Stage: Super Troopers – Barnyard Theatre, Suncoast Casino, Durban
(Thursdays to Sundays until September 29)
REVIEW BY BILLY SUTER
PERHAPS the most fun show at this venue in recent times, Super Troopers is a slick and shimmery showcase for golden-oldie greats by Abba, Bee Gees and Billy Joel, performed very well by a 10-member cast that is clearly having a good time on stage.
And the good news is that SoSuterBill has a table for 10 people to attend this hit show! See the end of thgs post for competition entry details.
Once again we get resident musical director, keyboard-player and backing vocalist Calli Thomson leading the tight team of regular musicians – lead guitarist Jason Kylen, Bongani Sokhela on bass and Andrew Makins on drums.
And once again we have familiar faces in vocalists Josh Philander and bubbly blonde Jayda Kelly, while it is great to welcome back singer Kyle Matthews after a good absence. Also in the vocal line-up are dark-haired Robyn Ivey (seen in world touring productions of Matilda the Musical and We Will Rock You) and animated, braid-haired Zahn-Reece Malgas.
Robyn, who performs a crowd-pleasing The Winner Takes it All, and Zahn-Reece add great value to this show. Zahn-Reece is particularly good as a dancer and vocally is impressive both in the Bee Gees’ ’60s phase and effortlessly morphing into falsetto for the ’70s disco era and beyond. Bee Gees hits here include Staying Alive, Everything I Own, Words, I Started a Joke, Massachusetts, How Deep is Your Love, More Than a Woman, Tragedy and You Win Again.
Jayda and Robyn are choreographically in sync and in good harmony with all the Abba hits which include SOS, Fernando, Waterloo, Take a Chance on Me, and I Believe in Angels (which has the audience swaying with cellphone torches on).
The Super Troopers standout, however, has to be amiable and multi-talented Evan Cullum, who not only sings and plays piano and harmonica, but now also has moments on electric guitar in his delivery of all the Billy Joel hits.
The production, employing back projections and customarily imaginative lighting, opens with Joel’s My Life, featuring Evan seated at a white baby grand piano to lead the band amid a swirl of silver and pink lighting. He delivers hits such as Honesty, Just the Way You Are and Piano Man, while both River of Dreams and the closing We Didn’t Start the Fire are, for me, the show’s finest moments.
Super Troopers is a real feel-good show. It is scheduled for performances every Thursday to Sunday until September 29. For bookings or more details, contact the theatre at (031) 940 0500.
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WIN 10 SHOW TICKETS… WIN 10 SHOW TICKETS…
Care to put yourself in line to win 10 tickets to the new Durban Barnyard Theatre show, Super Troopers? You simply have to be a follower of the SoSuterBill site to win. At no cost.
If you are not already a follower, click on the word ‘…..SoSuterBill…..’ that appears under Billy Suter’s face on the red curtain at the top of this post. Next, scroll down a little and leave your email address in the blank space alongside the ‘Subscribe Free’ banner. You will then be a follower, and receive email notification whenever a new story is filed on the site.
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 ‘SUPER TROOPERS GIVEAWAY’ in the subject field.
Note that the competition closes at 6pm on Monday, August 5, and the lucky winner will be contacted soon after. His/her name will be posted in this spot thereafter. (The lucky winner is Louis Nel).
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..... 