Zimbabwe: The Beatles Immortalised in Harare

allafrica.com
Zimbabwe: The Beatles Immortalised in Harare
By Tafadzwa Zimoyo
17 JULY 2015

One of the most iconic Rock and Roll bands ever to walk and grace the face of earth, The Beatles, will be immortalised following the staging of "Come Together, A Beatles Cabaret" based on their musical career and lives at Reps Theatre in Avondale, Harare, on Saturday.

This is the first time that such a colossal production is staged in Harare, thanks to renowned theatre practitioner James Carey from Los Angeles in the United States, who conceived the idea of the Beatles Cabaret, which he also produced and then brought to Zimbabwe to cater for the local theatre-loving audience.

The staging of the cabaret is a boon to both theatre and music lovers especially those who like the music of Beatles but were either too young or never had the chance to watch them perform live on stage owing to the geographical distance, time and generational gap.

Many, especially those on the mature side of life, will remember The Beatles as one of the most famous bands that comprised stars like Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. It was formed in Liverpool, England, in 1960 and produced numerous hits like "Love Me Do", "Rubber Soul", "Revolver" and "Abbey Road", among others, which earned numerous Grammy Awards apart from being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.

In a statement issued by organisers of the show, all is set for the performance.

"If you've never seen your grandparents boogie, bring them along to 'Come Together, A Beatles Cabaret' at Reps Theatre. The show is conceived and directed by renowned Los Angeles. He first came to Zimbabwe in 2012 to work with the National Institute of Allied Arts (NIAA) as a guest adjudicator.

"He is also accredited for the one-man production, 'Coming to Zimbabwe', which was a sold out show at Hifa 2013 and later toured Malawi and South Africa. His productions have won many awards, including 14 Drama-Logue awards and several Picks of the Week. In 2010, he was awarded Best Producer of An Intimate Musical Event by StageSceneLA.com," said, one of the organisers Vanisha Ramjee of Wild Imaginings.

The production is made up of a local talented cast which includes multi-talented actress Kudzai Sevenzo, renowned actor Alex Fairliewho, who apart from acting is also a visual artiste and singer with the group Ret Ospex, Ane Unhu Gwatidzo, who has performed with Hifa Opera Gala, while from Philippine comes actress Liza Maano, who is also a singer as well as voice teacher who has toured with vocal groups in the USA and Asia.

"Carey centres the play on the love story of two couples.

"The stage lights up with actors reflecting new love and takes the audience through the challenges experienced in relationships, which everyone can relate to.

"All this is portrayed through musical song. "All You Need Is Love", "Yesterday", and "Come Together" are among the 30 songs Carey uses to tell the love story," said the organisers.

Copyright © 2015 The Herald. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com).


The cast of "Come Together, A Beatles Cabaret"





www.zimbojam.com
The Day the Beatles Came To Town
Written by Zimbo Jam Network
July 13, 2015


Beatles Cabaret

Sweet music is the order of the day as the Beatles are in town. Alas, not the Beatles themselves, but their music. ‘Come Together - A Beatles Cabaret,’ is a musical play showing at the Reps Theatre. This production is one worth watching.

Zimbo Jam had a chance to watch the production and can safely say it was“awesome.”Directed by Americantheatre director, James Carey, this four cast production is a wonder to watch.KudziSevenzo, AneUnhuGwatidzo, Alex Fairlie and Liza Abuleciastaged an awesome and exhilarating show.

The performance has no dialogue, but since music is a universal language, one is drawn into the play as multiple senses and emotions are titillated throughout its entirety.

The show uses the music of the Beatles to tell the love story of two couples as they pass through first love, a break-up, then finally their reunionresulting in renewed love.

The performers made me feel as if they were communicating directly to me. It seems the rest of the audience felt the same way as every act was met with applause, reflecting the beauty and immortality of the Beatles music.

“This is a perfect example of a love story, a story that most of us went through, especially me.” These are the words of one lady, Anna Mashingaidze, who watched and enjoyed the show.  

The director deliberately chose seasoned musicians for the cast. This decisions paid off as the artists delivered a high quality performance.

If you are a music aficionado, or 70’s and 80’s fan, go to Reps Theatre and catch a theatrical interpretation of the Beatles music.

‘Come Together- A Beatles Cabaret’ is running from July 7 to 18, 2015.