(Graeme Wicks as Linus; Bryan Hiles as Charlie
Brown and Caitlin Kilburn as Peppermint Patty with Steven Stead as Snoopy and Evashnee
Pillay as Woodstock)
Durban’s KickstArt Productions is gearing up for their
third production of the year: the utterly delightful mini-musical-comedy, Snoopy:
The Musical, based on the much-loved, ever-popular Peanuts
comic strips which comes to the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre from August 7 until
23 2015.
With Direction by
Steven Stead and Charon Williams-Ros, Musical Direction by Justin Southey, and
Design by Greg King, Snoopy features all the familiar cartoon characters. Carol Trench makes a welcome return to
Durban to play the headstrong and outspoken Lucy; Bryan Hiles is the cartoon’s
protagonist, the melancholic, thoughtful and misunderstood Charlie Brown;
Steven Stead plays the title role of Charlie Brown’s eccentric pet dog, Snoopy;
Caitlin Kilburn is the upbeat tomboy Peppermint Patty; Graeme Wicks is Lucy’s
brother, the insecure Linus, Katy Moore is the effervescent, ditzy Sally Brown
and Evashnee Pillay is Snoopy's silent sidekick,
assistant and bosom buddy, the small scrappy yellow bird, Woodstock
“Snoopy is funny, heartwarming
family entertainment that will appeal to adults just as much (if not even
more!) than to children,” considers director Steven Stead. “Snoopy
is episodic, a unique musical in which each scene, each song is almost a little
cartoon script in itself, linked by a series of vignettes. At first glance, it
is charming and cute but on reflection it is simultaneously both cute and
cruel, profound and existential, hilariously witty, beautifully written and
very, very clever. Charles M Schultz endeavours to sail the boat directly
towards the funny, but consistently touches on the poignant too!”
Audiences don’t have to dig too deep to realize that Snoopy
is a story of the human condition; about a group of friends experiencing
emotions, predicaments and situations familiar to us all. They are trying to
make sense of the concept of “time”, all the while resenting the present and
longing for a time that was good. Amidst their glow of youth, they are trying
to forge relationships and leave their mark on the world in the best way they know how: with amusing
or moving results. The message is: We shouldn’t judge people too easily…we’re
all in this together. And we all face the same dilemmas. It’s our solutions to
life’s challenges that make us different. ..
The score of Snoopy is a real treat – from
hauntingly beautiful ballads; catchy choruses and lively refrains. One of the catchy songs has featured in the
finale of every KickstArt panto: Don’t Be
Anything Less That Everything You Can Be will be very well known to
KickstArt panto regulars!
Snoopy: The Musical is a musical comedy by Larry Grossman and Hal
Hackady; with a book by Warren Lockhart, Arthur Whitelaw and Michael Grace. It
is the sequel to You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown and has had runs
off Broadway, on the West End and is regularly staged internationally.
Snoopy runs at
the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre from August 7 until 23 with shows from Tuesday to Saturdays at 19h00 with matinee
performances on Saturday and Sunday at 13h30. Tickets range from R200 to R130 (R180
to R110 for children under 12 and pensioners) Age restriction is PG6. Not
recommended for children under six years old. Tickets can be booked at
Computicket (www.computicket.co.za
or 0861 915 8000). For sold performances, group bookings, or early bird special
offers (buy eight tickets and get two free), contact Ailsa Windsor of Going
Places: editor.goingplacessa@gmail.com or 083 250 2690.
Also catch a snippet
of the show in rehearsal on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RwAkygrK8o&feature=youtu.be
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