Acclaimed Tribhangi Dance Company turns its focus to Bollywood. (Review
by Caroline Smart)
The acclaimed Tribhangi Dance Company headed by award-winning
choreographer Jayesperi Moopen, has turned its attention to Bollywood in its
latest show, Oh Golly, it’s Bolly!, currently
running at The Globe Theatre at Gold Reef City.
Tribhangi often travels to Durban to perform at major corporate events
such as COP17 and will be represented at the forthcoming BRICS conference. The
company is best known for Talas in Conversation
(Winner of the FNB Vita Award) and its signature piece Circles and Squares.
The reason for my taking the unusual step of reviewing a production in
Johannesburg that isn’t planned to have a Durban run, was to support KZN
award-winning actress, Shika Budhoo, who has recently relocated to
Johannesburg.
Amid the glitzy costumes – and there many of them – she appears as a
dotty old lady with a grey wig and stooped posture, known as Aunty Bolly. Her
name is apt because she’s hooked on Bollywood. “I’m old but not cold,”’ she
quips, explaining that the secret of her sprightly energy is “A Bollywood movie
a day keeps the doctor away”.
To prove this, she gradually gets “younger” as the show progresses. The
grey wig gradually makes way for her own dark locks and the stoop disappears.
Mind you, this “old lady” showed remarkable agility in one of the numbers that
dealt with gangsters, when she was on her knees, swaying back and forth with
her “weapons” (plastic knives).
The costumes are attractive and there is a never-ending stream of them,
from flowing skirts and beaded waistcoats to glittering bodices and shiny
pants.
Jayesperi Moopen, the Artistic Director of Tribhangi Dance Theatre, acknowledges
that this production is out of Tribhangi’s “comfort zone” and a major departure
from its usual work. However, the dancers rise to the occasion and put in good
performances in a fast-moving programme which does occasionally slow down a bit
- an amusing section about smoking weed was a case in point.
Vocals are handled by Roselyn Mangor and Suraj Jewan, the latter
impressing with his charm and singing ability.
As is usual in Bollywood tribute productions, a screen carries the film
images while the dancers reflect the songs in movement. The image of a
gilt-edged frame provides the surface on which the Bollywood movies are played.
However, this was a great disappointment as it is not a screen as such but
rather a section of material hung from the flies without tension pulling the
fabric into place. This means that the movies are played onto a wavy surface
which makes it difficult to identify what’s going on - and the lighting doesn’t
help!
However, these are issues that didn’t bother the audience on the
afternoon I went. The usherettes and bar staff entered into the spirit of the
rhythms and movements and their enthusiasm was infectious.
Oh Golly, it’s Bolly! runs at The
Globe Theatre, Gold Reef City until March 31. Booking is at Computicket. Tribhangi
is sponsored by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and the National
Lottery Distribution Trust Fund. More information from www.tribhangi.co.za – Caroline Smart