| What: David Kramer’s musical Orpheus McAdoo presented by Cape Town Opera When: October 18 to November 4, 2024 Where: Artscape Cast: Includes Conroy Scott, Brittany Smith with CTO singers; Edith Plaatjies, Jody Abrahams, Dean Balie, Alexis Petersen, Elton Landrew , Eldon van der Merwe and Natalie Robbie Director: David Kramer Assistant director and movement director: Fiona du Plooy Arranger: Dawid Bovarhoff Musical director: Kevin Kraak Costumes: Maritha Visagie Set and visuals: Julian David Lighting: Faheem Bardien Sound design: The Grateful Deaf Tickets: R200-R450 via Webtickets and Artscape Dial-A-Seat 0214217695 |
I was thrilled to attend a preview of Orpheus McAdoo by David Kramer at Artscape. I was unable to attend the opening, so I was at the preview. The musical is being presented by Cape Town Opera. The season runs until November 4, 2024. The preview which I attended was like an opening night, with the audience bursting into applause after each scene, followed by a rapturous standing ovation.
Love, love, loved this big musical which is inspired by the true story of Orpheus McAdoo, an African-American who established a concert company, The Virginia Jubilee Singers. In 1890, on tour in Europe, the company hit a rough financial patch. While in Glasgow, they were invited to Cape Town by Lady Loch, wife of Henry Loch, the High Commissioner to the Cape Colony. So off they went to Africa. Stirring songs by David Kramer conjure up the awe and joy they felt about coming to Africa.
The company was an audience fave for two years but increasingly faced competition from a minstrel show in a tent. The minstrels fed into what audiences perceived to be Black theatre – jolly blackface. Orpheus set the bar with his company – always seeking to achieve choral excellence and dignity and not pander to minstrel fare.
The company then toured Australia (a very successful tour) and then returned in 1895 to Cape Town, on the cusp of a new century. Hoping to increase audience attendance, Orpheus decided to shake up the company’s repertoire and introduce opera, with his wife Mattie Allen singing. The critics were not impressed by Black people singing opera. Orpheus and Mattie faced artistic challenges, intersecting with race and perceptions by the largely white purveyors of their concerts who hankered for minstrel entertainment.
Intertwined with the trajectory of Orpheus in Cape Town was the minstrel troupe operated by Curtis, a rival impresario and its two star attractions, Ernest and Egbert. Orpheus was faced with developing his company but at the same time he wanted to be true to his artistic vision of “dignity”.
The second act is an exhilarating ride as we see what transpires, building on the company’s established choir repertoire in the first act. I am not going to tell you everything that occurs – it’s a richly layered plot but I will tell you that Orpheus embraces a new beat of “cakewalk not blackface”. [The cakewalk has its origins in Afro-American history. The cakewalk was a pre-Civil War dance originally performed by slaves on plantation grounds. The uniquely American dance was first known as the “prize walk”; the prize was an elaborately decorated cake. Hence, “prize walk” is the original source for the phrases “takes the cake” and “cakewalk.” The dance became a ragtime favourite. https://birminghamhistoricalsociety.com/2023/02/06/history-of-the-cake-walk/]
I saw the first incarnation of this musical, Orpheus in Africa at the Fugard Theatre in 2015 and seeing the expanded iteration, Orpheus McAdoo is a revelation. The plot lines have been developed. For instance, the interaction between Orpheus and Ernest and Egbert (the minstrels) have been heightened. Kramer has written three new songs for Orpheus, which are in the 2nd act.
The entire company is a knockout. Conroy Scott as Orpheus is sublime as this complex man and artist, holding on to his dignity and artistic aspirations in the Cape Colony and riding out scorn and ground she was Vaudeville singer and teacher. We see her transformation to star of the Virginia Jubilee Singers. Ahh – watch Smith and Scott in the Drinking Song (Brindisi) from Verdi’s La Traviata. Totally wow. Breathtaking. The love story between Orpheus and Mattie is beautiful.
Jody Abrahams (Egbert) and Dean Balie (Ernest) are delicious as the minstrels, with their antics and humour brilliantly threaded throughout the musical. Ahh their dance moves. A shout out to Fiona Du Plooy, assistant director and movement director for the inspired dance in the Egbert and Ernest scenes and in the whole musical. Loved Brittany Smith dancing in the drinking song. The company truly gets into the new rhythm and beat of the new look of the company and theatrically it is wondrous to watch as this big epic story unfolds on stage – the drama and suspense – edge of the seat – even if you know the story.
Visuals signifying scene changes are seamlessly dropped into the set. It’s not flashy but tempered by restraint. Musical arrangements by Dawid Bovarhoff are astounding as is musical direction by Kevin Kraak (live musical ensemble). Talking of the music and songs, David Kramer has written the bulk of the songs in the musical. Extraordinary. I counted 20 songs by Kramer. The rest are in the public domain, traditional and the Verdi. Talking of delicious, the Afrikaans folk song, Sarie Marie takes a proud spot in this musical.
Orpheus McAdoo is a ground breaking South African musical – with an intricate plot (book), score and stunning performances. The musical is richly textured in its references – including traditional, spirituals, minstrel charm songs, acapella, Ragtime, South African and Cape folk songs. This epic scale musical would run for months On Broadway and the West End. Don’t miss.
✳ Brittany Smith as Mattie Allen and Conroy Scott as Orpheus in David Kramer’s musical Orpheus McAdoo presented by Cape Town Opera, October 18 to November 4, 2024. Mark Wessels. Supplied.
