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Nadine Mather and Chloë Loubser
Musical comedy with Hot Cross Nuns
While waiting for the show to begin, an enthusiastic Baxter employee assured us that we would be "literally blown away" by Not The Midnight Mass (NTMM). My hope for a metaphorical, rather than a literal blowing away, was certainly realised.
NTMM has been revived, revamped and performed regularly since 1988. With Graham and Christine Weir as the constant core, some of South Africa's top singing talent have performed in the show. In this incarnation, Graham and Christine are joined by Amanda Tiffin (who has been with the show since 2002 and is also the musical director for this run), Donal Slemon (who was with NTMM in 2002 and 2003) and Anthea Thompson, a newcomer.
Wacky sense of the absurd
Hot Cross Nuns continues in similar form to previous shows, effortlessly delighting us and living up to all comedic and musical expectations. The same wacky sense of the absurd permeates the show, but in no way detracts from the beautiful voices or the skill and talent with which the tight a cappella arrangements are delivered. Clever choreography by Fiona du Plooy enhances the sense of "just fooling around" that is given to the arrangements. Ably directed by Bo Petersen, the performers bring a polished yet light-hearted treatment to the music.
The show, which opens with Graham Weir's chillingly wonderful Eh Bahran from his Noah of Cape Town opera, takes the audience on a fast-paced journey. Hot Cross Nuns covers an incredibly varied range of music and emotion, and does it so slickly that not even a microphone failure halfway through Ledbelly's Cottonfields throws the performers off balance. The only problem is that the two-hour show is over in a flash, leaving the opening-night audience on its feet, enthusiastically demanding more.
Zeppelin to Handel
In a show bristling with highlights and talent, it seems unfair to single out specific songs or moments as being more special than any other. But to give you an idea of the range of musical gems, NTMM presents arrangements of rock classics from Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones, special treatments for traditional folk songs like All Around my Gwat, classical excerpts such as Pachabel's Canon in D and Handel's Hallelujah Chorus, (performed in the most outrageous hats) as well as other sketches and songs, such as Graham Weir's story and song about Aglin the whale.
Who but NTMM would think of substituting the four syllables of Hal-le-lu-jah with the four syllables of Bar-ry Ron-ge? Go figure. And who but NTMM can take you from the sublime beauty of Nature Boy to laughing at dog poo on The Street Where you Live? Only absolute masters of their art can hold themselves and their art with the lightness and lack of seriousness that makes for such seriously good entertainment. NTMM does it again!
Hot Cross Nuns - Not The Midnight Mass runs till the 21 May 11 at the Baxter Theatre Centre from Tues - Sat at 8:15pm and on Sat at 5:30pm. Tickets cost: R110 per person.
