‘Tap Dogs’ set to shake South Africa again
IT TOOK some persuasion to get me to see my first Tap Dogs show. The prospect of watching men tap dance on stage wasn’t that appealing, but finally I went.
I was immediately hooked by the raw and visceral energy of the performers on a set which looks like a construction site.
On each occasion that I have seen the show, the audience has been screaming. And so have I. It’s like being at a sports event or rock concert.
It’s an aural and visual feast of percussion – tapping shoes and live music. The show is hypnotic and with high-end production values – lighting, choreography and music – it’s an exhilarating theatrical experience.
I saw the show at Artscape (in 2013) and am interested to see how it will translate to an arena setting at GrandWest.
The masterful set was designed by Nigel Triffitt who died in 2012. He clicked immediately with Perry and created his vision on stage.
Choreographer Dein Perry was a qualified fitter and turner who went into theatre when he couldn’t get work after his apprenticeship in Newcastle. He had studied tap dance as a child.
Perry: “When Nigel designed the set, he said ‘we are designing a tap dancer’s playground’.”
It has been five years since Tap Dogs has toured South Africa. Many franchises unveil a “new” show on each tour. Tap Dogs does not do that – the concept of the construction site set has remained core, with the protagonists moving through the steel landscape.
With each edition, components are refined, taken away and added and the narrative shifts according to the artists playing the roles. The dancers take on personas – for instance there is a Foreman and a Young Man. ”
Bringing a new energy to the show is Perry’s son Reid, 20, who is making his debut in Tap Dogs 2018 as the nipper on the crew.
Perry, who is 55 and no longer performs, says: “We’ve come full circle as family with Reid in the show. We are very excited.”
*Tap Dog SA dates: Cape Town, August 22-26 at the Grand Arena. Most shows 8pm. There are 3pm, 1pm and 6pm shows on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets for GrandWest are R120-R365.
Joburg: August 29 to September 9 at Montecasino. Tickets for the shows at Montecasino are R160-R415. Bookings for both venues at Computicket.