(Gary
McKenzie, John Didlick and Grant Bell)
Howzit my china! Don’t Tune Me –Ek Sè is
a lekker jol, and there is lank kif chow as well. (Review by Keith Millar)
Back at the Heritage Theatre by popular
demand are the evergreen Gee Jays in a musical tribute to the 1970’s. Looking fit,
and in some cases very well-fed, they offer their brand of unpretentious
entertainment, belting out all the hits and keeping the audience in stitches
with their mad cap, risqué patter.
The show is a delightful, nostalgic trip
down memory lane. All the best loved songs from the era are performed and the
audience remembering all the words, joined in with abandon. Occasional radio
ads and snippets of radio shows from the time are played to set the ambience,
while the Gee Jays muse over days of Braai Vleis, Sunny Skies, Rugby and
Chevrolet when CB Radios and Safari Suits ruled.
If it ain’t broke don’t fix and the Gee
Jays certainly ain’t broke. They just seem to get better as in their own inimitable
style they perform memorable tunes such as Pretty
Belinda, Yellow River, Tie Yellow Ribbon and Knock Three Times. They pay tribute to
South African Artists with hits like Substitute
by Clout, Shabby Little Hat by The
Bats and the classic Ag Please Daddy
by Jeremy Taylor.
Country and Western is represented by Rhinestone Cowboy, Have You Ever Seen The Rain, among others. The Beatles as solo
artists are remembered with John Lennon’s Imagine,
George Harrison’s My Sweet Lord,
Ringo Star’s You’re 16 and Paul
McCartney’s Band on The Run.
After interval it is straight to the disco,
mirror ball falsetto singing and groovy dance moves and all. In their own
words, “Boy, can the ballies still move!”
Music from 1970 movies include Rain Drops Keep Falling On My Head from
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance King and Burning
Bridges from Kelly’s Heroes. Finally, the show is rounded off with is the timeless
sing along, dance along song YMCA by
the Village People.
The Gee Jays are backed by some very
talented musicians in Calli Thompson on keyboards, Andy Turrell on guitar, Jill
Murraybrown on bass (looking good, Jilli) and Francois Hardy on drums. The
sound mix was in the hands of Glen Turrell so it goes without saying that it
was outstanding.
I was ready to be critical of the current
menu at the Heritage Theatre which seems to be more comfort food than what you
would expect for a fine dining experience – but then I was blown away by the
Beef Hot Pot. Tender, succulent and mildly spiced, it is very tasty indeed. The
Haloumi Salad starter was also good as was the Bruschetta enjoyed by my wife.
Washed down with a bottle of cold, crisp white wine, it proved to be a most
agreeable meal.
Other options are Chicken Livers Peri Peri
as a starter with main choices including Vegetarian Lasagne; Hake Fillet and Cape
Malay Chicken Breyani.
If you were around in the 1970’s, get to
see this show, it will bring back fond memories of a time less-complicated. If you
weren’t around - go and see it, anyway – you will have a lekker fun-filled jol
– ek sè.
Don’t
Tune Me –Ek Sè runs at
The Heritage Theatre, Hillcrest, until February 3. Tickets
R195 pp Wednesday to Saturdays (R165 pp Tuesday evenings and Sunday lunchtime).
There are no shows on Mondays. All prices include a good value two-course meal.
The venue’s legendary Lamb Shanks are also back on the menu at a slight extra
cost!
A non-dining, “show only” option is also
offered at R120 pp. The Heritage Theatre is situated in the Heritage Market at Hillcrest.
For bookings or more information phone 031 765 4197. – Keith Millar
Posts
