27/02/2019
Theodor Herzl High stages original circus musical
Bob Eveleigh
02/27/2019 10:08:21
Bob Eveleigh: Theodor Herzl High in Port Elizabeth is staging a Cirque Spectacular in a Big Top circus tent on the school grounds from March 10 to 14.
Following 2017's Woodlands Dairy's High School Show of the Year presentation of W***y Russell's musical, Blood Brothers, Robin Williams, working with her regular choreographer and vocal directing associate, Chireen Ferreira, has created an original programme under the title Cirque Spectacular.
This will run from Match 10 to 14, in the school grounds under a hired BIg Top circus ring eight metres in diameter, with patrons seated at tables around the ring, in a concept inspired by Cirque du Soleil and the worldwide movement towards circuses with no animals.
These entertainers are all people...
Presented in association with Magnetic Storm, with "spectacular" lighting designed by that firm's production manager, David Limbert, the sound company, Clear as a Bell’s Brendan Samuels, Neil Thomson and Stephen Hurter, are designing the sound with Amanda du Plessis handling vocal direction.
Numbers from Moulin Rouge, The Greatest Showman, the Queen songbook (including young Dylan du Plessis channelling Brian May!), Pink, Adam Lambert, Puccini, Charlie Chaplin, Yolanda Be Cool and DCUP, and John Denver as well as vintage Monty Python and Abbott and Costello sketches will be part of the entertainment.
The entertainment styles involved include physical theatre, ballet, hip-hop, tango and modern dance disciplines - plus plenty of singing.
In creating the show, Williams and Ferreira have taken quotes like Charlie Chaplin's "To truly laugh, you must be able to take your pain and play with it" and Rowan Atkinson's "I always like walking in the rain, so no one can see me crying" to inspire their production.
Based on these and others from big names like Robin Williams, Jim Carrey and Stan Laurel, the clown has always been seen to be a tragicomic figure and so they invite the audience to follow their clown, Zuki Kaliko, and ringmistress Sibongiseni Beja through a journey of control and servitude, excitement, self-belief, dreams, to reality, disappointment and brokenness - until they come to a place of self-worth and acceptance.
With costumes by the famous Theodor Herzl "Sweat Shop" (staff) and Linda Trollip, star turns in this "entertainment extravaganza" will be performed by Kaliko and Beja, as well as Louise Daniel (choreographed by Troy Coffey), Emma Kirsten, Dina Levin, Kalyn du Plessis, Dylan du Plessis and Serena Escola.
A little extra "star power" will be added by Theodor Herzl past pupils guest performers (both 2019 Woodlands Dairy Showtime Award-winners) Kasvia von Memerty and Gemma Barnard.
Cirque Spectacular runs from Sunday, March 10, to Thursday, March 14, in the Big Top on the Theodor Herzl High School sports field at 18:30 with the show starting at 19:30.
Patrons are welcome to bring along picnic baskets.
Booking can be made by phoning Angela Kennedy at the school on 041 581 4244.
Bob Eveleigh
[email protected]
