Poetry, comedy and music: these are the tentpoles of Cape Town’s new vaudeville-themed variety night, Swing Cafe.
It seems like a simple enough concept; a curated evening of stripped-down live performance that could include everything from a one-act play pitted with a song and a joke and a spot of magic thrown in for good measure.
Swing Cafe is a weekly show on at Mercury Live in De Villiers Street until May 6.
The evening is the creation of electro-swing DJ, JP Vorster, and Scottish poet, Miss Kiki. They have been doing music and poetry gigs as separate events until they fathomed out how to blend the two.
Vorster, who used to organise comedy in Joburg through his company Nomad Entertainment, moved to Cape Town for “new challenges”.
“Comedy and poetry are both spoken word forms. Here, they feel like the double masks of the theatre: comedy and tragedy,” says Vorster.
The concept began life as their Spoken Word Showdown, a competition they had for poets and comedians. Musicians later approached them, wanting to perform.
“It’s not only going to be about poetry, music and comedy. In the 1920s, this is what ‘speakeasy’ was about. I will consider anything from a motivational talk, to improv to belly dancing.”
The night I popped along, I was treated to a mixed bag of blues, angsty poetry and folk music.
I liked the dark mood lighting of the event, although it did not bode well for my picture-taking efforts. They controlled it with theatrical skill, dimming and brightening as acts faded in and out.
The set up is simple: a few rectangular tables with candles on them.
The audience were the civil sort, politely clapping.
Nur Felix performed a set of activist-like social justice songs, while poet Kyle Louw delivered an emo set of poetry that had moments of spontaneity.
A brief 15-minute break gives you a chance to digest some of the heaviness of the acts. I had time for conversation with my mate, an appreciated moment at a live performance.
The evening was headlined by music act Crimson House Blues who performed as a duo and not the full band. They pulled of their set with a loop pedal, a harmonica, a distortion mic, a slide guitar and a saxophone. Their best moment was a rendition of the Rabubi theme song.
What I like most about Swing Cafe is that is filling a live performance gap in the city. We don’t see enough mainstream poetry gigs, let alone weekly. It’s good entertainment at a bargain. R40 is less than some movie tickets. They throw in a glass of wine, too.
Things are looking up for this gig. Not only are they moving to Wednesdays from next week, they’ve received a nod from Pieter Toerien.
On Sunday, March 29, they will take over Theatre on the Bay. That line up will be headlined by comedian Mel Miller. Drag queen Mary Scary will feature, too. Tickets for that performance will cost R150 at Computicket.
Meanwhile, tonight at Mercury Live sees a headline act from Joburg: comic Warren Robertson.
The first Wednesday night edition next week offers Pravda, a gypsy swing band.