(Caroline Smart, who
plays the judge in an episode, castigates
Mrs Singh Sing with Maeshni
Naicker (Auntie) & Sivani Chinappan
(Ms Singh Song) looking on)
Be part of an
entertainment project which celebrates the magic of radio drama, when Lollipop
Lane - Beauty Spot plays Durban’s Catalina Theatre from July 24 to 26.
Due to public demand, Clinton Marius’s record-breaking radio
comedy, Lollipop Lane, which delighted thousands of fans for four years,
has morphed into a serialized stage show – bringing back to life the whacky
gallery of folk from the block of flats where “the lift doesn’t quite go to the
top floor”.
Following on from the show’s pilot staged production, Lollipop
Lane - The Big Biscuit Bake-Off, which was seen at the Catalina last
October, funding has been secured from the National Arts Council (NAC), and the
exciting venture continues with three more productions drawn from the popular
radio show.
“Since Lollipop Lane’s run on air ended in 2012, I
have fielded ongoing calls from fans for the show to be revived in one way or
another. So we are pleased to continue offering this new platform for them to
re-unite with all their ‘old friends’ from the series,” says its creator,
Clinton Marius.
Where The Big Biscuit Bake-Off focused on one of the
highpoints of the radio comedy series, The Beauty Spot picks on another
fun scenario from the series, re-introducing more of the show’s characters. The
two bickering Mrs Singhs (aka Singh-Singh and Singh-Song) are back, played by
Pauline Dalais and Sivani Chinappan respectively. Fans can also look forward to
meeting up with other personalities from the show.
Casting includes Mayuri Naidu, who heads the roster in her
key role as the ditsy, fashion-obsessed Cassandra. Other well-known names in
the ensemble cast include Maeshni Naicker, Caroline Smart, Shona Johnson,
Clinton Marius, Kim Ferguson, and Musa Ntuli.
“The idea to retain the radio element of Lollipop Lane
came from a notion I had of revisiting the presentations of the hugely popular
Springbok Radio comedy productions that came from Durban – Tom Meehan’s Men
from the Ministry, Father, Dear Father and The Navy Lark,” explains
Caroline Smart.
“These productions were taped in front of an audience at the
Durban SABC studios, then edited and sent to Johannesburg to broadcast. These
productions often ‘went on the road’, giving performances at venues outside
Durban and further afield. This is the idea behind Lollipop Lane’s
revival – to provide work for actors, make it available for fundraising
purposes, reach a wider audience and ultimately to benefit members of Tape Aids
for the Blind. I’m also delighted to be able to introduce the magic of radio
theatre to a new generation of enthusiasts!”
Scripted by Marius and directed by Caroline Smart, these
will be recorded before live audiences, and subsequently broadcast on Tape Aids
for the Blind’s DSTV channel.
Says Elza-Lynne Kruger, National Director of Tape Aids for
the Blind: “I am absolutely thrilled that the National Arts Council has recognised
the value of this project, and given us the capacity to take it forward. It
will be of huge benefit to our blind members, who were excited to hear the
first instalment of the staged series of Lollipop Lane, and will warmly
welcome its sequels.”
Lollipop Lane - The Beauty Spot can be seen at the Catalina
Theatre on Friday and Saturday, July 24 and 25 at 20h00, with a 14h30 matinee
on July 26.
Tickets for Lollipop Lane - The Beauty Spot at R120 (R100
for pensioners and students) available at Computicket outlets, telephonically
on 0861 915 8000, or online at www.computicket.com.
Early booking is advised.
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