Theatre veterans Lisa Bobbert and Aaron McIlroy as well as Veranda Panda’s Liam Magner and Jane Magner are taking Durbanites back to the 80s with their newest offering, “Retro Fest”.
The high-octane duos will entertain patrons with shows lined up from Wednesday, November 6, to Sunday, November 17, at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre.
“Retro Fest” offers a joyous tonic of life-affirming memories from that era, with a fresh new take on familiar characters and music.
The husband-and-wife teams – Macbob and Veranda Panda – will be re-inventing and adapting familiar elements from festival circuit during those years.
Veranda Panda’s Jane will be incorporating her special brand of contemporary fusion violin into some of the songs, and her husband, Liam will be performing live music mixes and comedy sketches with Bobbert and Mcllroy, who have created a host of new characters and an awesome playlist.
“When Marvel got stuck in a cultural quagmire, they came up with ‘Wolverine’ and ‘Deadpool’ – which was inspired by the comic book heroes of our childhood, but with a whole new contemporary, tongue-in-cheek spin.
“That’s kind of what we have in mind with this show. Taking what we remember from the 80s festival vibe, but making it fun, fresh and slightly irreverent.
“Festivals have developed their own distinctive aesthetic and we are exploring that. We had a blast creating some really zany left field characters and we have selected some great music,” shared Liam.
Mcllroy added that the show is “familiar but different”.
“Our approach is comedy-focused and taking something familiar and adapting it to make it feel new, reinterpreting some of the music with some modern-sounding remixes while remaining true to the original work.
“Festivals were a huge part of our youth and we want to honour our memories and the great music,” he said.
Theatregoers will be treated to music by Kate Bush, eVoid, Yazoo, The Eagles, The Bangles, Boney M, Jennifer Rush, Eurythmics, Freddy Mercury, Queen and Abba.
They will also be entertained by iconic era-defining songs such as “Funky Town”, “You Spin Me Round”, “Tainted Love” and “Hotel California”, among other hits.
The idea for the show came about after they received huge amounts of praise for their music and comedy showcase at the Mother’s Day Festival at Botanic Gardens earlier this year.
The foursome are excited to be together on stage in “Retro Fest”.
Liam and Mcllroy performed together in KickstArt’s “Little Shop of Horrors” and Bobbert and Jane worked alongside each other in “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change”.
“It’s the first time all four of us are in a full show together. We explored this idea at the Mother’s Day Festival by the Lake in Botanic Gardens earlier this year, and based on the fabulous response, we developed the ‘Retro Fest’ idea into a full show.
“It's basically a three-course meal of comedy, music and party party party,” shared Mcllroy.
Attendees are encouraged to dress up in their best retro looks because there will be prizes up for grabs for the best dressed.
Where: Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre at the University of KwaZulu Natal.
When: November 6 to 17.
Cost: R160 to R200. Tickets can be purchased through Webtickets.
Upcoming Show
“Alice in Africa”
Embark on a captivating South African dance odyssey with Alice as she steps into a mystical land.
Guided by a whimsical white meerkat, with a great sense of direction but no sense of time, Alice journeys through a land where the wonders of South African culture come to life.
From the enchanting Shongololo to the rhythmic beats of traditional dances, Alice is immersed in the spirit of Ubuntu as the pulse of Africa comes alive.
This adventure celebrates the diversity and unity that defines the spirit of Ubuntu, weaving together the beauty of South Africa’s heritage in a magical dance-filled experience.
Where: The Playhouse Drama Theatre.
When: November 29 to December 1.
Cost: R220. Tickets can be purchased through Webtickets.