Stage: Good Vibrations – Barnyard Theatre, Suncoast Casino, Durban (until May 26)
REVIEW BY BILLY SUTER
BLASTS from the musical past, this time mostly sunny and summery sounds, are the order of the day in this latest Barnyard Theatre offering. A show featuring most of the cast regulars at this popular venue, it is booked in until May 26.
Stalwart Calli Thomson is back once more as musical director, appearing on stage with keyboards and on backing vocals, while her tight band comprises regulars Jason Kylen on lead guitar, Bongani Sokhela on bass and a new face at this venue, Andrew Makins, on drums.
Kerry Cherry and Jayda Kelly are again on lead vocals, while another familiar face, Josh Philander, delivers male vocals. Josh appears alongside a standout Marvin Nethononda – who hasn’t performed at this venue in some time – and a newcomer to the spot, Joe Zacheus.
Joe has a pleasing voice and is a cheerful charmer, but one struggles to understand what he is saying when, as show host, he links the many musical sequences with casual patter. The problem could be him talking too loudly and perhaps too close to the microphone. Whatever the reason, the diction suffers.
The first three-quarters of the show’s first half stand out most, albeit that the opening sequence – All Night Long, Conga and Party Time – has the cast sometimes trying too fervently to whip the audience into party mode, almost demanding everyone has a good time. Less is more, so soon in the proceedings.
Best moments in the early part of the show include the energetic, jovial and pleasant-voiced Marvin’s delivery of I Can See Clearly Now and, a little later, his rendition of Bruno Mars’s Just the Way You Are, which, when we were in, had him leaping onto a table to playfully woo an audience member, then dance with her.
Marvin also delights, as does Joe, with their shared renditions of Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds and One Love, then Marvin wows again in his beanie-with-dreadlocks for another Marley moment, Buffalo Soldier, in the second half. This number has Marvin singing to folks throughout the venue, both downstairs and upstairs. I don’t think there has ever been this much audience interaction at this venue.
Also of note in Good Vibrations’ first half is Kerry’s strong delivery of Celine Dion’s I’m Alive and, in the second half, her gutsy, showstopping renditions of Prince’s When Doves Cry and 4 Non Blondes’ What’s Up. Blonde Jayda, of course, also gets her time to shine, most notably with Miley Cyrus’s Flowers, the oldie Sway and her ebullient serving of Freshlygrounds’ Fire is Low.
Sadly, Josh’ s vocal in Santana’s Smooth was drowned out by over-amplified music the day we were in, but he gives his all and impresses in a colourful Beach Boys medley, the toe-tapping Bamboleo and with The Monkees’ I’m a Believer.
Joe’s highs are with Cliff Richard’s The Young Ones; alongside Josh, Kerry and Jayda for the almost-inevitable Macarena (with audience participation, of course), and in duet with Kerry for Mel C and Bryan Adams’s When You’re Gone. On the subject of Bryan Adams, whose music hogs the end of the first half, there is perhaps a tad too much of him in this show.
The production also has a number of guitar solo spots by talented Jason, including an enjoyable, if overlong, interpretation of the Zorba the Greek theme and the rather curious choice of a guitar-only delivery of Boston’s More Than a Feeling, which cries out for a vocal.
Good Vibrations features appealing costumes and great lighting, and moves at a good pace. It wouldn’t be among my choice of top productions staged at this venue, but it has enough fun and musical highs to make it an enjoyable time out. And it certainly kept last Sunday’s ample matinee audience very happy.
The venue offers two-for-one-price ticket offers on Thursdays and a 50% discount for under-12s and pensioners at Sunday afternoon performances. To book, call the theatre at (031) 940 0500.
.....SoSuterBill..... 