David Fick - Page 11

The reality of what has been achieved in this adaptation belies the potential that this version of BLOOD BROTHERS held in its conception. While there are some moments that work beautifully, there are many where the shaky ideological foundation upon which this production is built calls the entire exercise into question.

ILLUSIVE starts off as a nifty novelty show, but soon develops into a literally jaw-dropping experience.

BELOW MY FEET could be called a choreographer, dancer or producer's baby pictures. It is not without merit, but on the whole it is wrapped up in its own naivety.

SUPERSTARS is a superb evening of dance with an eclectic line-up that has something for everyone, including lovers of dance as well as those who accompany them to the theatre.

It may be Jazzart's 40th anniversary this year, but the distinct sense of style that is the trademark of their work is alive and well in WAITING FOR RAIN.

TIN BUCKET DRUM is undoubtedly a one of the highlights of the current theatre season in South Africa because everyone involved in bringing the show to the stage, from concept through to performance, has honoured what lies at the core of all theatrical endeavours: the act of storytelling.

50 SHADES OF BAMBI is a reflection of a life well lived for the crude and forthright Bambi Kellermann as she looks back on her life as well as at some of our current social and political trends in her own special way.

This revival of Peter Hayes and Jacqueline Dommisse's 1998 puppet play introduces Sadako Sasaki's story to a new generation of South African audiences, both young and old, and is as relevant now in its plea for peace as it was 15 years ago.

Should you attend THE CHESTER MISSING ROADSHOW, you will have a good time. Will it challenge you in the way that truly cutting edge social satire should? Probably not, but if you are looking for some pure comic entertainment, then you will receive it in abundance.

Featuring some top notch production values and a vivacious cast, THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW will prove popular with both long-time fans of the show as well as those who are seeing it for the first time.

On paper, A TOWN CALLED FOKOL LUTHO looks as though it should work, but some appealing songs and a few chuckles aside, the show falls short of what it aspires to be: an engaging and memorable musical comedy that holds its own in the local musical theatre scene.

Together with a pair of compelling performers, Joanna Evans has created a moving reflection of the things that draw us together as human beings, as well as of those that tear us apart in THE YEAR OF THE BICYCLE.

The KBT production of THE SNOW GOOSE arrives with a yoke of great expectations around its neck. Based on Paul Gallico's classic novella, this reworking does not live up to the expectations placed upon it, missing out on much of what made Gallico's story so effective in the first place.

CELLARDOOR has all the makings of a superb piece of physical theatre: a great concept; a seductive soundscape; and the conceptualisation of the piece as a meeting point for dance, the spoken word, music and visual design elements.

Is LENNY AND THE WASTELAND a crackerjack of a play for tween boys about friendship, the dangers of technology and the importance of preserving our environment? Or is it a piece for Generation Z comic book fans with social commentary about human reliance on technology and deviant sexual fantasies?

Experiencing THE EPICENE BUTCHER AND OTHER STORIES FOR CONSENTING ADULTS reminded me of the power of the medium of storytelling. By turns moving and hysterical, and never less than completely absorbing, this show is a must-see.

Marc Kay's BIRDMAN is a solid piece of work, with some beautiful passages of words and several well-crafted key moments, but still needs some fine-tuning to become the transcendent theatrical experience it so clearly aims to be.

As a contemporary South African play, THE THINGS YOU LEFT BEHIND could have a great deal to offer to a wide cross-section of audiences. Potgieter's writing elevates the rather mundane affair of a break-up by allowing it to be a vehicle that offers insight into contemporary life, class and culture.

The 2013 National Arts Festival begins this week and BroadwayWorld looks ahead at eight of the shows who have had runs elsewhere that have been featured on the site over the past year.

This month's Play Club offering was a reading of Ken Ludwig's masterful farce, LEND ME A TENOR, a play that is crafted explicitly for the purpose of entertainment, which was very much the order of the day at this reading of the play.