(Leah Mari & Joshua Milne as the young
lovers. Pic by Val Adamson)
The
production is vibrant and alive and the standard of performance all round is
very high. (Review by Caroline Smart)
Footloose the Musical opened last night at the
Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre to enthusiastic response from a delighted audience. The
annual Young Performers Project makes a major vital contribution to building the
city’s entertainment capacity by giving young people a chance to work with
professionals in a structured theatre environment.
This is
the 17th production. Directed by Daisy Spencer who co-choreographs
with Jarryd Watson the show is vibrant and alive and the standard of
performance all round is very high.
The
project was founded in 2001 by Linda Van Der Veen who
had a dream to help talented youth get a taste of the entertainment world, and
help them decide if this was a possible career choice for them. She teamed up
with Durban’s much-acclaimed professionals in the arts industry such as Themi
Venturas, Charon Williams Ros, Dawn Selby and Peter Court. The project promotes discipline,
develops confidence, and gives an opportunity to make life-long friendships,
and to learn a huge amount from the professionals.
Venturas
is now the chairperson of the Young Performers Project and production
supervisor of Footloose the Musical.
His 16 years commitment to the project has been passionate and pro-active and
it was wonderful to see him at the opening last night. Battling with cancer and
very frail, he managed to sit through the full performance to the admiration of
all his friends and colleagues.
The
stage adaptation of Footloose is by
Dean Pitchford and Walter Bobbie based on the original screenplay by Dean
Pitchford with music by Tom Snow and lyrics by Dean Pitchford and additional
music by Eric Carmen, Sammy Hagar, Kenny Logins and Jim Steinman.
Footloose was first made into a feature film: in 1984
with a youthful Kevin Bacon playing Ren, a rebellious city teenager who has
moved from the city with his mother to Bomont, a small town ruled by Rev Shaw
Moore, played in the film by John Lithgow. The preacher has banned all dancing,
drugs and liquor consumption in the town to honour the memory of four young
schoolboys (his own son included) who were killed when their vehicle lost
control and fell into the river.
This
production has been set in a South African landscape. Performing as Ren is Joshua
Milne with Arnie Field as Rev Shaw Moore. Together they create a strong and
excellent partnership as they battled out their differences. It was great to
see Field back on stage again, reminding us what an excellent performer he is.
All kudos to Milne for matching his capacity and his plea to the town council
court was well-handled, with the company joining in with Dancing is Not a Crime.
Fine
performances come from Sarah Donkin as Ren’s mother, and Sarah Heron as Vi, the
mother of Ariel who is a tempestuous young girl who falls in love with Ren.
Ariel, who believes that rules are made to be broken, is played by Leah Mari
who impressed in The Buddy Holly Story. Pulling the most
amount of fun from his character of Willem is Rae du Plooy and his My Ma Says was highly amusing.
The cast
of 25, which includes learners from the Skhethuxolo High School in Hammarsdale,
features some excellent dancers – one of them being Alex van Schalkwyk who also
impressed in The Buddy Holly Story in his role as
Ritchie Valens. As Chico, Ariel’s former boyfriend, Stundo Ndimande was
suitably stroppy and egotistical.
Musical
highlights for me were, obviously, the title song as well as The Girl Gets Around; Holding Out for a
Hero; Can You Find it in Your Heart; Almost Paradise; Field’s solo Heaven Help Me, and the beautiful trio, Learning to be Silent sung by Donkin,
Heron and Mari.
Apart
from working with a professional director and performers Arnie Field and Sarah
Heron on the well-equipped Elizabeth Sneddon stage, the youngsters have the
advantages of Des Govender as vocal coach, top-flight technicians Megan Levy and
Zara Hardman on sound with Wesley Maherry and Tina le Roux on lighting. And the
cherry on the top is to be backed by the splendid The Reals – Dawn Selby, Barry
Thompson, Mali Sewell and Jason Andrew.
There’s
some strong talent about to break forth on the Durban scene – watch out for it!
Footloose the Musical runs at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre
on UKZN campus until September 18 with shows from Tuesday to Saturday at 19h00
and Saturday and Sunday at 14h30. Early booking is recommended through
Computicket outlets at Shoprite Checkers, by phone on 0861 915 8000 or online
at www.computicket.com.
Footloose the Musical is presented by arrangement with
DALRO. The producers are grateful to RCL Foods through their Do More
Foundation, Black Coffee, Snazzi Events and UKZN’s Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre. –
Caroline Smart
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