Old school is cool, they say. And indeed, nostalgia seems to be the buzzword in SA’s theatres at the moment, with stages awash with a tidal wave of retro musicals that, producers hope, will draw in audiences who are becoming increasingly reluctant to move away from their plasma TV screens. It seems many theatres are bargaining on the familiar and beloved (and, by implication, quality-assured), with old favourites being given a snazzy new coat of paint and, often, a gritty edge to elevate them above mere museum pieces. The subtext is that South Africans are looking for fun, escapist live entertainment to offset the doom-and-gloom headlines. But whether it’s Broadway blockbusters or vintage local classics, big-ticket productions are still risky financial propositions. If successful, they help cross-subsidise less sexy but no less important work while giving local actors a chance to sink their teeth into iconic roles. Live entertainment is a fickle business, notes Hazel Feldman of Show...
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