BETHUEL TSHOANE FOR CENTRE FOR JAZZ

(Right: Bethuel Tshoane)

Durban based guitarist and runner up for the 3rd Unisa String Competition 2021 Bethuel Tshoane, performs live at The Centre for Jazz and Popular Music on April 6, 2022, at 18h00.

Tshoane is a jazz guitarist based in Durban with an altered defined sound to his music. His guitar ability has since been vigorous from a very tender age and has allowed him to tutor other aspiring guitarist. He obtained his expertise at Music for Africa in partnership with Trinity College. He further went on to pursue his musical studies at University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Bethuel’s musical influence is drawn from various music genres such as: Bebop, Jazz, African indigenous music and Western Classical music. His guitar skill has been shaped by the sounds of George Benson, Grant Green, Pat Martino, Jimmy Dludlu, Pat Matheny and the great Wes Montgomery.

Some of his career highlight include working with great musicians such as Professor Salim Washinton, Nduduzo Makhathini, Neil Gonsalves, KZN Philharmonic Orchestra, Simphiwe Dana, Sazi Dlamini, Mbuzo khoza and the UKZN Asambe Band which perform at the Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond (USA).

In 2016, Tshoane went on to perform at Maun International Arts Festival held in Botswana. His most recent achievement is him being a runner up for the 3rd Unisa String Competition 2021. Moreover, Bethuel was part of MIAGIE African Jazz Ensemble promoting and embracing African cultures at Intra Africa concert.

The concert takes place on April 6 at 18h00 (doors open 17h30). Line-up: Bethuel Tshoane on guitar is joined by Thabo Skhakhane (trumpet), Zibusiso Makhathini (piano), Blessing Twala (bass), and Sbu Zondi (drums).

The resumption of the Centre’s popular Trios concerts, took place in November 2021 with three concerts after a 20-month hiatus due to the Covid -19 pandemic. It is important to note that they are practicing social distancing, hand sanitizing and the policy of ‘’no mask, no entry’ in accordance with government regulations. Consequently, we can accommodate 90 people in the venue only, and patrons are advised to book in advance to avoid disappointment. Tickets will be available for sale at the door, but only if and until we have sold 90 tickets.

Tickets R100 (R70 pensioners and R40 students). Booking is essential: zamat1@ukzn.ac.za

The Centre for Jazz and Popular Music is situated on the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Howard College Campus, Dennis Shepstone Building, level 2.

 

NEW LANDSCAPES FROM SCOTT BREDIN

(Above: "Katse Landscape" by Scott Bredin)

The Elizabeth Gordon Gallery is happy to announce that they have new landscapes from Scott Bredin.

Bredin’s upbringing on a dairy farm in the Ixopo area of KZN has inspired his lifelong attraction to nature and its infinite vistas of shape, form, texture and colour.

His love of landscapes led to his Masters in Fine Art (cum laude), and thereafter into a thriving career spent telling the stories of the earth through his rich palette of oils.

Scott describes Dry Bushlands as “By midday, the heat has muted the sounds of life. Baked leaves twirl and shudder on dry stalks. The dust is heavy: smothers grasses, coats your boots, hangs in the air. This place feels as ancient and unchanged as a Martian crater.”

In Katse Landscape, Scott states, “The summer rains in the Maloti’s swell the branches of the Katse dam far up the Bokong river valley. People are living here; the thin soil is tilled by stumbling oxen; blue smoke mingles with the morning mist.”

These paintings can be viewed at the Elizabeth Gordon Gallery, 120 Florida Road, in Durban - or on the website https://elizabethgordon.co.za

 

SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN

(Above: Work by Jennifer Morrison)

KZNSA is pleased to present Somewhere In Between, an exhibition of new work from South African born artist Jennifer Morrison.

All are welcome to the opening event on Friday, April 8, 2022, at 17h30 for 18h00. The Arts Café will serve dinner from 17h00 to 19h30 - reminder to please BYO alcohol until further notice.

In this series of paintings, Morrison uses the formal qualities of colour and composition to allude to something experienced in the world and in oneself. She has tried to create a space within these works, where you are aware of an unfolding as the final marks sit on top of a series of previous marks. The artist wanted to create a sense of a past; of something which lies behind that which is seen and felt in the present.

For her, painting is about expression. It is about capturing an interior world and a personal response to the world around her. It’s about having faith in not knowing. It is about what is unspoken. Morrison is interested in the literalness of painting. Subject matter, for her, is the least interesting aspect of art. She is far more interested in how a painting is put together; in its visual impact. Paintings are there to be experienced.

These paintings are about entanglement, hope and struggle. They are about trying to capture a moment, a memory, an emotional state which is in a state of flux, as all things are. Morrison sees her paintings as arrangements which try to evoke and describe states of chaos, struggle and aggression alongside those of rest and beauty.

KZNSA observes all protocols for Covid-19 under the updated regulations, including social distancing and screening. Please wear a face mask indoors.

KZNSA Gallery is situated at166 Bulwer Road, Glenwood, Durban. For more information or for sales enquiries, contact gallery@kznsagallery.co.za or visit kznsagallery.co.za

CHARLOTTE'S WEB: REVIEW

(Belinda Henwood plays Charlotte)

Garden Gander at Web of Wonders...

The wonder of the show lies in superb puppetry and colourful costumes. (Review by Verne Rowin Munsamy)

KickstArt Productions have revamped their rendition of Charlotte's Web for the beautiful, outdoor amphitheatre in the Durban Botanic Gardens. When one enters the scenery, it is reminiscent of a wondrous house in the middle of a forest. The atmosphere is quite abuzz as kids inspect the set, enjoy some snacks, and wait with anticipation for the marvel of the show, which is designed and directed by Greg King.

The classic tale tells of a Spider, Charlotte (played by ever-poised Belinda Henwood) desperate to save the life of her new friend, Wilbur (played by the adored Mthokozisi Zulu). 

She has the brilliant idea of writing words on her web to best describe Wilbur, which wins him a special prize at the county fair and saves him from the slaughter house.

The rest of the stellar cast are imposing in their performances and include Cara Roberts (who plays Fern and a goose), Lyle Buxton (Mr Arable, Lurvy and doing a great Trump impression), multi-talented Greg King, the versatile Bryan Hiles as the mischievous Templeton, with Claire Mortimer, and Stephanie Jenkins handling puppets.

The wonder of the show lies in superb puppetry and colourful costumes. The underscore whisks you into the world of this theatrical adaptation of this evergreen children's classic. The ensemble is equally talented and diverse, but I felt that the energy dipped a little in the second half. Nonetheless, this show is truly captivating, so take a picnic basket and book yourself... and the kids a ticket to the show.

Ticket R150 (R120 children under 12 and pensioners). The show runs on March 31 and April 1 at 14h30, April 2 and 3 at 11h00. Running time is approximately 1hr and 20 mins, with a ten-minute interval. Venue to open one hour prior to performance for BYO picnics.

Seating is unreserved, (but will be allocated according to responsible social distancing regulations on arrival at the venue.)

Free parking available at DBG Visitor’s Centre, 9A John Zikhali Rd. (Allow time for a ten-minute walk through the gardens to the Amphitheatre)

Book at webtickets.co.za: https://www.webtickets.co.za/v2/Event.aspx?itemid=1512670034 - By Verne Rowin Munsamy

Tickets may be fully refunded or exchanged for other performances in the event of cancellation caused by Covid or bad weather.

 

RUN ROSE RUN: REVIEW

If you like romantic novels with a certain predictability inherent in them to provide easy reading, then “Run Rose Run” could well be for you! (Review by Barry Meehan)

“FIND A FUTURE. LOSE A PAST.

She’s a star on the rise, singing about the hard life behind her.

She’s also on the run.

Nashville is where she’s come to claim her destiny.

It’s also where the darkness she’s fled might find her.

And destroy her.”

So reads the back cover of Run Rose Run, a novel by Dolly Parton and James Patterson. Well, both are credited with writing the story, but it’s not like anything I’ve read from James Patterson before, so one wonders just how much input he had in the creation of this somewhat overlong tale of a young girl destined to be the next country superstar, helped along the way by the retired Queen of country music.

It must be said that the blurb sounds all too familiar, and there is certainly nothing outstandingly exciting in the writing that keeps one turning the pages, but this is just my personal opinion.

I suppose the novelty comes with the book being written by the legendary Dolly Parton, who gives us an insight into the world of country music in Nashville – the back-stabbing, the greedy agents who set out to take any newbie singer for a ride, promising them the world, the bars and the dives that have launched many a career, the rigors of touring etc.

Unfortunately, as one reads the book, one gets the feeling it’s all been done before, no matter what the chosen occupation of the heroine – the new arrival on an established scene, the dangerous dark past, the reluctant hero who shuns the limelight, the fading star, the supportive musos etc. etc.

Parton has even created an album of 12 original songs made specifically for the novel. A good marketing idea, I suppose, and I wish her luck with both the book and the album.  Below are the lyrics from Big Dreams and Faded Jeans (all lyrics are printed at the end of the novel)

 

“Out on my jeans, my favourite shirt

Pull up my boots and hit the dirt

Finally doin’ something I’ve dreamed of for years

Don’t know quite what to expect

A little scared, but what the heck

My desire is always greater than my fear

Chorus: Big dreams and faded jeans

Fit together like a team

Always busting at the seams

Big dreams and faded jeans

Just my old guitar and me

Out to find my destiny

Nashville is the place to be

For big dreams and faded jeans.”

 

Please note that as I have said, this review is my personal opinion. If you like romantic novels with a certain predictability inherent in them to provide easy reading, then Run Rose Run could well be for you!

Run Rose Run is published by Penguin Random House. ISBN  976-1-529-13568-8 - Barry Meehan

RUN WITH THE PACK

(Above: Barry Thomson)

Barry Thomson and The Reals pay tribute to the classic rock songs of Bad Company, including Bad Company, Can’t Get Enough, Feel Like Making Love, Good Lovin’ Gone Bad, Movin’ On, Shooting Star, Run With The Pack and Young Blood.

Run With The Pack runs at Rhumbelow Theatre in Durban from April 1 to 3 and again from April 8 to 10.

There will also be one show at Northlands Bowling Club at 50 Margaret Maytom Avenue, Durban North on May 14 at 19h00.

A further show will take place in Pietermaritzburg at the Allan Wilson Shellhole, 5 Durban Road, on May 22 at 14h00.

Bad Company enjoyed great success throughout the 70s with their first three albums reaching the top five in the album charts in both the UK and US.

Bad Company consisted of four seasoned British musicians including two former members of the band Free - singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke – as well as former Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs and ex-King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell.

The Reals, with Durban favourites Barry Thomson on guitar and vocals, Dawn Selby as Musical Director on keyboards and vocals, Mali Sewell on drums and vocals and Andy Turrell on bass guitar present an evening of good rocking classics. Included in the line-up for this show is guest guitarist Shaun Dragt.

Performances at Rhumbelow Durban take place on Fridays and Saturdays at 19h00 and on Sundays at 14h00. (Venue opens 90 minutes before show for snacks/drinks)

Tickets R180. Booking is essential. Email roland@stansell.co.za or COMPUTICKET

Bring food picnic baskets or buy at the venue. Bar available (no alcohol may be brought on to the premises)

All seating will be at separate tables and we will obviously be seating co-habiting couples and/or family members. 50 % capacity. Limited secure parking available.

For more information contact 082 499 8636 or visit http://events.durbantheatre.com/

Rhumbelow Theatre is situated at 42 Cunningham Road off Bartle Road, Durban.

When you come to a Rhumbelow Show please bring some non-perishable food item for us to donate to MOTH COTTAGES to support those that are struggling.

I HEART MARKET IS BACK

The City’s popular and much-loved artisanal I heart Market is back in all its autumnal awesomeness at Moses Mabhida lawns on April 2 from 08h30 to 14h00.

As always, the focus of the market is on local entrepreneurs with excellent quality, hand-crafted and bespoke artisanal foods, crafts, décor and fashion. Expect to find delicious foods to take-away or eat on site, homemade pastries and breads, brownies, cupcakes, and dried fruits and nuts, locally designed clothing, home décor and furnishings, inspired accessories, and jewellery - all made with dedicated care and love.

During the lockdowns and severe pandemic times, I heart Market stopped trading for 20 months. Whilst they pivoted to online markets during that time, it put an immense strain on the local vendors that relied on the income generated from trading.

"Our most important objective is to showcase local creative talent and bring the Durban community together," says director Anna Savage. "It's been heart-warming to see our old traders and loyal customers excited to be back trading at our market."

Chef Rum, a small local business and it barely escaped closing down during lockdown says, "Events such as I heart Market that support local businesses only has helped keep our doors open and for me to continue to employ my one helper. Thank you I heart from the bottom of my heart."

"It's all very well making products and selling them online but without your customer feeling the product and smelling the product, it's a much harder sell. I heart Market has been the perfect place for us to engage with our audience and getting immediate feedback from the customer helps to spur us on and encourage us. The experience is invaluable," says Keren Pocock of Aya Natural Skin who makes natural oils and cream all with the addition of the healing properties of fermented papaya.

The market takes place on April 2 from 08h30 to 14h00. Entrance is free and dogs (on leashes) are welcome. 

There is secure underground parking at the Stadium.  COVID protocols will be observed.

UMONGO MSINDO: SOUNDS IN CONTEXT

(Bhekani Ngcamu – photographer Hugh Mdlalose)

iSupport Creative Business is launching its first exhibition of new work that aims to commemorate, showcase and bring the story of some of the unique musical heritage of KwaZulu-Natal to life.

The exhibition will be launched at the Luthuli Museum in Groutville on March 31 at 12 noon and will be exhibited throughout April, running from Monday to Saturday from 08h30 to 15h30 (Sundays 11h30 to 14h30)

uMongo Msindo is a multi-fold undertaking that is in equal parts archival and exhibitionary. It works against a globally flattened culture where speed is currency and context amiss. Working within the boundary of KwaZulu-Natal, it considers ‘hyper locality’ as a tool to disrupt the conditions of ‘internationalism’. It invites audiences and custodians of age-old music traditions on a sojourn of music-making and consumption, with a particular focus on the relationship between player and instrument. Both entities conjoin to form a vessel that transmits sound, heritage and frequencies.

The five protagonists of this undertaking are amongst some of the oldest instrument players in the region. They liberate overlooked narratives through six instruments from the comfort of their homes through their personal histories. This installation brings musicians into conversations with their instruments through videos, textiles that function as interactive wall pieces and a QR portal that expands on their work- all presented via a mobile museum structure.

(Bavikile Ngema - photographer Hugh Mdlalose)

"It has been a long-time dream of our company to bring indigenous instruments, their players and the stories to life. This is such an important piece of archival work that we are beyond excited to share it finally”, says Mzwandile Ntsele, who co-curated the exhibition with his wife and business partner Marlyn Ntsele.

The duo has been involved in many successful music and arts projects in KwaZulu-Natal. Their company, iSupport Creative Business, is also a successful digital marketing company and publicist.

They have big dreams for the exhibition: “We would like this exhibition to be seen by as many people as possible. We ensured it is a mobile structure so it can easily tour and other instruments could be added to the concept. We will also make sure learners get invited to this exhibition so that we can share the importance and endless possibilities of indigenous instruments with a younger generation.” Says Marlyn Ntsele.

This exhibition is made possible with the support of the Luthuli Museum and with financial support from the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture. Musicians: Bavikile Ngema, Bhekani Ngcamu, Msayinelwa Biyela, Njeza Dlamini, Sphelele Dlamini

Exhibition Design is by Issa Wessels with Videography by Sthembiso Hlela and Jim Kagiso Nkoane

 

DSTV HIGHLIGHTS: MARCH 25 - 31

(Good coverage of the 2022 Academy Awards due this coming week)

March goes out with a bang on DStv! The Oscars are here and DStv is bringing you three epic special shows from The 2022 Academy Awards with the ceremony itself live on M-Net Movies 1 (DStv Channel 104) and in primetime on M-Net (DStv Channel 101), along with all the red-carpet glamour on E! Entertainment (DStv Channel 124), with Live From E! The 2022 Oscars and Red Carpet Rundown: The 2022 Oscars. And for movie lovers, there’s action in the Sunday Night Blockbuster Jolt starring Kate Beckinsale.

The best international series are also making their way to DStv, including the brand-new FBI: International, the latest season of drama series A Million Little Things, and factual prison break series Great Escapes With Morgan Freeman. Doccie fans can also look out for Attenborough's Wonder of Song, and for true-crime fans there’s a new season of Killer Britain with Dermot Murnaghan. Plus, look out for a marriage proposal and a missing persons case in the latest episodes of the local telenovela Legacy.

 

The 2022 Academy Awards

Award show / Watch on March 28 / M-Net (DStv Channel 101) at  21h30

The 2022 Oscars honour films released between March 1 2021 and December 31 2021. This year's hosts are Amy Schumer, Wanda Sykes and Regina Hall, who will each present their own section of the awards. Jane Campion’s western The Power of The Dog leads the nominations pack with hopes for awards in 10 categories. NB! To watch the ceremony live, tune in at 03h00 on M-Net Movies 1 (DStv Channel 104).

 

FBI: International

Season 1 / Episode 1 / Watch from Tuesday, March 29 / M-Net (DStv Channel 101) at 20h30

The FBI’s Fly Team is based in Budapest, where they keep an eye out for and neutralise threats against American interests, with help from Interpol agent Katrin Jaeger (Christiane Paul). Team leader Scott Forrester (Luke Kleintank) and second-in-command Jamie Kellett (Heida Reed) head a squad including retired cadaver dog Tank.

 

 Legacy

Season 2 / Episode 109 / Watch from March 28 / Mondays-Thursdays / M-Net (DStv Channel 103) / at 19h00

Angelique (Michelle Botes) tries to patch things up with Dineo (Kgomotso Christopher), and Msizi (Siyabonga Thwala) uses every tactic to ensure that Dineo accepts his marriage proposal. Dineo reveals her deep-seated fear and the reason she’s scared to remarry. Janet (Kate Normington) is frantic about Ben (Arno Greeff) still being missing, and Robbie (André Lotter) and Cranston lead another search party. The chances of Robbie finding Ben unharmed grow slimmer by the minute, and Willem (Dawid Minnaar) warns Stefan (Sean-Marco Vorster) that he is playing a dangerous game.

Great Escapes with Morgan Freeman

Season 1 / Episode 1 / Watch from March 26 / History (DStv Channel 186) / at 20h15

Morgan Freeman follows in the footsteps of prison inmates who plotted and executed some of history’s most daring escapes, and goes inside the intense manhunt that followed. Using prison reports from “unescapable” facilities like Dannemora, Alcatraz and Altiplano, and eyewitness testimony, they’ll take us inside the big break.

 

Attenborough's Wonder of Song

Doccie / BBC Earth (DStv Channel 184) / March 27 at 16h10

Sir David Attenborough tunes in to the remarkable sounds of the natural world and shows us new discoveries from scientists about the songs of female animals. But as humankind gets noisier, the rest of the planet is falling silent. This story of pioneering research and insight is a chorus of wonder… and a wake-up call.

 

Jolt

Movie / M-Net (DStv Channel 101) / March 27 at 21h05

In this electrifying action thriller, Kate Beckinsale stars as an angry and short-fused female bouncer named Lindy who goes on a vengeful rampage after her friend is killed to bring those responsible to justice. Also starring Stanley Tucci, Laverne Cox and Susan Sarandon.

 

Live From E! The 2022 Oscars

Special / E! Entertainment (DStv Channel 124) / March 27 at 23h00

The ultimate awards show is back on the red carpet. E! crosses live to the 2022 Academy Awards to bring you the best coverage of who’s wearing what for Hollywood's most glittering night. Keep an eye out for nominees Ariana DeBose, Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet, Jessica Chastain and Will Smith & family.

  

Red Carpet Rundown: The 2022 Oscars

Special / E! Entertainment (DStv Channel 124, March 28 at 01h00

E! presenters like Zanna Roberts Rassi are out on the red carpet, snatching interviews with nominees, hosts and the creme de la creme of Hollywood on the awards season’s biggest night. Discover the stories behind the designs of some of this year’s most amazing outfits.

 

The Good Karma Hospital

Season 4 / Episode 1 / BBC Brit (DStv Channel 120) /March 29 at 20h00

Medical drama set in an underfunded clinic. Dr Lydia Fonseca’s love interest Greg faces being deported, Ruby lashes out following Gabriel’s shock departure, and two new doctors arrive at the hospital: Charming British Asian doctor Samir Hasan (Harki Bhambra) and Dr Niki Sharma (Rebecca Ablak), an enthusiastic, privileged young Indian woman.

 

Salvage Hunters: Classic Cars

Season 6 / Episode 1 / Discovery (DStv Channel 121) / at 20h55

UK-based antiques dealer Drew Pritchard and automotive expert Paul Cowland get their hands on one of the classic James Bond cars – the 1976 Lotus Esprit – but the looming restoration project, which includes finding an upholsterer to refresh the tartan interior, looks time intensive as well as prohibitively expensive.

 

M-Net Movies DC Heroes Pop-Up Channel

Pop-Up Channel / Watch from March 25 until April 3 / M-Net Movies (DStv Channel 111)

For ten days only, the M-Net Movies DC Heroes pop-up channel will air the most popular heroes and villains from some of the biggest DC blockbusters and animations. There will be plenty of thrills with Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman, Joker, Green Lantern and much more!

M-Net Movies DC Heroes channel 111 will be made available to DStv Premium customers and selected films will be on DStv Catch Up.

WESTVILLE THEATRE CLUB ONE ACT PLAY FESTIVAL

The Westville Theatre Club’s 2022 One Act Play Festival is in full swing. Cast have been cast, Plays have been selected, Directors are directing, and all are filled with fun and anticipation for an amazing festival!

Theatre supporters are urged to book and support this Festival. It is an opportunity to showcase new ideas and for trying new things, this is how a theatre club grows. This festival will give budding playwrights, directors, producers and actors a chance to spread their wings.

The Festival consists of three 20 minute plays, The Legs, Jump and Degas C’est Moi, and two ten minute dramas, Surprise and I do You Die. Then there is I Still Have You, a journey of discovery by a mother and daughter and Lady Killers comprised of four monologues.

THE LEGS - A comedy written and directed by Andrew Frangs

March 26 at 14h00; April 1 & 2 at 19h00.

Cast: Kerry White, Hayley Hore, Tyrone O;Neill, Chante be Bog, Jonathan Payne, Nelvia Rawheath, Reicene Pillay, Ocean Postman.

Mildred is hosting a birthday party for her neighbour. Before the party is about to begin, she comes across a pair of legs in her flowerbed. Panicking, she decides to conceal them, much to horror of her husband and her best friend. Needless to say, the party does not go off without a hitch.

The Legs comes with all the usual suspects, murder, betrayal, lies, denial, and a fair amount of alcohol.

  

JUMP— A drama by Ryan Naamdhew Directed by Brandon Strydom

March 25, 26, 31 at 18h30 for 19h00 and April 2 at 13h30 for 14h00.

Cast: Ocean Postman, Nathan Hill, Nelvia Rawheath, Chante de Bod, Shakeel Khan & Zaskia Janse van Nieuwenhuuisen.

A boy named Navii, draped in a pink dress, ascends a building, steps slowly towards the edge of it ... However, he is interrupted from his “fate” by a man named London who has been contemplating every day whether to jump or not. London’s curiosity gets the better of him and Navii wants to find out more about this strange man living on top of the building. They slowly unravel the mystery of each other’s pasts, their minds and the true nature for their ascension, all the while a quirky fellow with a box of popcorn watches them and a deadly supernatural presence lurks all around.

 

DEGAS C’EST MOI – an off-the-wall comedy - by David Ives

Directed by Jill Sysum.

March 25, 26, & 31 at 18h30 for 19h00. Also April 2 at 13h30 for 14h00

This wonderfully whacky play will take the audience on a glorious journey. Ed wakes up one morning and decides he is Degas…. Edgar Degas! the grandmaster painter who is famous for all eternity. There are a chorus of characters weaving in and out of Ed’s day. He finds everything more meaningful now. His city is gloriously polychromatic. Ed draws the audience into his world of Degas paintings, where nothing is real, or is it? How does Ed’s day end? Will reality be his oppressor? Or will he find his muse?

 

I STILL HAVE YOU. Written and directed by Melanie Visser

March 25, 226 & 31 at 18h30 for 19h00. Also April 2 at 13h30 for 14h00.

Cast: Damayanti Visser and Melanie Visser

A humorous, yet heart-warming, depiction of the intricate relationship between a mother and daughter. Share in the laughter and wipe away a tear, as they navigate their way through a typical day—negotiating life, love, loss…. and the occasional, hilarious mishap.

Join in the journey towards coming of age and the ups and downs to finding the meaning of life or more specifically the meaning of your life.

 

SURPRISE— Written by Mark Harvey Levine

Directed by Daniel Oosthuizen

March 24 at 18h30 for 19h00 (preview only); March 26 at 13h30 for 14h00. Also April 1 and 2 at 18h30 for 19h00.

Cast: Nathan Hill, Jonathan Payne & Ocean Postman.

A ten-minute comedy, with a two-minute mystery.

Dating and romance can be really challenging,

especially if you are psychic….!

 

Also on the festival programme:

I DO, YOU DIE - a Thriller by Carrie McCrossen, directed by Daniel Oosthuizen. Marriage, a fight till a death...how far would you go to survive?

LADY KILLERS — Written by Tori Telfer, directed By Banele Khomo

Told in 4 distinctive vignettes, this engaging piece explores the journeys, complexities and challengers of being a modern woman who kills.

 

The Festival is being held at the Westville Theatre Club (next to the Westville Swimming Pool) in St James Avenue. Tickets R100 per person per night …but if you book for BOTH nights it’s R150 for the two nights (Friday & Saturday) i.e. you get to see all 6 plays for R150 (Pensioners and Students R80 per person per night). For a matinee it will be R100 per person.

Booking details: Contact Dorothy on 083 776 1754 or phone Andrew on 083 7852428 or Daniel on 060 3768852

Bank details: Westville Theatre Club Standard Bank Westville Branch, Branch Code: 045 426 Account No: 25 254 834 5 Reference: date/name of person booking/no of seats eg 28ANOther4

All Covid protocols will be strictly observed.

For more information and to join Westville Theatre Club, contact Caroline on 082 879 0771. Or visit https://westvilletheatreclub.co.za/

FOM CONCERT: BACH & STERN

(Jenny Stern & Emmanuel Bach)

Friends of Music will present Emmanuel Bach (violin) accompanied by Jenny Stern (piano) on April 3, 2022.

Emmanuel Bach is a British-born violinist and chamber musician who is fast gaining recognition in the UK and abroad. He has performed as a soloist and chamber musician at venues such as Wigmore Hall, St George’s Bristol, St Martin-in-the Fields, St James’s Piccadilly and Queen Elizabeth Hall.

His playing has taken him to Italy, France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and South Africa. He has played concertos including Brahms, Mendelssohn, Paganini No.1 and Tchaikovsky.

Bach read Music at Magdalen College, Oxford, gaining a double First. He received his Masters from the Royal College of Music and completed an Artist Diploma in 2018 also at the RCM. Alongside solo and chamber playing, he played on orchestral schemes with the BBC and London Symphony Orchestras.

Jenny Stern was born in South Africa. She has performed widely as a soloist, chamber musician and accompanist. Following studies at the Royal College of Music she completed a Masters in South Africa, winning the prestigious Emma Smith Overseas Scholarship for further study abroad. Major performances include concertos by Rachmaninoff, Mozart and Grieg, with the orchestras of Cape Town, KZN and Bloemfontein. As a teacher, she holds posts at Eton College and the Junior Department of the Royal College of Music.

 

PROGRAMME

Franz Schubert: Rondo Brilliant in B minor, D.895, Op.70

Edward Elgar: Sonata in E minor for Violin and Piano, Op.82 (1918)

Francis Poulenc: Sonata for Violin and Piano FP 119 (1942-3, rev. 1949)

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Valse-Scherzo, Op.34

Niccolò Paganini: Variations on 'Di Tanti Palpiti', from Rossini's Tancredi, Op.13

 

Tickets R140 (FOM members R120) You may pre-book via friendsofmusic@webmail.co.za or by phoning Bernice (0832537935) or Keith (0715051021) Tickets will also be available at the door.

The concert takes place at 15h00 on April 3 at the Durban Jewish Centre, 44 KE Masinga Road.

All Covid protocols will be observed

 

IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOUNTAIN: REVIEW

It makes for a compelling read, the two strands combining to make a rich whole. (Review by Margaret von Klemperer, Courtesy of The Witness)

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this book: I have always been a fan of mountaineering literature, though never had any desire to subject myself to the cold and danger of actually climbing. But Silvia Vasquez-Lavado is not just writing about getting to the top of Everest, or any of the other Seven Summits she has conquered. She is also writing a memoir of a difficult life.

Her story opens with a chapter where she is climbing up the Lhotse face of Everest, about five hours from the summit, in atrocious weather. The writing is powerful and the tension is palpable. And then, in the next chapter, we are back in the author’s childhood in Lima, Peru where her conservative family hid or ignored a multitude of secrets.

For Vasquez-Lavado, chief among them is the ongoing abuse she suffered that left her with severe emotional scars. The descriptions are painful, and could be deeply depressing, but the writing is extraordinarily skilled, and the author’s method of alternating chapters between her horrific past and the adventurous present of her trek to Everest Base Camp, and then on to the attempt on the summit keeps the reader completely engaged in both strands of the story.

The young Vasquez-Lavado eventually leaves Peru for education in the USA, having told her mother about the abuse. In America she embarks on a high-flying corporate career which glitters on the surface but conceals her struggles with her sexuality and what she calls the “magical trifecta” of being an alcoholic, a workaholic and a sexaholic. Something will have to give, and eventually it does.

She finally confronts who she is and what has happened, and finds healing in the mountains. But not just personal healing: her trek to Everest Base Camp, which is an endurance test in itself, is leading a group of other young women who have suffered as she has, some of them having been trafficked from Nepal to India with the promise of a better life, but actually to work in brothels. Their stories are also powerful.

It makes for a compelling read, the two strands combining to make a rich whole. The front cover states that In the Shadow of the Mountain is soon to be a major movie. Read it first – it is hard to imagine that a film will adequately handle the complexities of this story.

In the Shadow of the Mountain is published by Monoray. - Margaret von Klemperer

“ANYTHING GOES” FOR RHUMBELOW CLASSICS CINEMA

Rhumbelow Classics Cinema On The Big Screen programme will host three screenings of Anything Goes filmed live at the Barbican, London in October 2021.

The screenings take place on March 27 at 14h00 and 18h30 and March 30 at 18h30. Venue opens 90 minutes before show for snacks/drinks. Running Time: 156 minutes (including interval).

Don’t miss Anything Goes, ‘the show of the year’ (★★★★★ The Telegraph) and a ‘fizzing tonic for our times’ (★★★★★ The Guardian) when it sails into cinemas nationwide. Filmed live at the Barbican in London, this major new 5-star production of the classic musical comedy features an all-star cast led by renowned Broadway royalty Sutton Foster reprising her Tony Award-winning performance as Reno Sweeney, alongside three-time Olivier Award and Tony Award winner Robert Lindsay (My Family), Evening Standard Theatre Award winner Felicity Kendal (The Good Life) and beloved West End Legend Gary Wilmot (Chicago). A heart-warming romance spectacular dance routines and some of theatre’s most memorable songs, Anything Goes is ‘a joyously shipshape revival’ (★★★★★ The Observer).

When the S.S. American heads out to sea, etiquette and convention head out the portholes as two unlikely pairs set off on the course to true love ... proving that sometimes destiny needs a little help from a crew of singing sailors, a comical disguise and some good old-fashioned blackmail. This hilarious musical romp across the Atlantic, directed by the multi-award-winning Broadway director and choreographer Kathleen Marshall, features Cole Porter’s joyful score, including I Get A Kick Out of You, You’re the Top and the show-stopping Anything Goes. The ‘musical equivalent of sipping one glass of champagne after another’ (★★★★★ The Times), Anything Goes will take you back to the Golden Age of high society on the seas from the comfort of your cinema seat.

Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter.

Original book by P G Wodehouse & Guy Bolton and Howard Lindsay & Russel Crouse.

New Book by Timothy Crouse and John Weidman

Directed and choreographed by Tony Award Winner Kathleen Marshall

Filmed live at the Barbican, London in October 2021

All seating will be at separate tables and the venue will obviously be seating co-habiting couples and/or family members. covid limit – max 50 %

Tickets R100. Bring food picnic baskets or buy at the venue. A full bar is available (no alcohol may be brought on to the premises). Limited secure parking available.

All tickets must be pre-booked. No walk-ins allowed.

Booking is essential on email: roland@stansell.co.za or through Computicket.

For more information contact Roland Stansell on 082 499 8636 or visit http://events.durbantheatre.com/

Strict Covid protocols will be observed. Rhumbelow Theatre is situated at 42 Cunningham Road off Bartle Road in Umbilo, Durban.

 

BAROQUE 2000: 2022 SEASON OPENING CONCERT

(Right: Pic by Michel Schneuwly)

On Sunday March 27, 2022, Baroque 2000 will be back at the Church of the Mariannhill Monastery at 11h30 for the 2022 Season Opening concert.

Some of the majestic works of the baroque period will be performed: Handel’s Water Music, featuring oboes, French horns and trumpets as well as Bach’s Orchestral Suite No1 in C Major and Handel’s Concerto Grosso Op 3 No 2 in B flat major.

The Overture to Charpentier’s Te Deum will open the concert with a roaring introduction by the timpani.

You can now become a subscriber to the Season of 8 concerts and pay for 7. Sunday’s tickets will be sold at the door at R170.

There is ample, free and safe parking and the Tea Garden will be open for refreshments and light meals.

Contact Michel on email: sursouth@iafrica.com or 082-303 5241.

DOWNTIME WITH SOMIZI

A new inspirational talk show, to premiere on 1Magic this April

Fancy having a candid conversation in the middle of goat yoga, anyone? How about a relaxed dinner after an intense archery session? 1Magic’s newest talk show, Downtime with Somizi, will give viewers this and more when it debuts on DStv Channel 103 on April 1, 2022.

Hosted by the multi-talented entertainer Somizi Mhlongo, the new 13-episode series is a talk show with a twist: Somizi chats with a pair of guests during an activity that takes them outside of their comfort zone as they take part in an outrageously fun and quirky experience for the first time, before heading to a relaxed and low-key dinner where themed topics will be explored in-depth.

From Peggy-Sue Khumalo and Connie Ferguson talking about the beauty of love and the pain of loss, to Ntsiki Mazwai and Thandiswa Mazwai waxing lyrical about telling it like it is, Downtime with Somizi will offer viewers a deeper glimpse into some of the most famous and celebrated names in the country.

Of course, sharing a meal with Somizi is never dull, the show will also have a focus on fabulous food and exotic drinks. Travelling chef and sommelier, Xolani Mancotywa – South Africa’s first certified Sake sommelier – will present a menu and theme for each episode to delight his guests.

“We’re excited to keep introducing new content to our viewers while celebrating our local icons and our local food.  A show like Downtime with Somizi will appeal to our audience’s diverse and discerning tastes. It’s another exploration for channel to play in the talk show genre, which viewers have previously enjoyed. 1Magic will continue to expand its repertoire with shows that cut across many genres and formats, and that’s something our audience can continue to expect from us,” says Shirley Adonisi, Director of Local Entertainment Channels at M-Net.

Other featured guests T-Bo Touch and DJ Sbu (the hustlers); Bobby Motaung and Shauwn Mkhize (the soccer rebels) and Anele Mdoda and Thembisa Nxumalo (sisterhood.

Downtime with Somizi isn’t your average talk show – it’s three interesting people having honest conversations and tackling topics the audiences have always wanted to know more about. Join in the chat on #DowntimeWithSomizi, every Friday at 20h30 from April 8 2022 on 1Magic (DStv Channel 103).

MISS SAIGON’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY PERFORMANCE

Rhumbelow Classics Cinema on The Big Screen programme will host three screenings of Boublil and Schönberg’s Miss Saigon’s 25th Anniversary Performance which was filmed live at the London’s Prince Edward Theatre.

Public Screening licensed through MPLC (Motion Picture Licensing Company).

Screenings will take place at Rhumbelow Theatre in Durban on March 25 at 19h00 and on March 26 at 14h00 and 19h00. Running Time 140 minutes (including interval). Venue opens 90 minutes before show for snacks/drinks.

“Remarkably, the emotional performances of this wonderful cast in close-up seems entirely natural as if they were being shot for the cinema rather than being performed in a 1,700-seat theatre. The clarity of the sound and the sweeping music makes this passionate story even more intensely thrilling and moving on the screen,” Mackintosh said.

The acclaimed new staging of Boublil and Schönberg’s Miss Saigon was one of the most highly-anticipated musical events the West End had seen in recent years.

Smashing box office records and winning numerous awards, it was described by The Daily Telegraph as “the most thrilling, soaring and emotionally stirring musical which speaks afresh to our times” and by The Daily Mail as “the greatest musical of all time.” The famously epic love story tells the tragic tale of young Vietnamese bar girl Kim, orphaned by war, who falls in love with American GI Chris – but their lives are torn apart by the fall of Saigon.

Captured in front of a live audience at the sell-out 25th anniversary performance at London’s Prince Edward Theatre on September 22, 2014, Miss Saigon: The 25th Anniversary Performance gives cinema-goers front row seats to the incredible event which saw more than 20,000 people attempt to book seats within the first five minutes of release. The extraordinarily talented cast includes Jon Jon Briones as The Engineer, Eva Noblezada as Kim, Alistair Brammer as Chris, Hugh Maynard as John, Tamsin Carroll as Ellen and Rachelle Ann Go as Gigi.

“Miss Saigon has thrilled thousands since its very first 1991 Broadway run, and this top-notch performance from the 25th anniversary celebration is no exception,” Fathom Events Vice President of Programming Kymberli Frueh said. “Fathom is so proud to bring this amazing production to the big screen for the worldwide premiere so audiences can get a front row experience. It is a flagship program in our effort to bring more Broadway offerings to fans across the U.S. and the world.”

Tickets R100. Booking is essential on email: roland@stansell.co.za

Food available at the venue. Bar Available (no alcohol may be brought on to the premises) There is limited secure parking.

All seating will be at separate tables and the venue will obviously be seating co-habiting couples and/or family members. covid limit – max 50 %

For more information contact 0824998636 or visit http://events.durbantheatre.com/

Strict Covid protocols will be observed. Rhumbelow Theatre is situated at 42 Cunningham Road off Bartle Road in Umbilo, Durban.