VINTAGE JUKEBOX. LAMTA’s latest two-act song/dance production. Directors: Anton Luitingh and Duane Alexander. Choreographers: Various. At Theatre on the Bay, Cape Town, until 24 June, 2023. SHEILA CHISHOLM joined in the singing.
Vintage Jukebox is a lively song and dance revue celebrating the Roaring Twenties – and a bit more besides. To choreography by 13 noted practitioners, 37 LAMTA dancers performed 24 items. In varied sizes, solo to full company, and dance styles from jazz to jive, from Charleston to contemporary, tap to athletic lifts, from cartwheels to toss and catch, the performers’ joyful commitment flowed over to the auditorium. In return, they received spontaneous warm receptions.
Giving jazz guest vocalist Amy Campbell strong vocal support, Keely Crocker and Sasha Duffy sang Beyoncé’s Halo. In harmony with each other, Campbell and talented Duffy sang Harold Arlen’s Get Happy. While, in a glittering figure-hugging-gown Campbell’s appealing voice backed nine couples performing Ashley Searle’s Black and Gold.
Inventive choreography
The theatre’s stage is not large, yet inventive choreography – energetic leaps, bounds, turns, floor-rolls, swinging arms, splayed fingers, expressive hands, faces, and multitudinous patterns, spelt out meaning behind librettos without suggesting too many were simultaneously on stage… well done!
Threading a single theme through a musical theatre evening broadens the scope to dance creators to engage their minds to bring alive psychological and human elements of that glorious era.
Sean Bovim’s Big Band opening number, Benny Goodman’s Sing Sing Sing showcased nine women in glitzy fringed dresses, necklaces and T-bar shoes, partnered by six suitably attired men, energetically rendered Bovim’s stylized Charleston jive. Adele Blank introduced an African touch with Something New in Africa. Here third year student Tumelo Mogashoa’s humourous body language matching his facial expression, introduced light-hearted humour. As did Anton Luitingh’s skit in Royals, where Austin Tshikosi, Dylan Janse van Rensburg, Gianluca Gironi went through their paces in mock up imperial crowns.
For Fever, Faheem Bardien’s red lighting plot, and Brigitte Reeve-Taylor’s well-rehearsed female dancers in shiny sexy outfits, brought everyone up to fever pitch. As did Robin van Wyk’s Love for Sale, with sexual interplay heightened by overt, black lacy lingerie and provocative pas de deux.
Fertile choreographic mind
Drawing upon the important socio-religious and psychological role clowns play, Michelle Reid produced the evening’s highlight. With tongue firmly in her cheek, Reid dressed a dozen dancers as mocked-up, unranked, Hungarian Hussars. Topped by an itsy-bitsy shako, Pagliacci clown make-up, Reid proved again her fertile choreographic mind as barefoot dancers worked through poignant paces in Death to Jazz.
In jolly vein, Jared Schaedler wrapped up a thoroughly enterprising and satisfying evening of Vintage Jukebox at a Little Party (that) Never Killed Nobody.
LAMTA founders Anton Luitingh and Duane Alexander have, once again proven the merits of their three-year triple threat performer’s course. Despite past disruptions, each successive production has showcased improved technical and artistic standards and the faculty’s care nurturing talent.
Tickets are R150 – R250. Book Here, or at the theatre box-office on 021 438 3300/1.
What: LAMTA Vintage Jukebox
Where and when: Theatre on the Bay from 14 to 24 June 2023
Tickets: Here
Info: Here
WS
