DIAMONDS & DUST

Musical at Barnyard offers perfect nation-building show to celebrate the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

After phenomenally popular sold-out runs at The Barnyard Theatre at Gateway in both 2003 and 2004, Diamonds & Dust is running at the mall venue until April 18 as the perfect nation-building show to celebrate the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

“This feel-good production tugs mercilessly at the heartstrings and features instantly recognisable songs that are now an intrinsic part of our lives,” says the Barnyard team. “If you got goosebumps when South Africa won the 2007 Rugby World Cup or got through to the semi-finals of the Confederation Cup, then this show will have you dancing on the tables and partying in true South African style. While it is true to the roots of local music, it is a cosmopolitan rather than an ethnic show. Diamonds & Dust starts off in the swinging 40s and 50s with the music of the pennywhistle, also known as Kwela. It progresses onto the period of Kwela Jazz, which was played on the saxophone rather than the pennywhistle, and then pays tribute to Miriam Makeba with The Click Song and Pata Pata.

Other showstoppers include a Shosholoza/Nkosi Sikele/Weeping medley presented in a beautiful acappella arrangement, and a powerful rendition of The Warrior and Mama Tembu's Wedding from the famous local musical Ipi Tombi. The second half moves into more recent years where numbers like Paradise Road, African Dream, Impi, Shadow, Diamonds On The Souls Of My Shoes, Jabulani and Great Heart are sure to raise the roof.

Diamonds & Dust features a 12-member cast comprising six dynamic vocalists who get strong musical back-up from a six-piece band which includes the ever-popular Chris Luke, back on saxophone (and pennywhistle) after a long absence from the venue.

It became the first ever official theatre production to be endorsed by the Proudly South African campaign when it enjoyed a six week sold-out debut run at The Barnyard Theatre at Gateway in 2003. Such was the success of Diamonds & Dust that it has toured internationally in recent years, with over 40,000 people having seen it during its time in Durban alone.

Diamonds & Dust runs until April 18 Tickets R120 pp from Wednesday to Saturday, with discounted specials of R85 pp every Tuesday night and Sunday matinee show For bookings and enquiries, phone The Barnyard Theatre on 031 566 3045, e-mail gateway@barnyardtheatres.co.za or visit www.barnyardtheatres.co.za for more information.