THE PELVIS: Wayne Cummings brings Elvis back. THE PELVIS: Wayne Cummings brings Elvis back.
VIVA LAS VEGAS. Directed by Duck Chowles, with Peyton Amber, Wayne Cummings, Ofentse Mokhuane, Chrystal Worship, Raymond Verster, Alan Lloyd, Deno Potgieter, Neil Peyten, Keenan du Plessis and Cindy Faul. At The Barnyard Theatre until April 17. RAFIEK MAMMON reviews.
THERE are those who believe that a tribute show is a tribute show, is a tribute show: if you have seen one you have seen them all. There are also those who believe that about cities: when you have been to one you may as well stop travelling. Just by writing these introductory lines (and hopefully by your reading them) one can already smell the fallacious logic.
The Barnyard Theatres have become known for doing quality tribute shows. And yes, when one sees too many tribute shows one begins to see the similarities, but is that not also the case when sees renditions of musical classics that are regarded more as “theatre”.
These performers work as hard; must be as fit, and even more dextrous at times, to deliver the kind of work that they need to. Here’s the thing: one sometimes needs to strike a balance between what is considered by most as “serious” theatre productions, and ones that attract Joe Soap. Only then can one truly compare apples with apples.
That said, is Viva Las Vegas worth a trip to the Willowbridge Barnyard Theatre? Answer: yes.
The cast is unbalanced in terms of dexterity and adeptness. Some deliver with aplomb while others are adequate.
There are even some peculiar song choices, and the first half is a bit slow out of the starting blocks, unsure of its pace. But once it finds its stride, and by the time the second half hits with Santana’s Oye Como Va, the show gallops at a very steady canter, holding its own against any other musical theatre production out there.
Viva Las Vegas pays homage to artists who performed at the many live entertainment venues in Las Vegas and is hosted by an Italian-American, self-proclaimed mafia-type character played by Wayne Cummings.
He tells mostly lame jokes and engages the audience with inane banter, sporting a faux American accent while the singers get into lavish costumes to mimic musical icons like (among others) Cher, Diana Ross, Elton John, Prince, Michael Jackson, and of course Elvis Presley who is probably the most popular Vegas act.
Throw in a pair of dancers, some really interesting mash-ups (something The Barnyard Theatre has become famous for) of songs that hitherto you may never have thought could blend together, and a decent evening’s worth of entertainment is served up.
Standout performances are Prince’s Purple Rain, effortlessly performed by guitarist Deno Potgieter and the staging of the Michael Jackson medley of Smooth Criminal and Billie Jean. These two numbers, alone, are worth the entrance fee.
Demonstrating her versatility as a performer and doing Celine Dion’s I Drove All Night justice, is Chrystal Worship.
The show is high energy and very busy – costume changes galore, and as if one had “put another nickel” into the Viva Las Vegas nickelodeon, all one gets is music, music, music coming at you at a furious velocity. And I suppose that is how it should be.
That is what people who go to The Barnyard Theatre pay for – to see their favourite songs being performed by local artists, in costumes that take them back to the time when those artists were famous.
And because the songs often get fresh twists and are live, it is not the same as just popping in a cd or listening to it on YouTube.
It is the closest thing to the real thing. Even the sound has been improved at the theatre, and, with its sophisticated lighting rig, feather boas and lavish headgears, the scene is very much set to make one feel as though one were at a real Las Vegas extravaganza.
Diarise the venue’s upcoming shows – 90’s Mania from April 19, Amadeus Rocks! from May 31 and 1 Hit Wonders from July 12.
l 021 914 8898, www.barn yardtheatre.co.za