IT'S A BLAST: The Sampson Interactive platform fires up the fun at The Southern Right Hotel's new comedy cabaret venue The Right Tent every Friday night. IT'S A BLAST: The Sampson Interactive platform fires up the fun at The Southern Right Hotel's new comedy cabaret venue The Right Tent every Friday night.
Mark Sampson guarantees three things with his fresh approach to entertainment.
“One is laughter; two is seeing tomorrow’s stars today; and three is how indescribably great the Southern Right Tent vibe is.” He adds: “Come and see for yourself.”
If you have absolutely no idea what we are talking about, it is the Friday night regular gig called Sampson Interactive at The Right Tent, The Southern Right’s comedy cabaret venue. Not only does it feature musicians from the surrounding areas, but also gives aspiring performers (or even attention-seeking audience members) a chance to get on stage.
Says Sampson: “It is based on the Edinburgh Festival’s famous Spiegeltent concept, which heralded the rebirth of variety into the UK mainstream. Sampson Interactive is much more than your standard three comics and a mic. I come from a street performer/circus background and I love South African music, so we combined them in an alternative variety show. This is music hall for the new millennium.”
The press release says it is “a mixture of comedians with musicians, add a magician and invite the circus”. That is quite a mouthful. Sampson describes it as “a kaleidoscope of comedy chaos to delight the eyes, entertain the ears and warm the heart. A whole spectrum of artists, from tongue-in-cheek praise-singing imbongi Eric Bagala and improvised slam poetry storyteller Gavin Bonner, to some new stand-up acts like Leo Letsape, who does Michael Jackson in Afrikaans. Not to mention the crazy circus performers with me, such as the twisted Ringmaster. Plus some lekker local music, and all headlined by a top comedian every week”.
But wait, there’s more.
The Sampson Interactive weekly show also features those artists who would perhaps not have had this kind of professional exposure without the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund.
Sampson explains, “I have been conducting comedy master classes for youth in the South Peninsula through the eMzantsi community-building project (see www. emzantsi.org.za). You can also read about the huge range of young musicians discovered and nurtured by the eMzantsi team in Ocean View, Masiphumelele and Fish Hoek.
“eMzantsi Interactive is the first step to getting these guys and girls professional exposure and experience.”
From rousing gospel to the burka-wearing Fatima Damon, the stage seems set for some diverse and interesting acts over the following weeks. Sampson says the show might finish by the end of January, but they are hoping the clamour will be loud enough to keep them there longer.
What can audiences still expect over the next few weeks?
“The polyrhythms of the Marhoshi gumboot dancers of Masiphumelele, the three-part harmony singers Van Die Blokke from Ocean View. You have never heard Diana Ross like this, and Shannon Doherty, the little lady with the big voice from Fish Hoek – all products of the eMzantsi intercultural music project.”
The new comedians come from the eMzantsi team and from The Starving Comics. Headliners include Stuart Taylor this Friday, David Newton on January 14, comedy magician Stuart Lightbody on January 21 and Rob Van Vuuren on January 28.
According to Sampson the interactive part of the show is encouraged throughout. “Heckling is a huge part of the show, often resulting in audiences not quite throwing rotten vegetables, but resorting to the verbal equivalent.”
Also, everyone who participates wins a prize, including sand yachting trips, romantic nights away and comedy T-shirts.
l Tickets are R50. To book, call 021 782 0315. For more information, see www.southernrighthotel.com - Cape Times