Review: Songs of Migration

I had another date night with one of my sons, Chad, and we headed off to the Artscape Theatre to watch Songs of Migration which have just returned to South Africa after performing in Washington DC, London and Amsterdam. A show about migration - the songs of migration of those who would move across the African continent in search of a new future.

Two internationally acclaimed South African artists Hugh Masekela and Sibongile Khumalo, masterful storytellers - led us on a journey of joy and excitement, sorrow, victory and freedom.  This production was not only about a journey of migrants but the political journey in South Africa.  Issues of prejudice, expectations and township life were laid bare before us as.  Incredible as this may sound, I was faced with emotions and situations that I, as a white South African have never had to experience and had in fact never thought through or faced.

Though many of the songs were in traditional South African languages, so much of what was being expressed was portrayed in drama, song and music. Beautiful music and wonderful songs sung by performers whose showmanship had us laughing, singing and clapping along.  Hugh Masekela's flamboyant dance antics with a wicked sense of humour and a bit of swagger has the audience in stitches.  Sibongile Khumalo sang on par with any international singer I have ever heard.  I felt privileged to hear her sing and perform alongside Hugh.

There were some special moments in the performance that really made an impact on me: at one point the old South African flag was replaced with the current flag and I felt the elation of the moment and the victory.  It brought back so many memories of that eventful day when I voted and knew that there was a new day dawning.  I also loved the haunting melodies played by internationally acclaimed trumpeter Hugh Masekela.  What a talented man and what an asset he is to our theatres! The five piece band were brilliant.  I heard them use their voices as instruments, saw traditional African instruments and was enthralled by the violinist.

I would have liked to have had a translator sitting next to me as I felt at a distinct disadvantage not knowing what they were singing about and some of the dances were clearly significant in their movements and style. Chad struggled with this production because of not understanding a lot of what was happening due to his age. I know Declan who is 12 would have enjoyed this more.  With the added element of no intermission which surprised me,  it was just far too much to expect from him.  Too much for an 8 year old - especially a boy with so much energy!  I was taken by surprise as at one point Hugh swore very crudely which took me by surprise but thank goodness my son didn't seem to notice it too much.  There were also a few sexual movements and connotations which I didn't think were appropriate for a child to see.

I also stumbled on this short video on You Tube where both Hugh and Sibongile were interviewed on the Expresso Show.

Review: The Sewing Machine starring Sandra Prinsloo at the Baxter Theatre

Going to theatre at the Baxter is always an amazing experience.  There is a vibrancy, life and creativity about theatre.  I so enjoy arriving early, sitting and having a glass of wine and watching the colourful theatre lovers arriving to a night out.

Tonight's treat was in the Golden Arrow Theatre.  It's much smaller than the main theatre and I know that when we are in this smaller breakaway theatre that we are in for a treat because what we are presented with something intimate and dramatic.

We were not disappointed.  The Sewing Machine, performed by Sandra Prinsloo had me laughing, frowning,  crying, smiling and even feeling guilty - an array of emotions.  Sandra Prinsloo portrays an old lady in her 80's who is waiting for someone to come and fetch her sewing machine.  And while she waits she talks to us, the audience, about her life - about moments of joy, anger, tragedy and loneliness. She's hauntingly familiar as anyone's grandmother found in the numerous old age homes found in South Africa.  Special individuals who lived in South Africa during the apartheid era, and now living in a "new" South Africa.  She's endured and experienced so much and many of these experiences are familiar to us as moms - the joy of a new baby, the struggles of dealing with conflict with a child, having to confront the fact that her son has chosen an alternative lifestyle, marital conflict with her conservative husband Tielman, losing a child to a crippling disease, aging and the loneliness that comes with it.  I might have small children but I was drawn into examining my own relationship with my mother, grandmother and even my own children.

Her sewing machine - a Bernina, known as Miss Muffet - is carefully and lovingly cleaned and prepared for it's collection, as we are invited into her life.  And it feels so real, I sat there at times wondering whether she was talking to me.  What a masterful actress! At times it felt surreal, with clever use of recorded voices over the sounds system as we listened to excerpts from her memory.  It felt like we were there with her, remembering. The stage seemed so familiar - like any room in an retirement home - with an old dresser, her Bernina, an old radio.  Even the way the way she dresses is so common amongst our South African aged, the thick stockings, the practical plain shoes, even the skirt-jacket suit - all speaks of an age gone by.

The play won the Nagtegaal Playwright’s Competition award when it first opened in March 2009 and its success was immediate, overwhelming and undisputed. Further accolades include two Fleur du Cap awards - one for Best Performance by an Actress (Prinsloo) and one for Best New South African Script. Since its inception four years ago Die Naaimasjien has traveled throughout the country and has been performed more than 250 times.

It was a masterful performance and a show I would highly recommend.!  I would take a couple of tissues though:)

Out and About: Baxter Theatre: 8th Baxter Dance Festival

Well it was date night with Ethan and we headed to the Baxter Theatre for the opening night of the 8th Baxter Dance Festival.  Date nights with my boys are always an event, and theatre ones are always winners and this was no exception. 

It took us about 15 photos to finally get both our heads in, we were laughing so hard because we kept chopping parts of us off.

 The Baxter Theatre is a lovely place to spend an evening.  With their restaurant, bar area where you can purchase a couple of savoury snacks, lots of interesting people milling around, its just the place to be for an evening rich in sensory experiences. 

Umnikelo "Offering"

 

We attending a performance showcasing the Vuyani Dance Theatre Project where they performed two pieces - Umnikelo "Offering" and Mayhem.  Umnikelo was magnificent.  If I were to categorise the type of dancing I would say it was a mixture of a African, modern and ballet.  It was incredibly intense.  The music, the lighting, the costumes, even the fact that all the dancers had shaved heads, created a visual effect that was both moving and effective.  The backup musicians produced haunting rhythmic sounds while one of the dancers joined in with deep throaty vocals.  When they finished this part of the show they received a standing ovation for the incredible performance.  Dramatic dance at its finest.

After a brief intermission, we watched the second half Mayhem.  Ethan enjoyed this half because of the humour, however I found this to be in stark contrast to the excellent first half.  The dancers' dramatisation of those who are institutionalised was well performed but I wasn't sure whether I should laugh or get upset at the way in which these people were being presented, though very stereotypical.  It surely reflected on their ability to be versatile if not necessarily original.

Special mention needs to be made of Luyanda Sidiya who delivered a phenomenal performance which can only be expected from someone who has won titles like "Best Male Dancer" at the Dance Manyano Awards and the "Most Outstanding Dancer in Contemporary Style for Dance at the Umbrella Festival.
Also Gregory Maqoma, the founder of the Vuyani Dance Theatre Project who himself is an internationally renowned dancer, choreographer, director and scriptwriter.


Showcasing dance companies and choreographers, the 8th Baxter Dance Festival is scheduled to run from the 4 - 13 October 2012.  With such a variety of shows to choose from, you will be spoilt for choice. 

Out and About: The Baxter Theatre: Worst of Both Worlds

I could quickly see why this play, Worst of Both Worlds, written and directed by Bulelani Mabutyana and starring Lubabalo Nontwana and Thando Suselo were the winners of the Zabalaza Theatre Festival for 2012.  Though both young actors (21 and 19) - they delivered a remarkable performance in this story of a girl who is abducted and trafficked at a young age, growing up under slavery, abuse and prostitution.  

I was led down the road of innocence in a town - Khayelitsha, where a young Xhosa girl's life is dramatically changed from a life of song and laughter, to abduction, abuse and prostitution.  I sat riveted in my seat as I felt my emotions rise and fall:  laughter, horror, pain, empathy, even anger.  I took offense at the violence and language of the child traffickers.  And yet hoped with her as she attempted to escape from those who would enslave her.  I wept with her when she found her family and then the subsequent sadness and sense of loss.

Though I have seen various productions at different theatres, none has touched me to my core as this one did.  Child trafficking is never a comfortable subject, and this production did nothing to hide its destruction.  And even with the humour which at times almost seemed uncomfortable, out of place - there was a grim reminder of the reality of the situation in our country and many others.  

Both Lubabalo and Thando, transformed into a multitude of characters, through changes in lighting, voice and mannerisms in a blink of an eye while never physically changing their appearance (they wore very simple clothing that you eventually didn't even notice, their performance was so gripping).  A simple set of a single table and chair was transformed before me with clever and effective lighting and some unusual changes in position.  I love well designed beautiful sets - pretty things and yet, what they achieved was beyond paint and canvas.  


After the performance we were privileged to be invited to the the Baxter Restaurant and while we were there I had the opportunity to chat to the writer and director of Worst of Both Worlds, Bulelani Mabutyana.  I asked him why he had chosen this specific topic and what I discovered is that he had personally lost his cousin in a similar way and some of his close friends too.  And then it really made me realise why there was so much depth and meaning to so much of what I had seen.    I find his own story, made this production even more meaningful to me!  How someone could take so much of what he had been through and present it to us, the audience. What a remarkable man, writer and director!

Worst of Both Worlds will be performed at the Baxter Theatre in the Golden Arrow Studio for the next two weeks from the 24th July to 4th of August at 7pm.   And if you book on a Friday night you can buy your ticket and have a meal at the Baxter Restaurant for only R100 per person.


This is not suitable for children under 13 and with good reason.  The language of the child traffickers and though a fair amount of symbolism is used, the reality is that the issues that are being presented are not sugar coated or to be made to look pretty but rather a stark reality.

Out and About: The Baxter Theatre: Imperial Russian Ballet

Though I normally write the Reviews for my own blog, I decided to give my husband the platform to give his impressions of the Imperial Russian Ballet.  After all, a man's opinion on this ballet might give a different perspective.

The Russian Ballet Delights

A close to full house packed the main hall at the Baxter Theatre in Cape Town last night as my wife and I attended  the premier of the the Imperial Russian Ballet in Cape Town after completing performances in Bloemfontein, Durban, East London and Port Elizabeth.  We were privileged to meet the man behind the company, Edouard Miasnikov - a wonderfully entertaining and warm individual who professed to be a real lover of Durban. Apparently this is his favourite spot in South Africa, mostly due to the warm waters he enjoys frequenting while on tour in South Africa.  His love for this country is one of the many reasons he continues to return our shores with groups like The Bolshoi Ballet, The Ice Revue from Moscow - Kaleidoscope, The Moscow State Classical Ballet and so many more.

 

From the onset Act I, Carmina Burana was unlike anything I've seen before.  There were hints of raw passion, humour and emotion.  Dancers in a mystical folklorish setting, dancing across the stage in dazzling costumes (by Andrey Zlobin) left my wife and I speechless.  The Russian Ballet is unlike any other style of ballet (according to Edouard Miasnikov) - and I had to agree having watched my sister perform for 20 years in South African ballets in schools and shows. This powerful piece was like watching ballet for the first time; leaving one feeling astounded, amazed and impressed, all at the same time.

We were seated amongst other members of the press and media and judging by their ooh's and aah's and bravos after various scenes, we were not the only ones who were impressed. The ballet dancers are notably professional,  with years of grooming evident in their poise and capabilities.  Under the superb directorship of Gediminas Taranda, the first act proved to be a surprising and intriguing start to the Russian Imperial Ballet. 

After what seemed like just a moment, the first act was over and  it was time to grab a drink and some snacks from the well catered services at the Baxter Theatre and mingle with a real assortment of moms, dads, some children and the young crowd out to enjoy an evening out on town.  Ballet seems to be popular among such a varied group of people and is something I think everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime.  Watching the ballet conjures up emotions and feelings unlike any other that one would experience, watching a rugby game or some other form of entertainment that South Africans may be more accustomed to.

 

The second act , Walpurgis Night followed by various pieces from the original classic performances such as Swan Lake, Don Quixote and Sleeping Beauty was a spectacular delight.

For me, the highlight of the ballet were two individual pieces.

The first being Anna Pashkova, who performed barefooted to the haunting music of Don’t Leave Me by Zhak Brell .  Anna commanded the stage with her ability and interpretation of the music leaving the audience spellbound.

The other individual piece, was that of  the dying swan of "Swan Lake" performed by Oxana Sharova. I forgot for a moment that I was part of the audience.  The combination of music, on stage mist and an exquisite performance - make this scene come alive for me.

Though I have focused on 2 individual pieces, it would be unfair not to mention that all the principle dancers:  Anna Pashkova, Elena Colesnicenco, Ekaterina Tikanova, Duminica-Radamaria Nazarenco, Nariman Bekzhanov, Igor Subbotin, Aleksandr Volkov and Arcadie Nazrenco delivered outstanding performances. Each of these talented dancers delivered performances that were worthy of a world class ballet company - one of the world's best.

For other men out there, you may be uncomfortable about seeing other men "jumping around" in tights but after one gets past the initial surprise and discomfort, you start to appreciate the choreography and the set.    The overall beauty of the performance and and the superb way in which it all comes together in one explosive expression of creativity, will have you waiting in anticipation for the rest of the performance to unfold.

I spent a wonderful evening with my wife, at a highly recommended and enjoyable ballet performance!  Make every effort to book a seat, your wife will love you for it and you will discover that ballet is meant to be enjoyed by all, not just by our wives!

Special thanks to the Baxter and Linette de Kock for inviting us to review this performance; to Edouard Miasnikov for entertaining us with his ballet company escapades and to each of the dancers, who gave us yet again a memory moment!

Sean Grant

Out and About: The Artscape Theatre: Make Way for Noddy

Saturday morning arrived, and the sky was grey with an occasional downpour.  However we were headed for a morning of entertainment. We were on our way to the Artscape Theatre to watch Make Way for Noddy.  After having attended a previous show, it was time to take the whole family for some holiday entertainment. And though we homeschool and run with a fairly flexible schedule, we generally have holidays when everyone else does because of all the great things there are to do in and around Cape Town.

Make Way for Noddy - was our first significant holiday activity.  As an Enid Blyton fan, this was one production I was looking forward to, having read endless stories about Noddy as a child.  And I wasn't to be disappointed.

With a cast made up mostly of children (ranging from 6 to 12 years!), brightly coloured professional costumes and a beautifully created set - this production caught the attention of the children immediately (and their parents).

 

This highly entertaining production, consisted of a number of short stories.  As Noddy tries to be kind and considerate, chaos seems to follow him.  And it seems that the goblins Sly and Gobbo are the centre of all mayhem.  Poor Noddy is intent on doing the right thing, while the goblins are determined to sabotage everything he does.  From fake gifts full of rubbish to recruiting other "would be goblins", their antics will have you in stitches.  And Mr Plod, poor Mr Plod - really seems to be 5 steps behind in his investigative skills.

With the assistance of characters like Mrs Skittle and her little Skittles, Clockwork Mouse, Tubby Bear, Dinah Doll (our very own Fish Hoek Primary's Head Girl), Martha Monkey, Tessie Bear,  Pink Cat, the Ladybirds -the cast encouraged the audience to participate actively by standing up and singing and following their actions. Even the more adventurous moms and dads in the audience could be seen mouthing the words and clapping their hands. 

The director responsible for this production,  Cheryl Abromowitz, had been directing productions like this at the Artscape for 20 years!   And this one is one of her most successful shows.Looks like there are lots of Noddy fans out there (all under cover of course).  On a side note, there were LOTS and LOTS of dads, a real family affair.  In fact a number of them were sitting on the floor with their children as enthralled and delighted as their kids were.

All in all a great way to spend a morning as a family and we would highly recommend this has a wholesome family excursion.

 Useful Facts to know:
*  The show is performed in the Artscape Theatre Foyer, which is simply great for the children who can interact with the cast and get up close to the set.
*  It starts at 10:30 am but get there early otherwise you will find yourself clamouring over children and parents to find a place to sit. 
*  Snacks and cooldrinks (and coffees for moms and dads) are on sale but bring cash, there are no card machines.
*  The show is for an hour. Get your snacks and drinks before the production starts.  The children are allowed to munch and drink throughout, and for those that drink lots and lots - the toilets are right there. 
*  Take your camera, even though you are not allowed to take photos during the show, the characters are all available for photographs afterwards.

*  All my children enjoyed this production, but I would definitely think that this is a show for children 10 or under.  Even really little kiddies will love this, as the bright characters and their winning personalities will keep them engaged.  The older actors definitely appeal to the more adult audience (I had a goofy smile on my face the entire hour!) but I know that my boys were very aware of the fact that they were older than a lot of the younger audience.
*  This production comes to a close on the 7th July 2012.
*  Ticket Price is R50, and bookings can be made online.

Thanks to Linette De Kock and Artscape Theatre for hosting our family at this event.  This was a great family event for all of us!

Out and About Cape Town: The Nutcracker on Ice

With my handsome date (that would be my sexy husband - though mind you, don't you call him sexy, only I am allowed to call him that), a star babysitter for the children and an excited buzz we headed to The World Premier of The Nutcracker on Ice presented by Pieter Toerien and performed at the Artscape Theatre in Cape Town by the Imperial Ice Stars.  

To say that this was a remarkable show would not only be a sad understatement but it would in no way give a true reflection of this magical, fantastical, thrilling, acrobatic and awe inspiring production it truly was! 

So what's the story?  Maria is a young girl who because of her love brings her Nutcracker to life - and not just any Nutcracker but a magical one which was given to her by her godfather for Christmas.  And the Nutcracker is not the only fantastical character that we meet- there is a Mouse King,  a Prince and the Sugar Plum Fairy.  Chocolat, dancers from Spain, a Chinese couple in silk pajamas who perform the Tea dance and La Cafe from Arabia who perform a stunning dance in the air. 

Will your husband like it?
This is a strong production.  Even though at times it feels like you are watching ballet on ice, because the cast truly are so talented and they seem to just glide effortlessly from one side of the stage to the other- there are lots of strong men who perform the most amazing stunts on ice.  And in one scene, as you can see from the photo below, some of the stars who hung from the ceiling by ropes, upside down over solid ice. 

My dad is one of those macho types - nothing in tights kind of man- but I know that this will be a production that he will not easily forget. 

What about the children?  
I spent the entire time thinking - "oh wow, the children would love this scene"  and "I wish Declan were here to see the magic", or "I bet Chad would be asking me questions the whole way through" and "Ruthie will probably want to go the ice skating rink right after watching this".  The Nutcracker on Ice is definitely something your children would love.  My suggestion though would be to brief them on the storyline before they get there as you don't want them piping up in the middle of the production asking who that funny mouse looking creature was and why he was wearing pink tights?  Could be slightly embarrassing.

Budget?
The cost of seats range from R100 to R380.  Even the cheaper seats offer are comfortably close to the stage as the theatre is not that big.  ( I base my opinion on the lower level) 

Of course there are some of you that are professional theatre goers - so just for you I'll add some information that might interest you too:)

Maria Orlova, Olga Sharentenko and Vadim Yarkov, who are part of this exciting and energetic cast were all competitive skaters in a former life and were part of the Russian National Ice Skating team with about 100 competition medals to show for it.  So your question - Is it any good?  With that type of experience you can be guaranteed to see lots of lifts, jumps and spins.  Apparently they do jumps and lifts  that have never been attempted before in a competition or on stage and that are so complex they haven't even been named yet!

Here's a short video preview

For further reading visit the Imperial Ice Stars website
And to book your tickets visit the Artscape website

This production will only be in Cape Town until the 12th of February and then it's leaving the sunny shores of Cape Town to perform in London at the Royal Albert Hall.  In fact the Imperial Ice Stars have performed to nearly 3 million people across 5 continents.

I would love to hear about your experience when you go. Come back and tell me.  I hope to take my children to see it too.