(“They
Just Keep Moving The Line”: Sarah Thompson (Anastasia) and the Good Girls - Veronique Ellis, Rio
Notra & Shannyn Zorab)
Following their last production, Born from a Boombox, Blunt Productions
have taken a quantum leap forward and produced a music revue that is set during
the 1940s Burlesque era. To work in a venue the size of Seabrooke’s Theatre
with a 13-member cast is an added challenge.
Good to see new talent embrace a production
like this and put in lively, committed and energetic performances. Some of the
cast members have achieved acknowledgement in their individual fields and some
are making their professional theatre debut.
Decadence features Shannon Newton as the prim and proper Cecilia and Nqobile
Mahlambi as the seductive Jocasta. They are two dance legends and their aim is
to present a stage-struck young dancer, Anastasia, played by Sarah Thompson, with
the choice of following one or other path – that of being pure and respectable
or independent and free to follow her desires.
Cecilia and Jocasta have their adoring
acolytes – Cecilia’s dressed in white and Jocasta’s in black. Led in the dances
by choreographer Veronique Ellis, the ensemble includes Shannyn Zorab, Andile
Dube, Jessica-Paige Smith, Naomie Sishi, Rio Notra, Tarryn Trollip and Toks
Mahlambi. Adding to the mix is Nidaal Hassim, who gives a great rendition of Jailhouse Rock. Also in the cast are Jason
Jefferys and Kyle Trytsman.
The stand-out performance comes from Shannon
Newton who has worked in several KickstArt productions. She gives a
consistently assured and focused performance whether she’s singing, dancing or
speaking.
There is a good line-up of songs with
appropriate titles such as Let’s Be Bad,
Three Cool Cats, Gotta Gimme Watcha Got, She’s My Witch and Show Me How You Burlesque. One of my
favourite scene was They Just Keep Moving
The Line.
The creative team compromises Brett van
Dort (set design), Sana Siddiqi (costume
design, producing), Amy Hawthorn (vocal coach), Julian Evans (sound and
lighting)
This is an interesting concept and should
be developed further. I feel that the set could be redesigned to avoid moving
set pieces on and off the stage which would move the scenes along more smoothly.
There is very little wing space and this means that it must be very crowded
backstage. A general increase in articulation and project would be beneficial.
Written by Mikhale Singh and directed by
Preven Reddy, Decadence is presented
by Blunt Productions and runs until February 25 at Seabrooke’s Theatre on the
Durban High School campus. Performances nightly (except February 22) at 19h00
with an extra show at 14h00 on February 21. The show on February 22 starts at
14h00. Tickets R100 available online and in selected stores from Webtickets.
Seating is unreserved. – Caroline Smart
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