May 12, 2005
By Tammy O'Reilly
UPCOMING shows at the Johannesburg Civic Theatre are bound to please almost everyone as Spanish dancers, ballerinas, choirs and even drag queens set the stages alight.
On at the Tesson Theatre at present is The Tuckshop Girls in Exdravagant Nights. For the past decade the flamboyant trio of drag queens have entertained local and international audiences with their over-the-top antics, musical prowess and comedic genius. In their latest show, the "girls" pay tribute to the music of the 80s when disco music was all the rage. They have included some songs from the 90s - and even dare to rip off a few very popular tunes.
Over the years the trio has come a long way, winning an award for the Best Drag Act in the country and converting first-time audiences into die-hard fans. Directed by Esther Nasser, the show stars Dimitri Zouves as the no-nonsense Princess Daisy, mother figure to Holly and Nella.
Both girls have had seriously bad luck with family - Nella's lesbian tendencies make her the black sheep of her family, while Holly was an illegitimate boy who was given away at birth, but resurfaces years later as a girl.
Complete with pencil-drawn eyebrows, colourful sequins and feather boas, the show is filled with humour, fun and opulence. Catch The Tuckshop Girls in Exdravagant Nights until Sunday, 28 May. All tickets are R100, but discounted tickets for groups of 10 or more are available by calling VIP Ticketing on (011) 877 6854.
Love! Valour! Compassion!
In keeping with the theme of embracing one's sexuality is Terrence McNally's Tony Award-winning
Love! Valour! Compassion!. The story of the lives of eight homosexual men, this play's themes are friendship and love. Using humour and insight, McNally examines the vast questions of life, death and human interaction.
The story is set in idyllic countryside at the home of the aging choreographer, Gregory. Seven gay friends are visiting him. During the three weeks of the house visit, the group explores and discovers aspects about friendship, love, sex and death that will change the way they see each other and themselves.
Cast members are no strangers to the South African public and include Terence Bridgett (Isidingo and 7de Laan); Rowan Cloete, the television presenter; and Fezile Mpele, the actor and presenter. Tickets cost R135, though there is a special price of R67,50, exclusive of the booking fee, for the previews on 14, 15 and 16 July.
Chicago
A gripping tale of greed, murder, corruption, violence and adultery is playing itself out on the Nelson Mandela stage until Sunday, 3 July.
The international award-winning musical Chicago has come to Joburg, and when the final curtain of the Johannesburg tour closes, audiences will have witnessed one of the best musicals in theatre history. It features a highly talented, all-South African cast.
Leading ladies Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly are played with pizzazz and class by Samantha Peo and Amra Faye Wright, respectively. Peo's credits include the much-acclaimed Grease and West Side Story, while Eastern Cape-born Wright has had an illustrious career in the entertainment industry locally and abroad as a dancer, writer and performer of one-woman shows.
Chicago is an unusual story of a group of women prisoners on a quest for fame. Musical director Brian Schimmel leads the fourteen-piece orchestra, with hits like All That Jazz and Razzle Dazzle.
Because of the overwhelming interest in the show, tickets for July are already on sale. They start at R100. For group bookings of 50 people or more, contact VIP Ticketing on 011 877 6854.
Stars of the Moscow Ballet
The music of Russian composer Tchaikovsky has a devoted following across the world. His masterpieces include
Swan Lake,
Sleeping Beauty and
The Nutcracker, and choreographer Yuri Velrov pays tribute to the master in this show.
Stars of the Moscow Ballet features solo performances by members of the Bolshoi Ballet, Moscow State Classical Ballet and Moscow Kremlin Ballet and includes dances from Swan Lake and The Nutcracker. It is a must for ballet lovers.
The show begins on Tuesday, 21 July and ends on Sunday, 24 July. Tickets are R91, excluding booking fees. Discounted tickets for groups of 10 or more are available from VIP Ticketing on (011) 877 6854.
Tickets for all the shows can be bought at Computicket. Telephonic bookings and inquiries can be made on (011) 340 8000 or on
083 915 8000; online bookings can be made at www.computicket.com.
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