There are highly focused and strong performances from
every member of the cast in this high energy show. (Review by Caroline Smart)
Running at The Rockwood Theatre at Sibaya is Hollywood Hits which is directed by
Andrew Webster and choreographed by Zia James. It pays tribute to the most
popular songs from the greatest movies to hit the big screen; songs that have
become as iconic as the films themselves.
Appearing in a smart outfit of red velvet jacket with
fancy embroidered lapels, black trousers and top hat, the genial host of the
show and lead vocalist Donovan
Yaards gets
the show off to a good start. He is joined by fellow vocalists Sanele Mkhize,
Kyra Green, Candice
Kennedy and Savanah
De Beer, and they launch into The Greatest Show from The Greatest Showman and set the mood for an impressive playlist of
over 20 numbers.
Against background visuals which regularly feature the
20th Century Fox logo, the show moves through Hollywood hits of the
last 50 years. Yaards reminds us of the journey from bioscopes, drive-in
cinemas and popcorn to today’s Netflix. The show also pays tribute to the
quality of songs that have come from animation/children’s movies.
Kennedy, clad in elegant blue sequins gives a powerful rending of the
James Bond classic, Diamonds are Forever with Mkhize,
equally elegant in a James Bond-style suit, following with Live and Let Die.
With the audience now firmly in movie mode, Green and
de Beer bounce into Fame with Yaards in energetic form with Footloose.
(Savanah de Beer)
With Grease
having just celebrated its 40th anniversary and acknowledged as the
top grossing movie in the history of the US, Hollywood Hits paid tribute with You’re the One that I Want, Greased Lightning and Summer Lovin’. The latter featured Savanah de Beer. At 17,
she is the youngest member of the cast but this young lady is going to go far.
Her stage presence is excellent, she has a good voice and she handles the
lyrics with respect. I really enjoyed her in Take My Breath Away from Top
Gun and with Kennedy in Mama Mia.
The show has an excellent rock-solid band headed by the inimitable John
Ellis on guitar and vocals. His presentation of Purple Rain was excellent proving his
mastery of his instrument. Another definite showstopper was his performance of Radio Gaga. On keyboards and vocals is
the genial Evan Cullum who gave us Crocodile
Rock in Elton John style with much fervour! Trevor Donjeany is on bass with
Dillan Kanny on drums.
(John Ellis)
There are highly focused and strong performances from
every member of the cast. I enjoyed Kennedy in This is Me from The Greatest
Showman and Mkhize’s rendering of Bang
Bang from Shrek. Yaards moved his
vocal range to the limit for Night Fever
and Green complemented Ellis well in Shallow.
However, while I understand the aim of theatres like
Rockwood is to present high-energy party pieces that audiences can participate
in, clap and sing along, I would have liked to have seen a little more “light
and shade” (contrasts) in Hollywood Hits.
There were certain numbers that lacked the essence and message of the lyrics – for
instance, a gentleness and awe for A Whole New World; or the pathos required for Love of My Life. Having said that, the audience on Saturday night
seemed to have no such reservations!
Hollywood Hits runs at
Rockwood Theatre at Sibaya until April 7, 2019. Tickets for Thursdays R99,
Fridays and Saturdays R130 and Sunday matinees R130 (under-12’s free and
pensioners 50% off)
The venue opens at 18h30 for dinner
service, with show commencing at 20h00 on Thursdays to Saturdays and 14h00 on
Sundays. No beverages (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) may be taken into the venue.
Rockwood Theatre Sibaya now accepts Edgars
Thank U account cards for in house production ticket purchases. Tickets can be
booked at www.rockwoodtheatre.co.za or 031 161 0000.
For more information visit
www.suninternational.com or follow Sibaya on Facebook @sibayacasino or on
Twitter @SibayaCasino – Caroline Smart
Posts
