From Skrr Skrrs to stellar acting performances

2019-03-01 -

What a year it has been already!

From Trevor Noah trolling white people on global television and pastors resurrecting the dead, losing our legend Oliver Mtukudzi on the same day Hugh Masekela died a year before, to Zodwa Wabantu buying herself a coffin . . . so much has happened in 2019 and we’re only on the first day of the third month.

Anyhoo, while my mgosi may not be as explosive as Angelo Agrizzi’s intel, I returned to update you on the weekly happenings of the Bay social scene.

Last Friday night, the monthly Chillaz on Chapel celebrated two years of making us dance until we dropped and so, as the occasion required, your gossip girl dressed to the tee and transported her behind to the Roof Garden Bar.

The nice thing about Chillaz on Chapel is that you can have Cubana nightclub kind of fun without actually rubbing shoulders with blessers in every corner. BUT the not-so-nice thing for Skinners is that there are a lot of “Skrr Skrrs” (cool kids), as expected in a majorly hip-hop vibe.

When I wasn’t fending off Skrr Skrrs who were dancing on top of tables to DJ PH’s amazing set, I managed to spot a few familiar faces, including Bay photographers Chulu Maka (who looked rather sober) and Thuso Neer who seemed pre-occupied with something else than photography for a change, as well as a couple of local DJs, such as Suli Soul.

Although Skinners arrived a little too late to catch any of the local DJ sets, my timing could not have been better as my favourite modern kwaito duo Darkie Fiction kicked off just as I settled in.

I heard female vocalist Yoza Mnyanda celebrated her birthday on Saturday and there are few ways better than kicking off your birthday with a performance like that!

On Sunday, I went down to the beachfront to catch the action at The Herald Continental Cycle Tour, and I have to say, I am filled with admiration for the athletes who powered their way along the roads for the 55km Pursuit and 106km Coastal Classic.

My legs are built for heels not wheels!

On Monday, Skinners was at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum where Bay actors Xolani Ngesi and Fiks Mahola gave a stellar performance in Xolisa Ngubelanga’s new play, Broken Lens.

The play pays tribute to legendary photographers and attracted a full house of Bay art lovers, including Eastern Cape Film Festival founder Nceba Mqolomba and painter Thembalethu “Mzala” Manqunya.

Although some of Ngesi and Mahola’s dialogue was in Xhosa, prompting pretty awkward smiles from the white audience while the black audience sang along every once in a while, the duo’s performance received a standing ovation from the multi-racial crowd at the end.

Let’s catch up next week, dolls. Ciao!