a recital, a book reading. Felt rushed and we were manipulated into feeling a certain way. We couldn’t come up with our own conclusions. The audience’s imagination was not allowed to roam around.The show needed to be longer with an interval. Character arcs and ending predictable. I never read the book but I knew the conclusion before time because the narration was leading me there, it told me what to think. The show had elements of physical theatre. It was a good show and the character of Mr. Maphikela provided the comic relief, the audience loved him. He saved the show for me. The set evoked the feeling of Sophiatown. The music added an element of drama and the lighting moved the story. Maybe I went to the theatre expecting another “Nothing but the truth”, maybe I am disappointed it was not that. Tshireletso Nkoane is beautiful, I understand the intruder in her marriage. Job Kubatsi and Lebohang Motaung humorous and didn’t put a foot wrong. They were relatable and when we did have a scene with dialogue and the characters interacting with each other, the show was gold. The show had a lot for 80 minutes, the narration of the story compressed and minimized the performance arts element in it. However, it was still a great show. The audience loved it and it garnered a standing ovation. Congratulations J. Bobs Tshabalala and the whole team and a deserved standing ovation.
Reverse engineering, what’s the last thing you see after a Amanda Bothma show? Standing ovation, people on their feet, clapping their hands enthusiastically. A lukewarm response is unfathomable. Using a Star Wars anology, the force forces you to stand elevated. It’s an appreciation thing for what you have just witnessed on the stage. Her shows are a prime example of finesse. It’s the writing, it’s witty, biographical and humanizes the subjects to make them relatable, the writing has a lot feeling and emotion. The experience coops in your mind like a cacoon and you leave the show feeling like a butterfly. Almost witchcraft, it keeps you in a trance where you are at her mercy but then she strings you along a roller coaster ride and the end result is just satisfying. The music usually the best in the world. You can’t help but to get on your feet and start applauding – the force has you!
You gotta love opening night, the sold out audience, the energy, the excitement! I absolutely had no doubts about “A Star Is Born”, I came prepared, I knew exactly what I was getting myself into. I went to the theatre expecting a great show. I went to the theatre expecting to be dazzled and the show delivered. It didn’t take long for me to fall in love with Kerry Hiles, she’s magnetic, charismatic and that smile radiates like the suns ray. It’s contagious, she radiates warmth, she’s beautiful. Amazing performer, story-teller and singer. Her comedic timing is spot-on. She sings with emotion, passion and the delivery – top notch.
Reverse engineering, the show starts off with Judy Garland’s death and chronicles the life she lived. Tragic, she had everything young; success, acclaim, awards but died relatively poor because of his management team, sleeping on fans couches. I guess money and celebrity won’t make you happy if you have never been happy. Instead it stretches out the hole in your soul. Depression, imposter syndrome, drugs, divorces, awards, acclaim, suicide attempts, success, money, failure and the adoration of the world – a hell of a life! Ultimately, she died courtesy of a accidental overdose of sleeping pills. Yes, accidental, an autopsy confirmed it. Don’t understand the beauty standards of her day, movie executives claimed she was ugly. How’s that possible? She’s beautiful and her image is iconic but I guess anything to keep her in line and keep her turning that money wheel. She has been turning that money-wheel for executives ever since she was 13 years old, making them millions throughout her life. Her whole life, she was created by executives. Show-business, it’s not pretty and you have to have a thick skin. All the love from the world can make you feel so alone. No one really cares, you are just a mirage, a fleeting moment, a pay day to exploit. Everyone forgets you’re a human being.
Overall, tragic story masterfully told by a expert storyteller. She is expressive, her voice has range, uses her body and hands to communicate and express herself, she is lively, animated and makes use of the stage to perfection. The singing is top-tier all the way. The lighting intimate, subtle and nuanced but still moves the story. Set minimal with just a chair, three big pictures and the piano on stage. Luke Holder on piano didn’t put a foot wrong all night, he complimented Kerry, they were in sync, they were unstoppable! Great show, will be coming back for Kerry’s smile and her exploits on the stage.
antakalipa 