(Gary
McKenzie, Grant Bell & John Didlick)
Irrepressible trio triumphs in highly
enjoyable show celebrating the music of the 70’s. (Review by Caroline Smart
The
irrepressible Gee Jays - Gary McKenzie, John Didlick and Grant Bell – have acquired
a major following over the years. These are loyal audiences who know that they
can be guaranteed a fun evening of song and nonsense. With their latest
production, Don’t Tune Me – Ek Se’,
the Gee Jays are sure to add to their many fans with this highly enjoyable production
that celebrates the music of the 70’s.
The show opens with full-on energy and it’s
a rollercoaster ride from then on, apart from changes of mood to accommodate
quieter songs. Generally, the focus is on fun with John Didlick providing his
usual “dof” character – looking hilarious in bush hat, safari suit and long
socks. He insists that the “Ek Se’” part of the title was his idea and needs to
be presented with a rakish swing of the hips.
Don’t
Tune Me – Ek Se’ provides an endearing trip down
memory line and it was fascinating to be reminded of what came out of the 70’s.
Globally, there was the Rubic Cube, hot
pants and the moon landing. In South Africa, we had the aforementioned safari
suits, Groovy cold drinks, Citizen Band Radio and Springbok Radio – more waves
of nostalgia were generated by billboards from Springbok dramas and some of the
classic radio ads. The show pays tribute to top South African bands who made it
big in the 70’s, like The Bats, Clout, Charisma and The Dealians - and of
course, no such tribute would be complete without Jeremy Taylor’s Ag Pleez Daddy, which outsold any Elvis
single.
A reminder of the Lexington cigarette radio
ad launches a section on Country and Western, then it’s on to disco music, Johnny
Nash, Albert Hammond, Paul McCartney and Wings, not to mention The Bee Gees and
The Village People. At one time, any dancing in a Gee Jays show could only be
entrusted safely to Grant Bell, but this trio is now proficient with dance
steps and carry them out with aplomb!
The medleys and arrangements are well
put-together and the Gee Jays have excellent support from their tight-knit band
with musical director Calli Thomson on keyboards backed by Andy Turrell
(guitar), Jill Murraybrown (bass) and Francois Hardy (drums).
At last night’s show there was a wide range
of age groups in the audience and without exception everyone around me was
having a ball. These are all songs that have stood the test of time but the
show is a winner for its nostalgic value!
Don’t
Tune Me – Ek Se’ runs at The Heritage Theatre in
Hillcrest until November 11. Tickets R195 pp Wednesday to Saturdays (R165 pp
Tuesday evenings and Sunday lunchtime) All prices include Heritage Theatre’s
excellent two-course meal.
For starters, there’s Soup of the Day
(unfortunately not served “piping hot” as indicated in the menu) as well as Merry Merry Bruschetta and Baked
Mushroom and Butternut. I opted for the latter which was an enjoyable combination
of the ingredients. For main course, there’s a Vegetable Platter, Grilled
Sea Catch with Teriyaki baked vegetables topped with a Chenin Veloute and
Crisp Kumara as well as Chicken Tagine
with blended Moroccan spices, roasted almonds and apricots. We both opted for
the fourth option, Smoked Glazed Gammon
and Caramelised Pineapple, which was an excellent choice. (Lamb shanks are
also back on the menu at a slightly extra cost and desserts are extra).
A non-dining “show only” option is also
offered at R120 pp. Bookings on 031 765 4197 or online at http://www.heritagetheatre.co.za/
- Caroline Smart
Posts
