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BY BILLY SUTER
BACK at Sibaya Casino’s kraal-shaped iZulu Theatre, where it was first staged eight years ago, is Beatlemania – On Tour , a showband salute to The Beatles, which has been booked in only until Sunday, April 8.
The production team is Showtime Australia, which has mounted some pretty unremarkable tribute-show work in this venue over the years, but which upped its game with more recent salutes to Whitney Houston and Tina Turner,
Reportedly having already done good business in the US, Canada, Dubai, Hong Kong and New Zealand, The Beatles tribute show features four singer-musicians, backed by good lighting, and making use of slides and video footage projected onto a large screen on stage.
Appearing in copycat costumes reflecting various highlights in The Beatles’ career, and playing replica instruments that salute the Fab Four, the best-selling band in music history, the show’s cast members bear no physical resemblance to the Beatles members, but do pay commendable tribute to the hit band with mannerisms, accents and good performances.
Zac Coombs appears as John Lennon, Cameron Charters as Paul McCartney, Brent McMullen as George Harrison and Ben Harper as Ringo Starr, in a show featuring landmark moments of The Beatles career path, starting with the lads’ gigs at Hamburg’s Star Club and The Cavern in Liverpool.
The show is being staged at 8pm nightly until April 8. Tickets cost R220 (R150 for children aged four to 12) and are available at Computicket outlets.
