THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF BOB AND ROB

(Pic: Rory Booth and Grant Jacobs)

Fun romp with Rory Booth and Grant Jacobs offers a delight for youngsters. (Review by Caroline Smart)

Rory Booth and Grant Jacobs are among Durban’s most engaging performers and yesterday morning’s performance of their latest show, The Further Adventures of Bob and Rob saw a small but enthusiastic young audience respond to their antics with delicious glee.

Following their first production over the last festive season which told of the adventures of two argumentative brothers, Rory Booth and Grant Jacobs have jointly devised, scripted, created and directed another storyline which takes them into the world of TV and technology.

The duo’s aim is to send out important lessons, such as that magic can’t happen inside TV, only in the real world. This means that the children in the audience are needed to help rescue Bob and Rob when they get swallowed into the world of TV by the scary goblin-like Fox and end up on a mission to save Mongo the Magical Monkey.

The two actors have their work cut out for them – children’s theatre requires a major amount of energy and focus, you can’t slip for a second! Apart from playing the lisping Rob, Rory doubles as a delightfully garrulous Aunty Pushpa (a victim of HPS – high pressure sugar) who is the brunt of the brothers’ pranks and the volatile Chef Parcelli. Grant gives a very credible performance as the taxi driver who helps the Bob and Rob reach Fox’s castle. They also present a Bollywood dance routine!

While one of the lessons to be learned along the way is to teach children not to cry wolf and be respectful of others, I feel that more focus could be directed to the fact that not everything to be seen on television is real. It’s an entertainment medium and should not be confused with what happens in real life. As for reality programmes? What a misnomer!

The set is a clever depiction of the colour bars on the TV. The actors use a minimum of props or costume changes - it’s all in the performance. What utter joy it was to watch the reactions from the children – makes one feel that perhaps there is hope for live theatre in the future!

Presented in association with TheatreBIZ, The Further Adventures of Bob and Rob runs at the Catalina Theatre until July 12 daily at 11h00 (including Mondays). Running time is only 45 minutes so it is perfect for little ones. Tickets include a boat ride around the harbour offering a full morning’s entertainment for families. Bring warm clothes to stay snug during the boat ride because it can get cold in the harbour!

To book call Thandeka on 031 305-6889 or e-mail tsibisi@mweb.co.za Tickets R45 (R30 for show only) are now available online at www.ticket.co.za or www.catalinatheatre.co.za or www.goingplacesSA.co.za / www.goingplacesSA.com

The Catalina Theatre is still functioning thanks to support from Rainbow Chicken, National Arts Council and Ethekwini Municipality. - Caroline Smart