The Kalk Bay Theatre in Cape Town, on the premises of the Brass Bell Restaurants and Pubs in main road is currently presenting its rock show, Legendary, which will run until about middle of October 2024. The theatre will close for a few weeks, while major work is done, re-siting and refiguring the stage, for the KBT’s festive season show, Unthinkable. Ash Searle of the KBT talks about Legendary and what’s on at the KBT and why it is essential to book for Unthinkable which as the title suggests is set to astonish with unthinkable feats:
TCR: Tell us about Legendary – which is a reboot of the KBT’s show, Alchemy of Rock from 2016?
Ash Searle: Yes, it was in 2016 in the old theatre. We created the show for National Arts Festival in Makhanda and it was only on for three weeks in Cape Town. In those days, most of our shows were only on for around about three or four weeks. The feedback was tremendous. People loved Alchemy of Rock, so we decided to reboot the show and bring back elements but bigger and better. Legendary is 90 minutes and has 40 songs. It is a big show. It features the original team – myself, Liam McDermott, Brad Searle, Vanessa Harris and Nicolette Fernandes and Miguel De Sampaio. Nicolette was in We Will Rock You and we had to have her as rock chick in our show. After Legendary, she will star in Disney’s Magic Box which will be touring abroad and in South Africa, so we are very lucky to have her in Legendary.
TCR: Does Legendary differ significantly from its precursor, Alchemy of Rock?
AS: Very much. A few songs are the same but we have added songs. It was a 55 minute show and now its 90 minutes with 40 songs. There is no interval – it is high energy right the way through. There is an Ash and Brad (Searle) comedy moment. Brad does a piano solo. The costumes re over the top rock with studs leather and lots of eyeliner – especially for the guys. We have a new automates pulley system at the theatre, so the whole stage moves forward. The show has been expanded it in every way. People love the experience of a rock music show. We have two platforms which make up the stage, surrounded by projection screens, onto which we project AV. We are playing with AV instead of lighting. For instance in one song, My Immortal by Evanescence there is a projection of graphics onto Nicolette which is very cool.
TCR: Are there backtracks or a live band?
AS: We have backtracks for the most part – no live band as it too expensive for every show – but we do have an acoustic section which is a lot of fun and gets the audience going. Brad is on piano. Miguel is on percussion, Liam is on guitar and I am, on cajon – drum.
TCR: Can we talk about the end of the year festive season show, Unthinkable and the reminder – the sign for peeps – that they need to book in advance?
AS: Unthinkable opens mid November 2024 and runs for the season, until about March 2025. Unthinkable is all about seeing things that you wouldn’t think possible, with lots of aerial, illusion and trickery. A lot of our acts have a magical feel – with optical illusions for instance which tricks your eye – and makes you think that it is not possible – that it is unthinkable. We are playing with that in this show. Most of the numbers will be new. We may bring back Find the Lady –which was in our show Bijou and which fits with the theme, Unthinkable. But it is not a circus show. There is no clowning. It is dark, mysterious and moody. Vanessa will compère and Brad and I will do two new characters.
Unthinkable features myself team KBT Brad, Vanessa, Jessica Kohler and Bronwyn Craddock and Tamsin Dexter. Bronwyn is an incredible dancer. She is going to be in Darkroom Contemporary’s autoplay, soon in Cape Town. She was in our show, Sizzle. Tamsin is a newcomer to the KBT. She is an expert in aerial, acrobatics and gymnastics.
TCR: And the staging of Unthinkable?
AS: A big feature of Unthinkable is that we will be reconfiguring the stage in the theatre. The stage will move to where our VIP area is at the moment. The theatre will essentially be figured in the round except for the bar area. The stage will be elevated to accommodate our new aerial system which will facilitate us moving up our aerial acts. For instance, we will be able to lift three metres into the air – like a proper circus. The reconfigured and elevated stage will allow us to do so much more. We are very excited.
TCR: Bookings are advised as KBT festive shows sell out?
AS: Capetonians get disappointed as they tend not to book and then are upset when they can’t get seats. The theatre is small. Depending on the configuration, we can seats 85 and at the most 100 – comfortably. Festive season tickets fly. Out of towners and tourists book in advance and then we have to tell our regulars – sorry – we are sold out – but we have to abide by safety regulations and comfort and cannot squeezes extra seats in. Bookings for Unthinkable will open early September 2024 at kalkbaytheatre.co.za.
TCR: Can you tell us about other shows at the KBT – in between the shows put on by your production company, Follow Spot Productions?
AS: Generally our own shows, produced by Follow Spot, run Wednesday to Saturdays and we are a receiving house for shows on some of the other nights. Our regular Liam McDermott has been running Sugarman and Layla, his hit tribute shows. Layla, a tribute to Eric Clapton will return September 28. We also have a lot of comedy on – Alan Committie (October 26 to November 3), Barry Hilton (September 6) and Brendan van Rhyn will be on with Cathy Specific on October 19. It is best to check our website for updates in the schedule and to see slots for last minute shows which can pop up. We often have demand for a show and will put it on if a slot becomes available.
TCR: The Brass Bell’s Theatre Restaurant will be bringing out a new menu for the season?
AS: There will be a wonderful new menu and as always patrons who dine at the Bell, get preferential booking when it comes to seating in the theatre. We accommodate large groups of people by putting them at long tables. If people have any issues with booking online and they want to speak to a real person to organise their night, they can contact Nicky Sisson and she will assist. Text or voice note her 066 205 5063 and she will help.
✳ The Kalk Bay Theatre in Kalk Bay, Cape Town, on the premises of the Brass Bell Restaurants and Pubs is currently presenting its rock show, Legendary, which will run until about middle of October 2024.
