(Above: Grace McIlroy, Aaron McIlroy, DCO conductor
Charl van der Merwe, Lisa Bobbert and Kaylee McIlroy)
The pre-publicity described the show as a “madcap outrageous musical comedy collaboration”. That’s correct but it’s also a truly uplifting and energised production promising hope for the future of theatre. All that connecting effort could surely even assist Eskom! (Review by Caroline Smart)
Sometimes the most innovative ideas come from a simple suggestion from one friend to another. This is how MacBob Productions and the Durban City Orchestra came together to celebrate the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre’s re-opening after the last three years of devastation (Covid, lockdown, floods, loadshedding etc!) to the theatre industry.
Charl van der Merwe, conductor of the Durban City Orchestra, followed up on his friend’s suggestion and connected with the inimitable and ultra-energised Aaron McIlroy and Lisa Bobbert to suggest a collaborative production. With the guidance of well-known director Darren King, it didn’t take long before the germ of an idea grew into Classical Comedy, a delightful and uplifting production now running at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre at UKZN until December 4, 2022.
Who would have thought that we’d ever see Lisa and Aaron singing with a 43-member orchestra (with a few guest additions from the KZN Philharmonic). And who would have thought the DCO members would have been performing in a show that required their inter-acting ability. It all worked wonders, particularly with the addition of Aaron and Lisa’s three children – Kaylee and Grace on back-up vocals and Declan driving the follow spot.
Added to the strong technical team is the (often totally wild and crazy!) choreography by Daisy Spencer with Stef Pais on sound. Providing the highly amusing video sections was Jacobus van Heerden
(One of the amusing visuals accompanying
the production – Beethoven in a bad mood!)
The show starts off with Chariots of Fire accompanying video images of Bobbert in a hugely layered dress rushing along the beach on her way to the theatre. When she arrives breathless at the theatre, Aaron (as his well-known dof character Bruce) has already started the show. Crazy arguments follow and then the orchestra bursts into Beethoven’s Symphony No.5.
The show progresses with the DCO often playing numbers that are uninterrupted, showcasing their talents, or playing along with whatever characters Lisa or Aaron involve them in.
Notable moments are a lovely oboe solo from Maggie Deppe and Stephan Pechoux’s lively interpretation of the delightful Typewriter Song. Aaron took over percussion with a dedicated rendering of the triangle! In fact, he later took over the whole orchestra in his character as Johnny Depp by stealing the baton from van de Merwe and conducting the rest of the number! He later added more fun as he appeared a la Pavarotti in O Sole Mio with lyrics no-one has ever heard of but he did hold some impressive opera notes!
Other highlights are Lisa’s re-written lyrics to I Dreamed a Dream lamenting the battering that theatre performers have had to endure for the last three years. She also lent much power to the Bond movie title Skyfall and amused us all with her attempt at ballet.
The pre-publicity described the show as a “madcap outrageous musical comedy collaboration”. That’s correct but it’s also a truly uplifting and energised production promising hope for the future of theatre. All that connecting effort could surely even assist Eskom!
Classical Comedy runs at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre at UKZN until December 4, 2022. Performances run at 19h00 on Fridays and Saturdays with a Thursday performance on December 1 at 19h00. There is also a 15h00 performance on December 3. Sunday's show on December 4 is at 14h00. Safe on-site parking. The theatre has a generator in the event of load-shedding
Tickets R200 (R180 pensioners and students) booked through Computicket. – Caroline Smart
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