Terrific talent, great turnout at Flame’s ‘The Last Cabaret’
AN EXTRAVAGANZA of comedy, music, performance and pure theatre was enjoyed by all at The Last Cabaret on Saturday evening, sending the 120-strong audience into fits of laughter and ending with a rousing ovation for Jeanne Harris-Metter in her last South African performance before returning to the US.
The show took place at Settlers Park’s Don Powis Hall and catering was done in-house by Angela Wiersma and her team.
The show kicked off with a country-themed dance number from Melissa du Randt and Adelina Snyman, who were soon joined on stage by Harris-Metter, better known by her stage name, Flame.
Songs on the evening from Flame included Bye, Bye Blackbird, Route 66 and The Gambler. Dressed in her “plumbs” costume, she also sang Don’t You Feel My Leg.
Comedian/entertainer Rob Knowles did a set about errant housework that included the Beatles’ Blackbird and his own song, Do the Dishes.
Later he dressed as a First Nation’s People (Native American) and did a set about his family travelling to Durban because they had the “highest number of Indians”. Added to this, he spoke of South Africa’s twelfth “official” language, “Gerooklakaans”.
Perhaps the surprise of the evening was the performance of Scott Harvey, touted as the Eastern Cape’s own prince of country rock, singing George Strait’s The Fireman accompanied by Knowles on rhythm guitar.
He also performed a few Elvis numbers, including Suspicious Minds and, in the end, sang (hunka, hunka) Burning Love, where the whole cast came onto the stage and danced.
As usual, there was an audience participation “Cajun” set and, in the end, Knowles and Flame sang Michael Buble and Meghan Trainor’s Someday , with a reprise that reintroduced the cast to the stage.
It was indeed an evening in which all performers gave their very best – Knowles provided superb comedy through his material and charismatic style, Flame was on cue with each performance dazzling the audience with her songs, dancing and wackiness. Harvey showed incredible talent as he captivated the audience with charm, and dancers Snyman and Du Randt were mesmerising in their performances.
It was an evening of entertainment which will not soon be forgotten by the audience nor the performers, as truly magical.