……BY BILLY SUTER……
DURBAN’S Barnyard Theatre at Suncoast Casino is attracting good houses with its latest show, Nite Fever, a colourful and lively celebration of 1970s disco, pop and balladry, featuring a cast of 10,
Good news is that SoSuterBill.com has a table of 10 to give away to any performance of the show, subject to availability. The production runs Thursdays to Sundays until May 22. See the end of this article for details on how to enter the competition.
Nite Fever is a glittery invitation to “shake ya groove thang” from a team that is becoming a core cast for this venue. They are Calli Thomson on musical direction, keyboards and backing vocals; Bongani Sokhela on bass; Dylan van der Linde on drums; bearded singer-guitarist Jason Kylen; and vocals from the power-voiced Kerry Cherry, petite and hyper-ebullient Savanah de Beer, ever-dependable Rory Booth and cheerful show host Kyle Matthews.
The production introduces blonde saxophonist Maxine Matthews (no relation to Kyle). It also features regular Barnyard vocalist Themba January, whose Stevie Wonder medley in the show’s first half is a big highlight. Always a vibrant stage presence, Themba is from Johannesburg and the only member of the cast not based in Durban.
Opening with a bang with the funky That’s the Way I Like It and Play That Funky Music, the production’s first half has a good Donna Summer medley showcasing the vocal oomph of Kerry and Savanah. It is also of note for Rory and the women impressing in a cleverly contrived meshing of John Paul Young’s Love is in the Air and the Frankie Valli/Boys Town Gang oldie, Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.
Also of note is Kyle’s fine delivery of Rod Stewart’s You’re in My Heart and Do You Think I’m Sexy?, and the women in duet for a crowd-pleasing mash-up of Eric Carmen’s All By Myself and Nilsson’s Without You. The closing Saturday Night Fever sequence is energetic and enjoyable, but a little overlong (a good spot to insert that cheesey medley I mentioned earlier?)
The second half opens with the band performing Average White Band’s 1974 instrumental, Pick Up the Pieces (great sax from Maxine), then nods to Boney M classics before Kerry’s gutsy rendition of Knocking on Heaven’s Door. This highlight leads to a too-long medley of Grease hits before Kyle raises smiles and laughter with The Rocky Horror Show’s Sweet Transvestite.
The cast and audience then have a ball with YMCA, Night Fever, Knock on Wood, Freak Out and Boogie Wonderland. Also here is the forgettable Black Betty (a minor hit for Ram Jam in 1977), performed well enough by Kylen, who also sings Gerry Rafferty’s Baker Street in the show’s first half.
To book for the show, visit the Barnyard theatre website or phone the Durban theatre at (031) 940 0500.
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WIN SHOW TICKETS… WIN SHOW TICKETS… WIN SHOW TICKETS
Care to put yourself in line to win 10 tickets to see Nite Fever at Durban’s Barnyard Theatre, Suncoast Casino – any performance during the show’s run, subject to availability?
You simply have to be a follower of the SoSuterBill site to win. At no cost.
If you are not already a follower, simply leave your email address in the space provided towards the end of the cover page of this site, sosuterbill.com (access the cover page by clicking ‘Latest Posts’ on the menu bar).
You will then be a follower, and receive email notification whenever I file a new story.
Once you have subscribed (there is no cost), send your NAME and PHONE NUMBER via email (NOT THIS SITE’S CONTACT FORM) to sosuterbill@gmail.com and place the words ‘NITE FEVER GIVEAWAY’ in the subject field.
Note that the competition closes at 6pm on Wednesday, March 9, and the lucky winner of the 10 tickets will be contacted soon after. His/her name will be posted in this spot thereafter.
Also note that tickets may not be exchanged for another performance and that the prize is for tickets only (not travel and/or accommodation should this prove necessary).
NOTE: PLEASE READ ENTRY DETAILS CAREFULLY AS SOME PEOPLE ARE ENTERING COMPETITIONS INCORRECTLY.
ALSO NOTE THAT ONLY ONE ENTRY PER SUBSCRIBER WILL BE CONSIDERED.
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.....SoSuterBill..... 