Gate 69 in Bree Street opened just over a year ago.
Its maiden production, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, scooped major Fleur du Cap awards. For the festive season, the cabaret venue is staging Macbeth - the panto - which runs until December 30.
Direction is by Elizma Badenhorst (she directed Hedwig). She has also designed the costumes. Musical direction is by Wessel Odendaal. It’s funny, sexy, smart (written by Christopher Dudgeon).
This production is billed as a panto - and with Gate 69’s resident drag troupe The Trolley Dollies as the three witches, there is certainly an element of panto.
The Dollies are fabulous but play it straight-ish as Ladies of the Forest, setting Macbeth on a path of sexual discovery.
They are garbed in frocks, bedecked with hand stitched leaves and bling. It is like Boere Baroque meets City Chic. Brendan van Rhyn, Christopher Dudgeon and Rudi Jansen make up the Trolley Dollies.
Tessa Denton is Lady Macbeth and Kyle Jardine is Macbeth. They wear kilts - the real thing I was told - accessorised with red takkies and black bobby socks. Lady M completes her outfit with a leather bustier.
Denton - who is Joburg-based - is utterly delicious as Lady M, toying with a rather dof husband. She cracked us up with her Scottish accent and acerbic digs at hubby.
Clearly Denton, Jardine and the witches are loving every moment and its shows in their energy and asides. It’s tongue-in-cheek but there is heart.
The real surprise of this show is Dudgeon’s script. Although it has been pared down to the bare necessities, it is laden with allusions and references.
This is panto which veers to sophisticated musical theatre. I discovered that he has a degree in literature and language from University of the Witwatersrand, under his belt and it shows.
He certainly knows his Bard. He has employed lavish poetic licence in interpreting Macbeth for an adult audience but has distilled the themes to fit into a Gate 69 state of mind.
Watching this show is like dipping into a set of X-rated spark notes to get with the plot and cram for an exam.
The plot and major themes are there, kind of: power, celebrity, deception. Everyone is just waiting for the hated leader to keel over and die.
The witches are the Cauldron Girls. There is the Goddess of Gluten: “All she wants is to get everyone fat and happy so that she can eat them.”
Wessel Odendaal as musical director has cooked up a potent brew of songs - I Just Wanna Be King, It’s My Life, It’s Raining Men.
The message is: we should all find our true selves, explore our options, accept one another and above all - be happy.
On the night we attended, by the end of the evening, most of the audience was singing.
The Trolley Dollies as The Three Witches are Christopher Dudgeon (aka Holly) as Maeve; Brendan van Rhyn (aka Cathy Specific) as Morgan and Rudi Jansen (Molly) as Babs.
A much-deserved standing ovation followed.
This is an upper of a show. Within the mirth, there is a savvy critique echoing what is going on in this power-crazy world. Wonderful festive season fare.
* Tickets for Macbeth are R450-R59 and include mezze platter, soup, breads and tequila-flavoured soft serve ice cream.
Bookings at www.gate69.co.za or call 021 0351627. If you are vegetarian advise when booking.