BAROQUE 2000 CONCERT

 Baroque 2000's performance was luxuriant, accurate and stimulating. (Review by Keith Millar)
The Baroque 2000 ensemble is a Durban musical treasure. As such, it was very pleasing to see the support it enjoyed at last Sunday’s concert. To the extent that the marvellous Church of the Monastery at Mariannhill, where the concert took place, was full to the brim.

This may be because the programme offered two ever-popular works from Bach, the Suite No. 2 in B Minor and the Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, as well as Telemann’s very enchanting Don Quixote Suite. Nonetheless, the support is very encouraging. It is not only a testament to Baroque 2000’s current popularity but bodes well for the future of the group and the music they play.

The only area of concern is that audiences are made up largely of senior people. Young South Africans need to be encouraged by whatever means possible to support this music and to nurture it, for future generations to enjoy.

Made up mainly of musicians from the KZNPO, Baroque 2000 is playing particularly well at the moment. Their performance was luxuriant, accurate and stimulating.

Special invited guest for this concert was Erik Dippenaar playing the harpsichord. He is a special talent and excited all with his skill and extraordinary finger dexterity during the solo passages of the Brandenburg Concerto No.5.

The concert started with Bach’s Suite No.2 in B Minor, featuring Evilien Ballantine on the flute. This suite for Flute and Strings is the only surviving work by Bach for solo flute and orchestra. It is a grand work which, as a collection of dances, is light in mood but remains a carefully balanced and unified composition.

Next on the programme was Telemann’s vivacious Don Quixote Suite. This musical interpretation of Miguel Cervantes’s 1605 masterpiece is dramatic and colourful. The brief movements portray Don Quixote’s various adventures. It is a lively, effervescent and spirited work.

Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 along with his other five Brandenburg Concertos are widely regarded to be among the finest musical compositions of the Baroque era. This wonderful work was superbly played at Sunday’s concert. Leading the way was the previously-mentioned skill and dexterity of Erik Dippenaar. His performance on the harpsichord was transfixing and breathtaking.

The Baroque 2000 Concert on Sunday morning offered beautiful music played with skill, flair and enjoyment. However, a thought. Classical musicians take their music very seriously and in general seldom offer a smile while performing. They can, in fact, look quite grumpy. Possibly they could take a cue from cellist Fiona Grayer whose lovely face and ready smile are enough to light up any stage.

The next Baroque 2000 Concert will take place at the Church of the Monastery at Mariannhill on December 22 at 11h00. It will be a special Christmas programme. For any queries contact Michel Schneuwly on 031 312 5539/082 3035241 or e-mail sursouth@iafrica.com - Keith Millar

THEATRE AWARD NOMINATIONS

See the list of winners at http://news.artsmart.co.za/2013/12/the-mercury-durban-theatre-awards-2012.html
The Mercury Durban Theatre Awards 2012-2013 will be held at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre on December 9 at 19h30 when the best of Durban theatre will be acknowledged and celebrated.

This year’s ceremony will be hosted by radio, television and media personality, Terence Pillay, and promises to be a sophisticated and glamorous celebration of the local theatre industry.

Principal sponsors are media partner The Mercury, the Bartel Arts Trust, the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre, Troubadour Productions, DarkHorse Productions, Black Coffee Design, Stuart Edwards & Company, Publicity Matters, the Monica Fairall Memorial Trust, ClaviTech, artSMart, Val Adamson Photography and Sunshine Factory.

Supporting this award system since its inception in 2003 is the Bartel Arts Trust. This trust was established in 1992 through a bequest of the late Hugo Bartel, a wealthy industrialist with a passion for the arts. The trust sponsors community arts projects, artists, arts projects and student bursaries. The trust established the BAT Centre in 1996 which became a hub of the performing and visual arts in Durban. The BAT Centre was subsequently donated to the BAT Centre Trust. In addition to the theatre awards the trust currently sponsors the Durban Music School, DUT Department of Fine Art, the Phansi Museum and several student bursaries.

Tickets R80 at Computicket outlets or by calling 0861 915 8000.

The list of nominations follows:

1. Poster Design: Shirley Berko (Beauty and The Beast; The Rise of... The Insanity League; Twitch and Venus in Fur), and Janna Ramos-Violante (Callum’s Will)

2. Sound Design: Megan Levy ( Beauty and The Beast and The Wizard of Oz); Andre Norden (Take Five); Colin Peddie (Shaken not Stirred) and Clinton Stevenson (The African Passion)

3. Lighting Design: Michael Broderick (The Rise of ... The Insanity League) and Tina le Roux (Beauty and The Beast, The Erl King, The Ladykillers, Twitch and Venus in Fur)

4. Costume Design: Peter Court (The Erl King); Kevin Ellis & Gareth Greaves (The Wizard of Oz); Greg King (Beauty and The Beast); Neil Stuart Harris (The Ladykillers), and Themi Venturas (The 39 Steps)

5. Set Design: Michael Broderick (The Rise of ... The Insanity League); Bryan Hiles (The Black Psychologist); Greg King (Beauty and The Beast, The Ladykillers, Twitch and Venus in Fur), and Themi Venturas (The 39 Steps)

6. New Performer – Female: Madelaine Davis (Transition); Prenasha Govindasamy (Consenting Silence); Nompilo Maphumulo (The Weeping Candle) and Ayanda Sibisi (Beauty and The Beast)

7. New Performer – Male: Sashin Kandhai (Consenting Silence); Brandon Moulder (Transition); Musa Ntuli (The Weeping Candle), and Thabiso Radebe (High Heels ... with Balls).

CHILDREN’S THEATRE: No nominations in this category.

MUSICAL THEATRE & MUSIC REVUE / MUSIC COMPILATION / CABARET

8. Choreography: Janine Bennewith (Beauty and The Beast) and Daisy Spencer (The African Passion, Shaken not Stirred and The Wizard of Oz)

9. Performer: Music Revue / Music Compilation / Cabaret: Rory Booth (Shaken not Stirred); Lyle Buxton (Shaken not Stirred); Liesl Coppin (Shaken not Stirred); Marion Loudon (Shaken not Stirred); Shelley McLean (Take Five), and Jacobus van Heerden (The Wizard of Oz)

10. Supporting Actress: Musical Theatre: Liesl Coppin (Beauty and The Beast); Caitlin Kilburn (The African Passion), and Charon Williams-Ros (Beauty and The Beast)

11. Supporting Actor: Musical Theatre: Rory Booth, Peter Court, Bryan Hiles and Darren King – all nominated for Beauty and The Beast

12. Lead Actress: Musical Theatre: Natalia da Rocha and Sandra Dee both for The African Passion; Sam Hlope (Sophiatown) and Georgina Mabbett (Beauty and The Beast)

13. Lead Actor: Musical Theatre: Lyle Buxton and Sascha Halbhuber both for Beauty and The Beast and Grant Jacobs (The African Passion)

14. Musical Director: Shelley McLean (Take Five); Shelley McLean, Justin Southey and Nik Sakellarides (Beauty and The Beast); Dawn Selby (Book Club) and Charon Williams-Ros (Shaken not Stirred)

15. Director: Musical Theatre / Music Revue: Darren King (The Wizard of Oz); Steven Stead: (Beauty and The Beast) and Charon Williams-Ros (Shaken not Stirred)

16. Music Revue Production: Shaken not Stirred (Gary McKenzie); Take Five (Shelley McLean) and The Wizard of Oz (Sue Clarence Promotions in assoc with Suncoast Casino, Hotel and Entertainment)

17. Musical Theatre Production: The African Passion (Catalina UnLtd) and Beauty and The Beast (KickstArt)

DRAMA / COMEDY

18. Script: Madelaine Davis (Transition); Robert Fridjhon (Twitch); Marc Kay (The Erl King); Aaron McIlroy, John van de Ruit & Ben Voss (The Rise of ... The Insanity League), and Janna Ramos-Violante (Callum’s Will)

19. Supporting Actress: Drama / Comedy: Kamini Govender and Shona Johnson both for Consenting Silence, and Clare Mortimer and Daisy Spencer both for Othello.

20. Supporting Actor: Drama / Comedy: Lyle Buxton, Peter Court, Iain Robinson and Jacobus van Heerden, all for The Ladykillers; Michael Gritten (Othello) and Loyiso MacDonald (The 39 Steps)

21. Comedic Performance: Lisa Bobbert, Jailoshini Naidoo, Iain Robinson and Tim Wells, all for Twitch; Aaron McIlroy, John van de Ruit and Ben Voss, all for The Rise of ... The Insanity League, and Charon Williams-Ros (The Ladykillers)

22. Solo Performance: Frank Graham (There was a Time...); Marc Kay (The Erl King) and Hamish Kyd (Knowing You... Knowing Me)

23. Lead Actress: Drama / Comedy: Lisa Bobbert and Jailoshini Naidoo, both for Twitch; Liesl Coppin (The Black Psychiatrist), Madelaine Davis (Transition), Janna Ramos-Violante (Venus in Fur), and Charon Williams-Ros (The Ladykillers)

24. Lead Actor: Drama / Comedy: Neil Coppen (Venus in Fur); Michael Gritten (The 39 Steps); Marc Kay (The Erl King); Darren King and Clinton Small, both for Callum’s Will; Thabiso Radebe (High Heels ... with balls); Iain Robinson (Twitch), and Tim Wells (The Ladykillers)

25. Director: Drama / Comedy: Bryan Hiles (The Erl King); Janna Ramos-Violante (Callum’s Will) and Steven Stead (The Ladykillers, Twitch and Venus in Fur)

26. Production: Drama / Comedy: Callum’s Will (ThinSkin); The Erl King (The Actors Unemployed Company); The Ladykillers (KickstArt); Transition (Brandon Moulder) and Venus in Fur (KickstArt)

27. Monica Fairall Memorial Award: To be announced on the night

28. Judges Award: To be announced on the night

29. The Mercury Theatre Personality of the Year Award: To be announced on the night – readers’ vote

FOM: JEROME PERNOO & JEROME DUCROS

(Jerome Pernoo & Jerome Ducros)

Wonderfully successful recital. (Review by Michael Green)

The two Jeromes from France, Jerome Pernoo, cello, and Jerome Ducros, piano, are well-known and much appreciated in Durban; they have played here several times over the past dozen years. It was therefore not surprising that their latest recital for the Friends of Music at the Durban Jewish Centre attracted a sizeable audience.

They did not disappoint their admirers. In a widely varied programme they displayed high technical skills, mature interpretative insight, and the special understanding that comes from many years of playing together.

They opened with one of Johann Sebastian Bach’s three splendid cello sonatas, written originally for a now obsolete instrument, the viola da gamba. The Sonata in D major, BWV 1028, is a four-movement work written 250 years ago and sounding remarkably modern to 21st century listeners.

The performers who are both about 40 years old, obviously enjoyed playing it, with cellist Pernoo the dominant figure. He has a flamboyant yet natural platform manner, and his playing, like that of pianist Ducros, is top-class.

After this came a composition by Ducros himself, an extended Fantaisie which, according to the composer, is like a sonata in a single movement. I found it very attractive¸ brilliant, stylish, often unmistakably French, with romantic, lyrical passages for the cello and some brilliant scoring for the piano, sometimes rather reminiscent of Chopin. Easy on the ear and not aggressively dissonant.

After the interval we had the finest of Beethoven’s five excellent cello sonatas, that in A major, Op. 69. Here again the tonal balance of the two performers was outstanding, Pernoo producing a golden tone on his 18th century cello and Ducros handling the difficult piano part with well-judged dynamics.

The particular gift of these performers is their ability to communicate their commitment and enthusiasm to their audience, and this was never more evident than in their lengthy and high-spirited encore, written, I think, by Jerome Ducros. It completed a wonderfully successful recital.

The Prelude Performer of the evening, funded by the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, was 14-year-old Blake Perryman, a pupil at Kearsney College. Accompanied by Bernard Kruger, he played two celebrated pieces, Brahms’s Hungarian Dance No. 5 and the Czardas written a century ago by the Italian composer Vittorio Monti. - Michael Green

DON’T TUNE ME AGAIN - EK SÉ

(John Didlick, Grant Bell & Gary Mackenzie)

Gee Jays dispense their winning formula of fun-filled uncomplicated entertainment. (Review by Keith Millar)

Dispensing their unusual style of uncomplicated entertainment at the Heritage Theatre in Hillcrest this festive season, are the evergreen and ever popular Gee Jays. In a sequel to their tribute to the 1970’s, Don’t Tune Me – Ek Sé, they are presenting a new fun-filled show called Don’t Tune Me Again - Ek Sé.

With the Gee Jays, you know what you are going to get. Unpretentious, straightforward good humour and good music performed by a trio of experienced entertainers.

The humour is corny, risqué and good fun. As usual, John Didlick plays the dumb clown who gets everything mixed up, while Grant Bell and Gary Mackenzie have to correct his faux pas and try to keep him on the straight and narrow. All three participate in providing some fine 70’s music which takes the audience down memory lane and has them joyfully singing along.

The show offers everything from cheesy pop songs to a bit of hard rock - and includes along the way South African hits, Country and Western, Reggae, and even an Elvis Presley tribute. You hear songs such as Show Me The Way To Amarillo, Mellow Yellow, Man On The Moon, Beautiful Sunday, Clap Your Hands, Lookin’ Out My Back Door, The Piño Colada Song, Long Cool Woman In a Black Dress, Kung Foo Fighting, Wichita Lineman and No Woman No Cry, amongst many others.

The Elvis tribute is great fun as the three performers try to outdo each other with increasingly bizarre catsuits. They do a credible job as Elvis impersonators with songs such as The Wonder of You, Suspicious Minds, and Burning Love.

The highlight for me was the final segment when they belted out some rock standards like Jethro Tull’s Locomotive Breath, Golden Earring’s Radar Love and The Rolling Stone’s Honky Tonky Woman. Enough to get the adrenalin pumping. 

All the segments are linked together with sound clips of old Springbok Radio programmes and commercials. These take the audience on a nostalgic trip down memory lane.

The very accomplished and talented backing group for this show is comprised of the musical director Calli Thompson on keyboards, Andy Tyrrell on lead guitar, Chili Jilli Murraybrown on bass and Francois Hardy on drums. Their backing is excellent, and they do a couple of songs themselves.

The Heritage Theatre menu has been freshened up for this show and, as usual, offers first-rate fare. For starters, there is Spiced Pear and Butternut Soup, Chicken Liver and Cranberry Parfait, a Seafood Cocktail and, as a Chef’s special for an extra R20, a Kudu Carpaccio. From the choices made at our table, the Carpaccio and Seafood cocktail were greatly enjoyed and can be recommended.

Main Courses comprise Oven Baked Fish Fillets, a Chicken Tagine, Smoked Glazed Gammon and a Parmigiano di Melenzane for the vegetarians. My wife and I were blown away by the Gammon. Cooked to perfection and with a superb Honey and Mustard Vinaigrette, it felt as if Christmas Day had arrived early. Our friend had the Lamb Shank which was available for an extra R60. She was very happy and felt that it met the traditional Heritage quality. Desserts are available as an extra

While the Gee Jays offer new material in their show Don’t Tune Me Again – Ek Sé, they stick to their old winning formula of presentation. Gee Jay’s fans, and there are many of them, will enjoy this offering as will anyone who is after a fun night out over the festive season.

Don’t Tune Me Again – Ek Sé runs at the Heritage Theatre in Hillcrest until December 31. Ticket prices R215 pp Wednesdays to Saturdays (R185 pp Tuesday evenings and Sunday lunch time.) All prices include a delicious two-course meal. (Lamb shanks are also back on the menu at a slightly extra cost). A non-dining “show only” option is also offered at R120 pp. Bookings on 031 765 4197 or online at http://www.heritagetheatre.co.za/ - Keith Millar