Just escape to ‘Bar None’
BAR NONE Directors: Vanessa Harris and Ashley Searle Cast: Lucy Tops, Alex Tops, Gary Naidoo Venue: Kalk Bay Theatre, until November 3 Rating: ★★★★
ALTHOUGH the title, concept and plot remain the same, this version of Bar None is significantly different from the earlier show.
This time around (apart from the introduction of Gary Naidoo as Giuseppe), there is less nostalgia and a more upbeat ending in harmony with the catchy music spanning several generations.
A well-paced production with nothing more serious on its mind than romance, good music and entertainment, this music-comedy takes the audience through the narrative of a bar that was saved from failure by a charismatic, slightly other-worldly woman who appeared out of nowhere, attracted a sizeable clientele with her extraordinary vocal prowess, and inspired a lifelong love in the establishment’s proprietor.
Journeying through the years, the style of music changes to reflect the passage of time, and Lucy Tops tackles every number with assurance, be it an Ella Fitzgerald classic or Carole King hit. In the background, but a tangible presence, is Naidoo as the trusty bar-helper whose support keeps Frank, Betty, and their son on an even keel through vicissitudes.
Naidoo shows that he, too, is no slouch at singing as he opens the show with a cheerful collage of songs during the bar’s happy hour, while his boss (Tops) nibbles at the counter. Tops himself convinces in the dual role of father and son, the changes signalled by doffing or donning a cloth cap, and his obvious chemistry with his real-life partner Lucy is a strong point of the production.
With its energy, unforced and warmth, Followspot’s restaging of Bar None is a winner for those seeking escapism.