(The
cast of “The Play that Goes Wrong”.
Photo by Val Adamson Photography)
The year of Mega, Majestic, Mayhem, Magic,
Merry and Mythical Adventures
Top Durban theatre producers, Kickstart
Theatre Productions, have announced a full programme of four productions for
2018: a fun comedy; a magical musical; a delightful children’s show and its
end-of-year family pantomime – all to be staged at the Elizabeth Sneddon
Theatre on UKZN campus.
The 2018 year kicks off with the delicious
hit comedy: The Play that Goes Wrong
which will be staged just after Easter: from April 6 to 29. Described as Fawlty Towers meets Noises Off, it is a fairly new production, premiering in London in
2012, which went on to win every major award on the London stage, including the
2015 Olivier Award for Best Comedy.
The premise is an amateur dramatics company
is putting on a 1920’s murder mystery, The
Murder at Haversham Manor, in a similar vein to the acclaimed The Mousetrap, but as the title
suggests, everything that can go wrong … does! Even before the play starts, the
audience see the backstage staff doing last-minute adjustments to the set,
including trying to mend a broken mantelpiece ... and to find a dog that has
run off! The accident-prone luckless thespians battle against the odds to make
it to their final curtain call with the set still standing, with hilarious
consequences!
The
Play that Goes Wrong stars James Cuningham, Liesl
Coppin, Bryan Hiles, Michael Gritten, Daisy Spencer, Mthokozisi Nkazimulo,
MusaWandile Zulu and Adam Dore. It is directed by Steven Stead and designed by
Greg King.
Hot on the heels of The Play that Goes Wrong, is Camelot
which comes to the Sneddon Theatre from May 18 to June 3. This magical musical
classic explores the enchanting and inspiring tales of King Arthur, his
beautiful wife Guinevere, and the famed Knights of the Round Table, against a
backdrop rich in the pageantry of a legendary, medieval England.
Camelot is a musical by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe based on the
King Arthur legend as adapted from the T H White novel The Once and Future King. It features some of Lerner and Loewe’s
most beautiful music, with songs like If
Ever I Would Leave You, How To Handle a Woman, It’s May and I Loved You Once in Silence. The
original 1960s production ran on Broadway for 873 performances winning four
Tony Awards and spawning several revivals.
It stars Steven Stead as Arthur, Jessica
Sole as his queen, Guinevere, and Lyle Buxton as Sir Lancelot. With sumptuous Game of Thrones-inspired costumes by
Terrence Bray Design, atmospheric sets by Greg King and choreography by Janine
Bennewith Van Wyk, this romantic, swashbuckling spectacle will be an un-missable
theatrical experience. (Not suitable for children under eight years old).
The mid-year slot sees the fabulous Roald
Dahl family show come to life: The BFG
will be staged from June 21 to July 8. Following the success of last year’s James and the Giant Peach, Greg King
returns to direct this enchanting reimagining of Roald Dahl’s delightful
children’s classic about the adventures of a big, friendly giant, and Sophie, a
little orphan he befriends.
Ten-year-old Sophie is in for the adventure
of a lifetime when she meets the 24-foot Big Friendly Giant. Naturally scared
at first, the young girl soon realizes that her new companion is actually quite
gentle and charming. As their friendship grows, Sophie's presence attracts the
unwanted attention of a slew of bad giants including the scary Bloodbottler and
Fleshlumpeater. Sophie and the BFG realise that they must travel to London to
convince Queen Victoria to help them get rid of all the bad behemoths for once
and for all.
Featuring quirky and inventive puppetry and
an all-star local cast, this is ideal fare for the July holidays. It stars
Bryan Hiles, Belinda Henwood, Clare Mortimer, Daisy Spencer, Straw Mpilo
Nzimande and Lyle Buxton.
The KickstArt year wraps-up with their
much-anticipated annual family pantomime. The choice for 2018 is a magical,
brand new production of Cinderella -
everybody’s favourite fairy tale about the kitchen maid with the heart of gold,
who wins the hand of a handsome prince. With lush sets and gorgeous Baroque costumes,
toe-tapping songs, jokes aplenty and masses of audience participation, this is
family entertainment at its very best!
It is directed by Steven Stead, designed by
Greg King with choreography by Evashnee Pillay, and stars Darren King and Bryan
Hiles as the Ugly Sisters, Mthokozisi Zulu as Buttons, Nathan Kruger as the
Prince, Lyle Buxton as Dandini and Anne-Marie Clulow as the Fairy Godmother.
Cinderella will be played by newcomer, Roshanda Lewis, chosen from 40 hopefuls
in an open audition to play the coveted title role.
For schools’ performances, charity
fundraisers or block bookings of 50 or more, contact KickstArt Theatre via
email: kickstart@letni.co.za.
Also, note the Early Bird Special Offer on
ALL shows: Buy eight tickets and get two free! This offer is available through
Computicket up to the first performance of each production. Booking through all
shows is through Computicket.
Listings (all at the Elizabeth Sneddon
Theatre):
The
Play That Goes Wrong (April 6 to 29). Ticket Prices
R235 / R205 / R185. Previews: R185 throughout. (No discounts except school’s
performance R130 throughout)
Camelot (May 18 to June 3). Ticket Prices: R255 / R215 / R185. Previews:
R185 throughout. (No discounts)
The
BFG (June 21 to July 8). Ticket Prices: R195 / R165
/ R135 (adults); R165 / R135 / R115 (children under 12 and pensioners). R110
(Schools’ performance throughout). Previews: R115 throughout
Cinderella (December 7 to January 6). Ticket Prices: R245 / R195 / R165 (adults);
R190 / R175 / R135 (children under 12 and pensioners). R130 (Schools’ performances
throughout). Previews: R135 throughout
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