HE has based himself in Durban again after touring with the Barnyard Circuit for a few years, and now popular entertainer Clinton Philander can be seen on stage in his all-new show, Simply the Best.
The high-energy musical revue show also features talented local performers Charles Green, Rashid Fataar, Tanya Morrison, Stacey Lee Erasmus and Charmaine Darries.
In a chat with Tonight about the show, Philander said that, while theatre audiences were generally tough to sustain, Durbanites seemed to enjoy the music of the old days.
“They seem to enjoy the nostalgia – the songs that stuck with them. People flock to these shows in numbers.
“Simply the Best is a different kind of show. It has the disco elements, it’s got the rock – it has everything for everyone. No matter what your taste in music, you will enjoy the show.
“And it seems to be something of trend on stage these days that the old live bands of the 1980s and 1990s are now branching off into theatre. So it’s exciting to have all these great singers from our local bands of the past coming more into theatre,” he said.
Featuring hits like Never Never Never, Knocking on Heaven’s Door, Waiting to Exhale, Private Dancer, My First, My Last, My Everything, Let’s Stay Together, Celebrate, as well as hits from the likes of Rod Stewart and the Bee Gees, Philander said the show was a family offering.
“There is no age restriction, and people should come out and enjoy the night and just have fun.”
Since returning to his home stage in January, Philander has staged The Stars are Out Tonight at the former Heritage Theatre in Hillcrest, as well as My Man Clint and Air Guitar at the Catalina Theatre.
In-between shows, Philander can be seen gigging around Durban’s live venues as a one-man band. But he said he was planning to stage three theatre shows next year, including When Bazil met Alvis, which he last performed at the Catalina Theatre in 2006. Plans are afoot to bring the comedy back to the stage early in 2015.
But in the meantime you can catch him in Simply the Best at Sibaya’s iZulu Theatre from October 24 to 26. Shows are at 8pm on Friday and Saturday, and 3pm on Sunday.
• Tickets cost R120 a person through Computicket, Shoprite/Checkers and at the Sibaya box office.