When you ask anyone who lived through the time of the Beatles, or are simply inquisitive about the history of music, what their favourite Fab Four song is, they’ll probably have an answer for you.
Mine is Hey Jude. I read somewhere that it was a song written by Paul McCartney for Lennon’s son Julian.We all have a story or two to share about memories attached to some of our favourite Beatles songs.
After a worldwide tour, Beatlemania, the musical based on the life and times of the Beatles, hit South African shores on Friday, January 19.
The tour has in the last few months been in Australia and New Zealand. It features a new cast that includes singers Cameron Charters (as Paul McCartney), Zac Coombs (as John Lennon), Brent McMullen (as George Harrison) and Ben Harper (as Ringo Starr).
Audiences can expect to hear Beatles hits such as Can’t Buy Me Love, All My Loving, Please Please Me, I Wanna Hold Your Hand, She Loves You, Day Tripper, Nowhere Man, Help, Yellow Submarine, Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Hey Jude performed throughout the two-hour show.
Beatlemania on Tour. Picture: Supplied
Speaking to
, the fab four who have slipped into the lives of the rock stars spoke about the preparation for their roles.
“There’s a lot of different things we’ve done. We have to mimic everything they do as far as mannerisms and imitate their actions and things like that.
“So we watched interviews, live performance footage, everything that could help us become them as much as we can,” Coombs said.
These performances will also mark the first time since 2009 that the show visits South Africa. Charters, the only original cast member from that show, reflected on how the local audiences received the production.
“We did over 60 shows here in and the audiences loved it. We’re hoping to do the same this time around. Everywhere we go really the crowds enjoy our showYou can’t really go wrong with their music,” he said.
undefinedThey’ve had to pay painstaking attention to detail. In the case of Charters and the role of McCartney, he’s had to learn to wobble his head a bit and keep his eyes open just a little bit wider.
This is a feature that runs throughout the show from the music, to the wardrobe, hair and make-up as well as the staging, everything is curated to produce an authentic Beatles experience.
The beauty of the show is, whether you’re new to the Beatles or a diehard fan, you will enjoy this musical. Beatlemania on Tour will be on from today to February 4 at the at Emperors Palace Casino and will then move to Durban at the Sibiya Casino and Entertainment World from March 29 to April 8.
Then returning for the final leg of their SA tour at the Artscape Theatre in Cape Town from October 31 to November 11.
*Tickets for the Joburg leg of the tour are on sale from Computicket at www.computicket.com or via Checkers and Shoprite retail stores, at R250 each.
For more details, visit: beatlemaniaontour.com