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STAGE: Aaron and Lisa @ Tina’s – Rhumbelow Theatre, Tina’s Hotel, Kloof
REVIEW BY BILLY SUTER
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IF YOU are after a really good bellylaugh and a guaranteed surge of the spirits in time for the Christmas weekend, don’t miss this loony-tune melee of music and mirth by two of Durban’s most seasoned and popular performers.
Award-winning husband and wife Aaron McIlory and Lisa Bobbert have been pulling crowds for decades and before the big production from their MacBob Productions company – including Abbamaniacs, Reality Bites, 7 Deadly Sins and Defending the Planet – they started relatively small.
Back in their early days on stage they played smaller venues and corporates, meshing their musical and comedic talents to develop a big fan base. A great pleasure, then, with this new musical revue, to have them return to roots with fun party tunes, some lyrically reworked, and a collection of iconic characters that have popped up over the years in many of their hit shows.
On a small, simple stage trimmed with tinsel and lights – and against a backdrop of white fairylights – Aaron and Lisa present a great, bulging sackful of ho-ho-ho, a collage of the colourful and crazy, complete with costume and wig changes, jovial banter, audience participation and a fair bit of ad-libbing. It adds up to a great night out in an intimate setting.
For some two hours, over two halves, they delighted a capacity opening night audience with song, slapstick, send-up and popular characters such as Delphine the car guard, hen-pecked Bruce and his whining wife Charmaine, as well as Charmaine’s sister (Aaron in blonde wig and mini), VJ the Indian DJ, and the unhinged Nigel Bjorn van Rensburg and his large, lifeless, grey alien.
Songs performed to backing tracks range from The Pussycat Dolls’ Don’t Cha and Abba’s Dancing Queen, to The Proclaimers hit 500 Miles, UB40’s Can’t Help Falling in Love and the fun movie songs Summer Loving and Time Warp.
We also get a lyrically doctored Mambo No 5 and a funny reworking of That’s Amore (retitled That’s Annoying). Plus there’s a sprinkling of singalong Christmas songs and a totally ridiculous finale item, Superman, that has the audience called to its feet for some silly choreography.
Expect Aaron’s usual elasticity, crazy dance moves, face-pulling, ad-libs and picking on members of the audience. Lisa fans can look forward to a range of voices and songs, and amusements including a parody of Tina Turner’s Proud Mary, complete with fright wig and red, fringed dress, and her trademark move of high-kicking at an on-stage cymbal.
Aaron and Lisa @ Tina’s runs this week only at Tina’s Hotel, 14 Beryldene Road, Kloof, with the final performance on Sunday, Christmas Eve. Performances are at 8pm daily and there is also a 2pm performance on Saturday, December 23.
To book, or for more information, phone Roland Stansell at 082 499 8636. Tickets cost R180 each and seating is at tables of six.
.....SoSuterBill..... 