‘Mamma Mia!’ but the stars shone bright at Montecasino
● Honey, honey, how this week thrilled me — from bopping to Abba in celebration of the return of a muchloved musical to fashion week “frowing” as the country’s leading rag-trade platform ushered in a new season.
Let’s start at the beginning. Last Sunday evening there were no bell-bottomed flares, platform boots or heavy-duty bangs on view — just a whole lotta nostalgia as the red curtain was lifted on song-anddance fest Mamma Mia! at The Teatro at Montecasino in Fourways, Joburg.
This is the feel-good production from Hazel Feldman’s Showtime Management that, after a sellout run in Cape Town, has come to woo the Joburg set.
I spot Hazel outside the theatre and while making my way inside I recognise respected theatre director Janice Honeyman (at the helm of this production) catching up with Craig Urbani. The successful actor and singer has appeared in such notable musicals as Chicago, The Sound of Music and We Will Rock You, and this has seen him tread the boards from here to Singapore and London’s West End.
Back in 2003, Craig was even nominated for an Olivier Award, Britain’s most prestigious stage honour.
With those very gongs set to be handed out later that evening, Carolyn Steyn (the wife of billionaire Douw Steyn and a thespian herself) suggested Nicole Scherzinger, whom she’d watched in the revival of Sunset Boulevard in London, was a shoo-in for Best Actress in a Musical (turns out
Carolyn was right on the money).
A quick hello to songstress Lira Molapo before catching up with someone viewers might recognise from the box back when TV was more about storyline than shock value — Carlo McFarlane, best known for his turn as Shaun on the hit e.tv soapie Backstage.
Carlo, there with wife Mandy, said that these days he helps others realise their dreams to see their names in lights through the Joburg-based performing arts academy he runs, Top Triple Threat. Into the theatre, and I am not only perched in the pound seats but also sitting next to Samantha Peo — the actress, singer and dancer who left me in awe in 2005 when she lit up the stage as Roxie Hart in the local staging of Chicago. Sam would go on to step into the lead role of Velma Kelly more than a decade later on a world tour that saw her perform across the globe, from New Zealand to China.
When the show starts, we are all transported to a sunny Greek island as the all-South African cast led by Gina Shmuckler (who plays Donna), Kiruna-Lind Devar (Sophie, Donna’s daughter, who is about to walk down the aisle but wants to find out who her father is before saying, “I Do! I Do! I Do!”), Kate Normington, Ilse Klink and Emmanuel Castis. They have us all beaming and singing along to Abba classics such as Voulez-Vous, Knowing Me, Knowing You and Dancing Queen.
I had to wonder whether shleb stylist Phupho Gumede had a run-in of the garden variety when I saw his interpretation of the “New York nights, with a touch of floral” dress code for the South African Fashion Week opening party hosted by Cruz Vodka on Wednesday evening.
But then again, these Gen Zs are a theatrical bunch who don’t need a stage to swan about on.
The party was held at Langhams, the popular event venue even further north than Montecasino. It was a night of fashion plates galore, though I decided to steer clear of the attention seekers, soliciting instead the company of folk such as flame-haired entrepreneur Marika Opperman (there with her glam gal pals Sherinne Winderley and Jo Judnick-Wilson), Sun Goddess couple Vanya and Thando Mangaliso, and Ephraim Molingoane, who tells me the Spring/Summer 2024 collections mark his 44th season showing on the platform.
I also spent time chatting to Margo Fargo, a dropdead gorgeous environmentalist who, besides running her own metal straw company, is involved with a reforestation project in which trees are being planted between Blyde and Kruger, thanks to a partnership between One Tree Planted and the Cotton On Foundation.
I caught up with Melina Lambrakis, the buyer and director of the hugely successful Europa Art Group which, along with bringing DKNY back into the country, is the reason the cool crowd are kitted out in clobber sporting Karl Lagerfeld’s signature.
The next day I found myself even further north, this time at the Mall of Africa, which nestles between Joburg and Pretoria.
This sprawling shopping complex in Midrand was again playing host to the South African Fashion Week showings.
Near the Crystal Court part of the mall, I bump into TikToker Chad Jones, one of the guests at the recent SA Style Awards, where Melina was named Most Stylish Business Personality.
He was using the key found in his SA Style Awards goodie bag to unlock a box holding a whopping shopping voucher. Alas, it wasn’t a match, so our conversation turned to the occasion at hand, with the
dancing influencer admitting he had racked his brains trying to figure out what to wear for his first-ever South African Fashion Week outing. “I literally Googled, and it suggested fits similar to this,” he said about his ensemble in neutral hues. I also caught up with TV presenter Palesa Tembe, wearing Thabo Makhetha, who has bucked the
Slaapstad semigration trend, instead moving from Cape Town to Jozi.
This was her second week in eGoli, and she says she’s loving the change of scenery. “I am TV presenting, and I am acting and doing voice-over work — but, more than anything, I am here with my baby,” she said, revealing a huge engagement ring.
Time to eat, and the best way to cap off the night was a fine dining experience at Kream restaurant, located in the mall.
Thanks to Ramon and his team for taking care of us. I enjoyed the decadent pork belly croquette starter and seared sesame-coated tuna loin main, while lensman Masi was full of praise for his Brie wrapped in a filo pastry parcel starter and pepper-crusted fillet on the bone main course.
Cue another Abba lyric as our flaming dessert made a dramatic arrival:
I ask, in all honesty, what would life be? Without a song or a dance, what are we?