Dame of cabaret recounts a career

March 29 2011 at 08:20am
By Diane de Beer

PAGE BY PAGE WITH JUDY

PERFORMER: Judy Page

ACCOMPANIST: Clinton Zerf

VENUE: Old Mutual Theatre on the Square, Sandton

UNTIL: April 9

RATING: ****

It takes moxie, even a touch of militancy and buckets full of magic to pull it off – but Judy Page has all of that in abundance. Our Dame Judy is retiring from retirement, she says – and it’s about time.

Not that anyone would have noticed these past few years, because she’s been knocking them dead and picking up Naledi awards as if going out of style, with almost every musical part she’s played. But now she’s stepping out on her own – or perhaps leaping is a better description for this grande dame of cabaret.

Walking us through the pages of her life – and there’s 50 years on stage – it takes you back in time to the days of hanging out in Hillbrow, glitzing it up at Sun City and Top of the Carlton, or recording in the Joburg city centre. It’s all there, as she reminds us what hard work carving out a singing career takes.

It includes all the biggies in the business, like Taubie Kushlick, who schlepped her into the world of Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht and provided the highlight of the night with a stunning rendition of Pirate Jenny. One forgets the breadth of a career and Page reminds us of her different highways, which stretched from Stephen Sondheim to Bob Dylan, Jerry Herman to Edith Piaf.

Page is clever enough to bring in the best when going solo and Zerf serves her well. His accompaniment is spot-on and the recordings used unnecessary with a pianist on hand. Perhaps she could have used the back-up with her entrance, as well as the Sun City number, to catch the extravaganza element of her work there – but the others can go.

She could also have trimmed more smartly. It’s tough to cut when you’re dealing with a life, but perhaps two hours plus is a bit much for a solo artist . Page herself talks about the realisation that she’s an interpreter. Those are also the songs which soar. Her Fiddler duet with Zerf was perfect and her Moondance version stole the show. There are enough magnificent and quiet moments and some that slipped by. Let them go. It would serve the end product well.

And yet, with someone of this stature, it’s fun to see what works and what doesn’t quite play out. Would she really be an artist if she weren’t still pushing the envelope?

The show is perhaps more suitable for an older audience simply in terms of familiarity but for the young ones with any interest in the arts, watch a master in action. They don’t come by often.

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.