80S REWIND
DIRECTOR: Duck Chowles
MUSICAL DIRECTOR: Petro van Heerden
CAST: Riyaan Cornelius, Wayne Cumming, Jerryn Fosteras, Janine Cupido, Melissa Smit, Calli Thomson (keyboards and backing vocals), Joe du Toit, Liam Hyland, Dylan van der Linde, Keenan du Plessis and Anzél van Zyl
VENUE: The Barnyard Theatre, Gateway
RUNS UNTIL: January 11, 2015
RATING: ***
THROUGHOUT the festive season and the new year, theatregoers can enjoy the Barnyard’s latest production, 80s Rewind.
As the title suggests, it involves rewinding the clock and going back to experience ’80s rock. So that means you can expect retro fashion, dance and some of the greatest music of our time such as synthpop, new wave and arena rock.
It features an 11-piece cast – Riyaan Cornelius (male vocals), Wayne Cumming (male vocals), Jerryn Fosteras (male vocals), Janine Cupido (female vocals), Melissa Smit (female vocals), Calli Thomson (keyboards and backing vocals), Joe du Toit (guitar and vocals), Liam Hyland (bass guitar and vocals), Dylan van der Linde (drums), Keenan du Plessis (dance) and Anzél van Zyl (dance).
As the narrator and one of the male vocalists of the show, Cornelius does a brilliant job and the audience can’t get enough of his humour. He’s one of those guys who is naturally funny without trying to be. Throughout the show, he appears in comical costumes and his synergy with the crowd is great.
In the first act you can expect to hear songs like Take My Breath Away, Tainted Love, Get Down On It and 99 Red Balloons. The second act includes tracks such as Never Gonna Give You Up, Girls Just Want To Have Fun and Forever Young. The team work well together and manage to pull off an enjoyable show, packed with a great selection of songs.
Male vocalist Fosteras has an impressive set of pipes and it’s evident that rock is his comfort zone. Cornelius and Cumming also add nicely to the cast and cannot be faulted. As usual, female vocalist Cupido never disappoints. With her amazing vocals and control, she sent a round of applause through the theatre on the evening I attended the show.
Big ups to Drew Mathie on choreography. This was an integral part of the show which captivated the audience and made one appreciate the beauty of song and dance. The costumes are also worth mentioning. From brightly-coloured suit jackets to glitzy evening wear, Barnyard Theatre Productions did a fine job.
Scenes that stood out include Cupido’s performance of Let’s Stay Together. The crowd were ecstatic when she appeared in her signature Tina Turner attire.
Another highlight was when the male vocalists dressed as ladies and performed I Want to Break Free. The audience loved it and the laughter was deafening.
From the stage design to the sound and costumes, 80s Rewind is a production suitable for all ages with feel-good songs that everyone can relate to.
• 80s Rewind runs until January 11. Tickets are R145pp from Wednesday to Saturday, with discounted specials of R110pp every Tuesday night and R100pp for the Sunday matinee. Call The Barnyard at 031 566 3045.