Further review on Dingalings Production by Debbie
Mailovich.
The Catalina’s Quarter Beans Bru! walks you down Yusuf Dadoo Street today in order
to capture Grey Street memory lane. Introducing you to all the unacknowledged sporting
greats, the fafee gamblers, the dons, all areas unrecognized by the separate development
of our unique South African history, the narrators, Vivian Moodly and Bassy
Bhola, a pair of seasoned actors, are found awaiting a visit by Television food
connoisseur Floyd, whom they mock with great enjoyment after his visit occurs during
intermission, of course.
Written and directed by Yugan Naidoo, this
is sheer entertainment with a little education thrown in for good measure. From
the minute you enter the theatre, you’ve entered Patel’s Vegetarian Rest Room (renowned
for their beans bunny) flanked by nostalgic bill boards with its own Eastern
Mosaic cosa nostra. The play opens with genuine sales made by actors on stage
and the relaxed air continues through to the final moments.
The play is filled with commiserations and
past glories, as the actors transform from ‘hot potato’ British expats, to
unemployed black hang-a-bouts trying to make a living, to typically older
Indian gentlemen, all with accompanying accents, irony and humour. The sort of
characters that exaggeration allows you to recognise as stereotypes and the
actors tone down striving for honest reflections, adding to the audiences’
laughter and guffaws.
There is much you may be forced to suck up
and swallow but all in good sport, and talking of sport, for those not au fait
with Indian heros, the play travels back in time to recognize the greats of
yesteryear. Sewsunker "Papwa" Sewgolum, the Indian golf caddie who
beat Gary Player is mentioned and his fate bemoaned as he reaped no benefits
other than receiving his trophy for winning the Natal Open Golf Championship
outside in a heavy downpour which added to the dampening of his spirits also
invoked by a banning order preventing him from further glory in 1963.
Making you wonder just “who framed Roger
Rabbit?” The darker moments of the play are filled with bitter memories that
reveal the consequences of a world with upside-down values, while lighter
moments reminisce and celebrate the triumphs of men over adversity. If you are
out for a night of fun, a little reverie and a good Beans Bunny Bru! then this
one’s especially for you. The production by well-supported Dingaling
Productions in conjunction with Catalina UnLtd is running at the Catalina
Theatre until May 19 from Thursdays to Saturday at 20h00 and Sunday at 14h00
and 18h00. Tickets R100 and the show is just under two hours with intermission.
Bookings on 0861 915 8000 (Computicket) or online at http://online.computicket.com/web/event/quarter_beans_bru -
Debbie Mailovich
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