Musical unity through diversity

Nov 2, 2010 | Edward Tsumele |
A MUSICAL that fuses voices from various backgrounds will run at the Old Mutual Theatre on the Square in Sandton from November 14 to 18.

Diversity, a musical produced by independent theatre producer Daphne Kuhn, stars Yudi Cohen, Zebulon Mmusi, Mkhanyiseli Mlombi and Khanyiso Gwenxane.
It is a fusion of multiplicity. The production brings together four classically trained opera singers from diverse backgrounds to sing a range of musical genres.

The show, which has enthralled audiences at concerts and corporate presentations, infuses humour, drama and style into music for the soul. The group guarantees a riveting performance - proven in the response to their shows so far, with standing ovations and the audience dancing in the aisles.
From light music and authentic opera to African rhythms, the production presents great diversity.

Cohen (tenor), Mmusi (bass-baritone), Mlombi (baritone) and Gwenxane (baritone) have performed extensively locally and internationally . They joined forces in 2009 with a common goal to create unity through music and diversity,
The sound of great voices, coupled with magnetic personalities, incredible rhythms and obvious camaraderie, make Diversity a must-see.

Tuesdays with Morrie is Superb

Peter Feldman

Two outstanding South African actors bring to the Johannesburg stage an engagingly crafted piece of theatre that truly touches the soul.

Played by the consummate Graham Hopkins and the younger Asher Stoltz, it is a magnificent portrait of life, written by Mitch Albom that effortlessly blends comedy, drama and poignancy into a cohesive whole.

A good slice of the success of this two-hander should also go to director Alan Swerdlow who manages to siphon into his production the essence of one's humanity; the taking and the giving.

This is life. We grow up, we get old and we die. This process forms the basic framework around which this play has been conceived. It is not miserable or depressing. It is full of life and it works wonderfully well on all levels.

Written for the stage by Mitch Albom and Jeffrey Hatcher, and based on Albom's best-selling book, "Tuesdays with Morrie" is a veritable feast for both the mind and the heart. The players, working within Niall Griffin's simple but effective set with its minimum of props, manage to create Morrie's little world and they execute it with immense artistry and joy.

The story is about a young man Mitch (Stoltz) who meets a professor Morrie Schwartz (Hopkins) when he signs up for one of his classes at Brandeis University. They understand each and throughout his college career Mitch and Morrie forge a strong bond.

When it comes time for Mitch to leave and make his way in the world he promises Morrie that he will keep in touch. He doesn't. It is sixteen years before Mitch and Morrie meet again. By this time Mitch is a successful sportswriter and Morrie is dying of Lou Gehrig's disease.

Once they renew their friendship Mitch's visits to Morrie become a regular thing. He flies from Detroit to Boston

The writing is precise and captures the feelings and emotions about our own mortality. Says Morrie: "Dying is not a dirty word - I can live with that."

In another instance he intones words to the effect that dying is only one thing to be unhappy about, while living your life unhappily is something else."

It never ceases to amaze me the depth and range of Graham Hopkins' acting and in his sensitive reading of the Morrie character he brings tears to the eyes. He creates an endearing entity from the moment we meet him. He is witty and wise without being overbearing. Stoltz, whose stature grows with each outing, provides a nice balance to the story, adding a performance that is calm and measured.

The acting styles of the performers complement each other and through this link take the audience on an inspiring journey of compassion and understanding.

The two characters command the stage for the entire production, almost two hours, and the fact that one does not grow tired of watching them and hearing some of the wisdom that flows is stark testimony to the true enchantment of "Tuesdays with Morrie."
every week and has Tuesdays with Morrie. And during these visits he begins to learn some of the secrets of life - and death.

Duet for One is deeply touching

Peter Feldman

05/14/2010 10:54:00

Peter Feldman: "Duet for One" is a remarkable two-hander which explores the emotional conflict that besets a young violinist who is struck down by multiple sclerosis.

Tom Kempinski's eloquently framed play is the perfect vehicle for players who possess the skills to hold you enraptured for more than two hours. Very little happens in dramatic terms during this period, but the flow of ideas between the wheel-chair bound musician, Stephanie Abrahams, and German psychiatrist, Dr Alfred Feldmann, is what commands your attention.

In Clare Mortimer, an actress based in Durban, and Michael Richard, director Steven Stead has more than accomplished players with whom to work - he has truly great thespians well schooled in the techniques of pace, pause, power and polish.

These important facets are brought together in the creation of this play as the two characters get down to the serious business of discussing life and living.

Inspired by the life of the famed cellist Jacqueline du Pré and her relationship with her husband, Daniel Barenboim, the author has constructed an engrossing and deeply touching psychological drama in which the performances of these two superb players shine through in their every word and gesture.

The 33-year-old Stephanie Abrahams is at first reluctant to reveal the inner turmoil she is undergoing, but he is a wise old psychiatrist whose relaxed, almost non-committal pose masks his deeper concerns for his patient and she relents.

She has to find a way forward now that her playing days are over. She has been suffering with the crippling disease for seven months before going to visit Dr Feldmann. She describes music as the purest expression of humanity, a kind of heaven that lifts you to another place, and her inability to create this state has had a demoralising effect on her psyche. She had thoughts of suicide.

The intelligent interplay between the two characters and the subtle use of pause and body language are telling factors in enriching the experience.

Michael Richard, an actor I have long admired for his versatility, again shows the skills and understanding that have made him such a highly regarded performer and in Dr Feldmann he has shaped a believable entity.

Clare Mortimer is outstanding and is able to convey the anxiety and fear that bubbles just below the surface.

Greg King's set is an evocative one and beautifully captures the look and feel of a cultured doctor's consulting room. The sound and lighting are both spot on.

"Duet for One" provides a wonderfully uplifting evening for discerning theatre-goers.


Duet for One is at the Old Mutual Theatre on the Square, Nelson Mandela Square, Sandton until 5 June.

Theatre: Master Harold and the Boys

Mar 23, 2010 12:20 AM | By Refiloe Lepere

Self-exploration is never easy, and James Ngcobo's version of Athol Fugard's autobiographical production, Master Harold and the Boys is a gentle, unsympathetic portrayal of this kind of analysis.

The play opens with a servant Willie (Nat Ramabulana) setting up the tearoom with cakes, a jukebox, tables and chairs. He is joined by Sam ( Pakamisa Zwedala).

Even though the story is more a personal tale of Fugard's childhood, it has resonance with anyone who has experienced oppression.

Set in the 1950s, the play looks at the minute expressions of racial interaction and oppression. Father mistreats wife and son, son ill-treats the servants, servant abuses his wife, and the chain of abuse goes on.

In a simple setting, Harold Jnr, or Hally, played by Daniel Buckland, is a teenager who comes for lunch at the family-owned tea-room.

The news that Hally's invalid, alcoholic father is to be allowed home from hospital upsets him deeply. He suddenly turns on his best friends, the boys Willie and Sam.

The shock of this racist outburst shows how the political and social realities of South Africa at that time came to distort and dominate our closest relationships and, in some cases, still do.

Ramabulana, who has starred in theatre and TV productions, including Isidingo , said that when he encountered the play, he was moved by the powerful, honest and emotional tale.

"As an actor the challenge was to show the stories of these men in a respectful and real manner because they did exist and their stories were important to them," he said.

The real test for this 26-year-old was how to portray a 40-year-old and be sensitive to his weariness, and understand his personal struggle amid the world's torments.

Master Harold and the Boys is on at the Old Mutual Theatre on the Square, Nelson Mandela Square, Johannesburg. It runs until April 10.

Master Harold... And The Boys

Leon van Nierop
03/23/2010 09:22:30


Leon van Nierop: If you want to see indigenous theatre at its very best, do yourself a favour and get a ticket to this brilliant local production.

Athol Fugard's devastating three-hander takes place in the claustrophobic St George's Park tearoom in Port Elizabeth in the Fifties where two waiters and the son of the owner battle it out during a 90-minute Communion of the souls.

The upstart Harold (brilliantly played by Daniel Buckland) initially seems to blend into the conversation with deceptive ease, but seems to hide a deep resentment not only towards his parents, but also to the two workers and society which at this point in time seems too big for him to fully comprehend.

Where he starts off by chatting to them about familiar matters of the day, the conversations takes a turn for the vicious as he first belittles his bed-ridden, alcoholic father and then spats out his racial prejudice and arrogant teenage incompetence towards these two dignified men who are victims of the inhuman apartheid laws. In the process this seemingly liberal young man is exposed as the biggest bigot of them all whose words fly like bullets through the air and hit bull's eye with every turn.

Fugard's powerful words, lean narrative and forceful characterisation all blend perfectly in James Ncobo's elegant and stylish directing in which he uses the small stage and rather limited space to full effect. One feels locked up with these three men who battle it out in a war of words that leaves the audience devastated and in a state of shock. Ncobo perfectly succeeds in involving the audience fully by locking them up with these characters especially since the audience has the foreknowledge of a new millennium and its new challenges while looking back at the problems of the past.

The acting is of the highest standard with Pakamisa Zwedala and Nat Ramabulana balancing the youthful rage of a young man on the brink of self-destruction and the destructive effects of his actions on two innocent men.

This is, without a doubt, one of the major events in the theatre calendar and deserves to be seen.

Master Harold... And The Boys
With Pakamisa Zwedala, Daniel Buckland and Nat Ramabulana
Director: James Ngcobo
Venue: The Old Mutual Theatre on the Square until April 10

Athol Fugard for a new generation

Peter Feldman
03/23/2010 09:12:48


Peter Feldman: "Master Harold ... and the Boys" has resurfaced in Johannesburg after a number of years.

It has a new director, a new cast and a fresh look by director James Ngcobo at one of Athol Fugard's most celebrated works.

The last time I recall seeing this production was more than 20 years ago at the Market Theatre and it left an indelible mark because it encapsulated a South Africa of the 50s viewed through the eyes of a noted playwright who was fuelled by incidents from his own childhood.

Apartheid was still very much alive when this play was written and when I first saw it Fugard's commentary proved a stinging indictment of South Africa's apartheid policy at the time. It hit home like a sledgehammer because it reduced grand apartheid to more human terms.

This new production still retains the elements that made the original ground-breaking work and the acting is just as intense.

The world has changed certainly since the play was first premiered with the demise of apartheid, but the universal theme of brotherhood between men still exists.

James Ngcobo's production proves that the power and quiet majesty of this play has not diminished with time -even though the impact is not as compelling.

One of the shining lights of this version is Pakamisa Zwedala as Sam, the older and wiser of the two black servants working at St George's Tea Room in Port Elizabeth in 1950. He commands the stage with compassion and understanding and his interaction with Daniel Buckland's Hally is a beautifully balanced reading as the mood changes dramatically from chummy light-hearted banter between master and servant to a more menacing confrontation which places politics into its truer perspective.

Sam and his fellow worker, the more subservient Willie (Nat Ramabulana), have served Hally's mother in the tea room for years and there's a certain rapport that exists between them and the boy Hally. They behave as old friends should, knowing that certain boundaries between appropriateness and offence are there, yet still discovering a few new ones as circumstances dictate.

A brilliantly executed aspect of the play is when Hally contrives to write his school paper using ballroom dancing as a metaphor for race relations.

The production is solid and highly entertaining, yet a slightly worrying aspect is Daniel Buckland whose physical appearance as a teenager isn't convincing.

Hally is a potent character whose destructive streak manifests after he is told by his mother that his crippled and alcoholic father is about to return home from hospital - a signal for Hally to lash out at his workers.

Where the play eventually stands or falls is in the pivotal scene where a blistering exchange takes place between Hally and Sam, his surrogate father, which leaves Hally in a confused state of mind - and this is superbly executed.

As Willie, Nat Ramabulana, provided a consistent performance in what is the play's least textually showy role.

Also, Wesley France's subtle mood lighting, Thando Lobese's costumes, Gregory Maqoma's choreography and Nadya Cohen's evocative set, complete with a jukebox, all contributed towards creating a picture of a world where, unsurprisingly, nothing is simply black and white.

A new generation of theatre-goers will certainly derive benefit from watching a master storyteller at work whose use language is simple but always effective.


"Master Harold ... and the Boys" is on at the Old Mutual Theatre on the Square, Nelson Mandela Square, Sandton, until 10 April.

Getting acquainted with Jacques Brel

Lesley Stones
02/18/2010 13:14:41


Lesley Stones finally catches up on a musical secret that everyone else seems to know.

Brel, who's Brel? I hear you ask.

Oh, so you already know. Perhaps it's just me then who had never heard of Jacques Brel before. But it turns out that I do know some of his songs, which are being performed with absolute panache in Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris.

Quite why I'm familiar with a song about drunken, brawling, whoring sailors in Amsterdam is a mystery. But I've certainly heard it before. And as several other songs began there was also a frisson of familiarity about them.

Brel must have had quite a life. His lyrics are stories as much as songs, and tell of love gone and love gone wrong, war and death, drinking and dying. There's even a song about losing his virginity in an army brothel, although that traumatic experience clearly didn't put him off women for long.

They're lyrics you really have to listen to, but the listening is a pure pleasure with four excellent singers and a perfect backing band. Some of the songs are still in their native French, and sound terribly sophisticated even if you're struggling to comprehend as well as listen. Most have been translated into English, and they're wordy, clever lyrics that spin fascinating tales of human frailties.

The stage setting has a mellow cabaret feel, with rich curtains and few chairs and a table for the props. The lighting by Jane Gosnell is absolutely perfect, and so good that you actually notice the atmosphere it creates. When veteran showman Graham Clarke jumps onto a box to sing The Statue his features become almost grotesquely stone-like in the dramatic lighting. In fact Clarke's face is perfectly suited to many of Brel's songs, with his lived-in, worn-out features.

The younger David Chevers is equally suited to the tales about Brel's earlier life, while Chrissy Caine brings a worldy, knowing attitude to songs such as The Old Folks, a moving tale of the decline of man into sadness and senility.

The hit of the show, however, was the brilliant Deneel Uys. Her mischievous face is wonderful for the quirky Carousel and suitably anxious for Timid Frieda. When the opening bars for Ne Me Quitte Pas began, practically the entire audience gave a flutter of recognition, and the performance by Uys was fabulous. We nearly cried right with her.

That's when the band was at its best too. The whole show demands precision and delicacy from its musicians, and the melancholy double bass adds a moodiness that enhances the words magnificently.

One song runs into the next with no dialogue between, so its not a musical revue as much as a showcase for the songs of one man. That will probably limit its appeal to people already familiar with his work, but considering that the show ran for two decades after it first opened here in the 1970s to become the most enduring musical revue in South African history, that should guarantee a pretty enormous audience.

Whether many newcomers will take a chance and book a ticket for a songwriter they've never heard of is debatable, but I'm certainly glad that I did.


Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris runs at Sandton's Theatre on the Square until March 13.

Stunning Jacques Brel hits the high notes

Peter Feldman
02/18/2010 13:55:11



Peter Feldman: "Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris" is a perennial favourite.

It has been staged in South Africa over the years in a variety of forms, though very few ever managed to attain the status of Taubie Kushlick's early, innovative productions at the old Chelsea Theatre in Hillbrow.

Directors Colin Law and Dean Roberts have based this production on the 2006 Off-Broadway show. It has been resurrected for a new generation and though the feel is modern and meaningful it still retains the essence of Brel with brilliant clarity.

The songs, as many know, are all dramatic monologues that cannot simply be sung, but need to be acted out by a cast of superior performers.

In British singer Chrissy Caine, who has returned to these climes after a long absence, veteran Graham Clarke, and newcomers David Chevers and Daneel Uys, they have assembled a superb, integrated cast which invests Brel's special magic with the sensitivity and understanding it demands. Backed by a faultless group, under the musical direction of DuPreez Strauss, this foursome hardly falter as they interpret a famous songbook that represents Brel's many acute observations and myriad emotions. It is all there in the body language with the performers immersing themselves in the songs to stunning effect.

Over the years I've endured many variations of the Jacques Brel theme, but the combination on stage at this presentation constitutes one of the best I've seen. There is something like 26 songs in the show. These are literate, thoughtful and theatrical numbers and are given the full vocal treatment by a polished and stylish team. Many of my favourites were nicely highlighted and helped trigger memories of the ‘70s when Brel first became known to audiences in this part of the world.

One of my best is "Ne Me Quitte Pas," a wistful song, with its alternating happy and sad lyrics, which became a pop standard for so many international singers, was sensitively handled by the impressive Daneel Uys. She also showed her range with the mix of " I Loved," "My Death," "Timid Frieda," "Girls and Dogs" and the popular "Carousel."

Graham Clarke's handling of "Fanette" ""Amsterdam," "Funeral Tango" and "Sons of Lovers" showed his versatile streak, while the imposing David Chevers took complete control of the whore song "Next" and "The Bulls." Chrissy Caine has always been a class act and her renditions of "Le Diable," "My Childhood" and "The Old Folks" struck deep within the soul.

This version of "Jacques Brel is Alive and Well" certainly struck a warmly responsive chord within this reviewer, a feeling of which I really haven't had too much of lately.


"Jacques Brel is Alive and Well" is on at the Old Mutual Theatre on the Square, Nelson Mandela Square, Sandton, until March 13.

Sparkling Brel has new spunk and appeal

Leon van Nierop
02/18/2010 11:47:34





Leon van Nierop: Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris has been re-invented and re-energised.

The show has a long and interesting history. It debuted in New York in the late sixties in Greenwich Village and was seen by hundreds of thousands of people over its 4-year run. It was then staged in South Africa by the legendary Taubie Kushlick at the Chelsea Theatre in Hillbrow with, amongst others, Laurika Rauch and Danielle Pascal and ran for close on 20 years.

This time around the show is based on the 2006 Off-Broadway New York production with new arrangements of songs by the phenomenally successful and talented musical director DuPreez Strauss, definitely one of the stars of this sparkling production.

Strauss has succeeded in reinventing and re-energising the show and giving it new spunk and appeal. One of the stars of the show is, without a doubt, Chrissie Caine. She has returned to South Africa from the UK to join the local cast and livens up the stage with her spunky and deeply felt renditions of some of Brel's most beloved songs. Mention must also be made of David Chevers's fine voice and vocal rendition. He has a great stage presence and complements the lyrics with his soulful and inspiring performances and self-confidence.

This is a stirring and successful production that was unfortunately marred by sound problems on the opening night, especially with Chevers's microphone. One can just hope that these problems will be sorted out during the run.

So if you like Brel, you might find yourself captivated and moved by this professional and imaginative production.


Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris
With Chrissie Caine, Graham Clarke, David Chevers and Daneel Uys
Directed by Colin Law and Dean Roberts
At the Old Mutual theatre on the Square till 13 March 2010

A great night out at Tomfoolery

Moira de Swardt
01/16/2010

Moira de Swardt: This is a delightful musical revue based on the satirical lyrics and music of Tom Lehrer.

Despite the fact that these numbers were first performed in the 1950s and 1960s, it is not, as I expected, horribly dated. Rather, this is an introduction of old favourites to new audiences. A few of the numbers from the original have been cut and I suspect these are the ones which either no longer work or are not accessible to South African audiences. The commentary has been updated. Timewise, the cut is a blessing, particularly for midweek audiences who have to work the next day. An extra twenty minutes would make it a late evening.

Three of South Africa's veteran singing thespians, Kate Normington, Matthew Stewardson and Malcolm Terrey combine forces under Greg Homann's direction to cause the audiences many merry and mirthful moments.

The costuming is very simple, mostly black suits (and it looks as if Kate Normington might not have anything under her jacket, which keeps the straight men awake even if they hate musical theatre) dressed up for some numbers. It always works. The set is similarly Spartan and this always works for me. I find fussy sets distracting at times.

The comedy works well. The characters use their real names, so Kate in "The Irish Ballad" had me in stitches, while Malcolm in "The Masochism Tango" will provoke many a girl to jealousy of those legs. Matthew will amuse as he sings "I hold your hand in mine". What makes these numbers work is their timeless themes which make a pleasant change from still more South African situational humour. Best of all, there is not one single football reference, for which those of us who are already tired of these can be grateful.

Mildly naughty but never vulgar (I suppose this does date it rather) this is suitable viewing for cross generational outings. The Vatican Rag may cause some mild Roman Catholic discomfort in fundamentalists.

It would be remiss of me to fail to acknowledge the competence of the trio of musicians, Shaun Smith on piano, Graham Curry on double bass and Neil Etteridge on drums.

An excellent night out at The Old Mutual Theatre on the Square, Nelson Mandela Square, Sandton until 13 February 2010.

'Tomfoolery’, one to see

Would you believe there’s a song where the lyrics include yttrium, ytterbium, actinium, and rubidium? Trust me, there is, and you’ll be laughing at it if you treat yourself to an evening of “Tomfoolery” at Sandton’s Theatre on The Square.

The lyrics, pointless as they are, list all the elements on the periodic table that had been discovered when maths professor Tom Lehrer matched them to a Gilbert and Sullivan-style tune way back when.

Now Malcolm Terrey is singing the tongue-twisting lyrics in a show that strings together Lehrer’s wacky collection of songs with some equally satirical social commentary in between.

Lehrer’s lyrics are barbed, funny, insightful and often just plain warped. Some of his songs are funny for the sake of it, while others lampoon the social or political inequities of his day. The important thing is that his lyrics from the 1950s and 60s are just as relevant today, so this isn’t a quaint stroll down pre-memory lane, but an evening where modern problems are also ridiculed.

If you don’t like outcomes-based education then listen as Kate Normington gives a wonderful performance of “New Math”, stringing numbers together in a tongue-twisting song that tells us it doesn’t matter if you get it wrong, as long as you can demonstrate that you know how to do it.

Racism? Heck yes, that still makes “National Brotherhood Week” as applicable today as it did in America’s lynching deep south doggone decades ago.

Normington is a brilliant performer, and adds an extra dimension to the lyrics by her authentic accents and fabulous facial expressions. Terrey is also in peak performance mode, flitting around the stage and using his flawless timing and expressive eyebrows to emphasise any subtleties in the script. Not that there are many subtleties. The songs are bold and brash and, how shall we put it, adult, yet always funny even in their most unsavoury moments.

What Lehrer did brilliantly was word games, rhyming all sorts of obscure words in a way that’s immensely clever. The “Vatican Rag” is a real witty charmer, and anyone who can write lyrics where genuflect and transubstantiate just trip off the tongue has to be a twisted genius.

Joining Normington and Terrey on stage is Matthew Stewardson, who belts out a couple of big numbers before showing a languid, all drugged up rendition of “The Old Dope Peddler”.

The music is provided by Shaun Smith on piano, Graham Curry on double bass and Neil Etteridge on drums, and that’s the only dated thing about this show. The lyrics are still absolutely spot-on, but the tunes are definitely pre-pop. That makes a cool contrast of the genteel old-style music against the wicked wit of the words.

”Tomfoolery” has been around since Cameron Mackintosh adapted the songs for a stage show in the 1980s, and it’ll probably still be playing in another 20 years. But don’t wait that long before you see it.

By Lesley Stones

Tomfoolery runs at the Old Mutual Theatre on the Square until 13 February.

Tomfoolery - a tonic for the senses

Peter Feldman
01/16/2010

Peter Feldman: It is great to kick off a New Year with a show that's a tonic and endless fun to watch.

This provides an engaging and delightful showcase for the best of Tom Lehrer's sharp, witty satirical songbook.

Lehrer set the benchmark by which future musical satires would be measured. No topic is sacred and this production of 'Tomfoolery" certainly hits the spot for audiences who enjoy their political commentary served up hot and spicy, immensely funny with plenty of food for thought.

To recreate the work of satirist Tom Lehrer, director Greg Homann selected a trio of South African talent who hardly put a foot wrong as they engage with the audience in an easy, relaxed style. They filled the tiny space at the Old Mutual Theatre on the Square with singing, dancing and comedy in this 23-song music-hall-style revue.

Veteran Malcolm Terrey, whose sheer joy and enthusiasm overflowed into the audience, brought out the humour in Lehrer's work with enormous skill and timing. He displayed an astonishing ability to recite the table of elements without missing a beat in "The Elements" performed to the tune of Gilbert and Sullivan's "I Am The Very Model of a Modern Major-General." It certainly showed that technique and training come into the acting equation. He also shone in the deliciously bizarre "The Masochism Tango," "I Got It From Agnus" and "The Hunting Song."

Kate Normington and Matthew Stewardson also provided a non-stop flow of Lehrer's genius treatment of gems such as "New Math," "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park" and together with Terrey on "The Vatican Rag" (all executed in the proper habits).

The ensemble work was excellent. "Oedipus Rex" had Normington taking the spotlight with Stewardson (as Oedipus) tearing out his poor eyeballs and letting them bounce onto the floor attached to red ribbons. He also produced a fine rendition of a southern plantation owner in the bitterly satiric "I Wanna Go Back to Dixie." Funny, too, was his rendition of "I Hold Your Hand in Mind."

Normington displayed her versatility and comedic skills on "In Old Mexico" and "The Irish Ballad" and "Wernher von Braun."

The wickedness of the hypocrisy-skewering number "National Brotherhood Week" was nicely effective from the trio.

The live band, Shaun Smith (piano), Graham Curry (impressive on the double bass) and Neil Etteridge (on drums), briskly negotiated the satirist's use of a wide range of musical styles that included rags, waltzes and a touch of Gilbert and Sullivan.

Lehrer's songs were penned in the 1950s and ‘60s. One could argue whether this social satire is relevant today. They made an impact at the time because issues such as racism and pollution were not on the social agenda. After World War II those who returned home from fighting on foreign soil just yearned for peace and quiet. But America was facing difficult times and an artist such as Lehrer made Americans very much aware of these social ills though his work - and topics like pollution, racism, the education system and religion are all still with us today.

Lehrer's lampooning of these subjects still make "Tomfoolery" a joy to watch and a chance to laugh at ourselves.

"Tomfoolery" is on at Old Mutual Theatre on the Square until 13 February.

Golden oldie glows once again

January 12, 2010

By Diane de Beer

Stepping out of the spotlight at the end of last year as the director of Spoof Full of Sugar, Malcolm Terrey is back in the limelight in 2010 in the cast of Tomfoolery.

This is not the first time round with this particular musical review for Terrey.

"I did it 20 years ago," says the veteran of 37 years on stage.

He believes it holds up brilliantly and, while he describes it as a piece of antiquity based on songs written in the 50s and 60s, if you nurture antiques, he says, they glow.

That's what he feels has happened here. He's also delighted to work with Kate Normington in a production for the first time even though they're good pals. Add to that, Matthew Stewardson whom he has known since he was a little boy, and the trio on stage get on like a house on fire.

His career has been a blessed one, believes Terrey, but part of the success has been his versatility and the way clever producers and directors have not always typecast him.

Last year, for example, he started off with Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be which was the only production on his horizon at the start of 2009. He followed this with a part in the Black Ties production of Merry Widow, then went on a trip to Sweden as part of the Cape Town production of Showboat and concluded as the director of Spoof.

This year, the early prospects aren't much better but as an actor who has had only two slumps in his career, Terrey knows that probably he will be part of some production, somewhere in the world.

And if you ask him about a dream part still to come his way, he's quick off the mark: "Fagan in Oliver," he says. "I still have to do that and would love to do some more Shakespeare. It's all about growth and learning."

While he enjoys directing, he's only up for that when he can do what he knows best, musical reviews.

He describes Tomfoolery as a sophisticated, witty and nicely dressed night at the theatre.

"Tom Lehrer was the kind of writer who liked to poke fun at sacred cows, hence the cow on the poster," he explains.

Many of the songs will be familiar but the show has been juggled and rejigged with four actors becoming three, some songs contemporised and, as Terrey points out, nurtured.

With young director Greg Homann in command, it is given yet another contemporary edge.

But more than anything, it's a show ready to start the year on a silly if slightly slanted note. As Terrey says, "put me in a costume and point me to the stage. I'm always ready to go..."

Nothing's sacred in this rambunctious revue

Jan 4, 2010 11:07 PM | By ANDREA NAGEL

To start the new year with a laugh, The Old Mutual Theatre on the Square in Sandton presents the wickedly funny musical hit, Tomfoolery, which runs from January 11 to February 13.

Starring Kate Normington, Malcolm Terrey, and Matthew Stewardson, this musical features the barbed and rapier-like wit of Tom Lehrer and showcases his familiar satirical songs.

The genius of Lehrer hits you smack in the face as the songs go from wacky to deliciously wicked. There is little that escapes Lehrer's sharp eye. Three actors, a trio of musicians, and a healthy dose of attitude bring the devilishly off-beat and thoroughly twisted world of the famed songwriter to life on the stage.

In concerts, television appearances and a series of now-classic recordings, the Harvard-educated math professor has delighted millions of fans during the past 56 years with his dry and cynical but good-humoured attacks on war, racism, religion, pollution, pornography, the military, the boy scouts and mathematics.

There are no sacred cows in this rambunctious musical revue featuring Lehrer favourites such as Poisoning Pigeons in the Park, When You are Old and Grey,The Masochism Tango,The Old Dope Peddler,The Vatican Rag and an unforgettable Gilbert and Sullivan-esque recitation of the table of elements, linked with an updated commentary on the world.

The original musical arrangements by Robert Fisher are adapted for the stage by Cameron MacKintosh and his narrative links Lehrer's greatest songs from the 1950s and 1960s into a wonderfully humorous evening.

This brand-new production, brought up to date by its stellar cast, will be directed by Greg Homann, who also directed Pterodactyls, Brothers in Blood and Lord of the Flies.

The cast is led by Normington, recently seen in Hairspray, High School Musical and Bombshells, Terrey who delighted audiences in We Will Rock You and Spoof Full of Sugar and Stewardson, who played the role of Dean Martin in The Rat Pack.