(Mark Banks. Pic supplied)
Well done, Mark! Well
done, Hannah and Paul! We look forward to the charmingly chandeliered venue
with its red velvet-curtained theatre stage hosting many more artists and
audiences well into the future. (Review by Shannon Kenny)
Comedian Mark Banks’ return to Durban with his show, Laughter is on the Menu, heralded the opening of a brand-new theatre venue, The Nutcracker Theatre at MacNut Farm in Assagay.
Banks is much-loved for his quick wit and repartee, and an ability to meet the audience not just where they’re at but where they’re from - be it Gillitts, Waterfall, Kloof or Pinetown. His conversational style works like a charm. Mark connects the dots of the banal and extraordinary that fill our consciousness; thrills us with relatable and sometimes outrageous anecdotes; and is remarkably good at remembering names and places of residence.
He bobs and weaves effortlessly from hilarious stories about relatives in their dotage; to the changing face of the city; properties that seem to be eternal renovation projects and hysterical characterisations of a host of recognisable characters. And occasionally, just occasionally, Mr Banks would unleash a gag with a frisson of taboo. You know that sense of anticipation when watching a comedian and the audience is thinking “you’re-not-going-to-go-there, oh-yes-you-just-did” - and the joke lands just right, because Banks is just so good at reading the temperature of the room.
Banks’ stage legs served him well - the show ran for around an hour and forty-five minutes, much to the delight of his audience. Laughter was certainly on the menu - the perfect starter, main course, dessert and drinks, delivered in funny-man Banks’ unique style.
Speaking of menus, the meal that accompanied the show was a Mediterranean-style mezze of salads, dips, breads and couscous, cleverly placed on Lazy-Susans. Patrons were served their choice of skewered beef kofte, chicken or mushrooms in addition to the mezze offering. Dessert was served post-show. Wait staff (kitted out in Nutcracker bibs) were thoughtful and attentive, ensuring our orders arrived on time from the fully-stocked bar - a cute and cosy hangout for pre or post-show drinks and chats.
The bijou theatre - it seats 60 patrons at round dining tables - is the brainchild of the warm and welcoming MacNut owners, prolific creative Hannah and Paul Paine. They called on the venue management nous of Gary Mckenzie and technical expertise of Brandon Bunyan to assist in bringing their dream to life and launch The Nutcracker onto Durban’s entertainment scene.
The Paine’s enchanting property already plays host to a variety of functions from weddings to conferences, so a theatre seems like a natural progression and so far - yes, it’s still early days and there are some creases that will need ironing out - a great fit. Hannah and Paul are dreamers and doers who are eager to share their creativity, zest for life and love of convivium with those who would make the short trip to their shire-like spot of wonder.
Well done, Mark! Well done, Hannah and Paul! We look forward to the charmingly chandeliered venue with its red velvet-curtained theatre stage hosting many more artists and audiences well into the future. – Shannon Kenny
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