Songstress cruises back home to sing ‘A Song for You’
FOR four years, East London performer Megan Francis sang her way around the world’s oceans entertaining international cruise ship passengers, and now her home city has a chance to see her cabaret A Song for
You, which is part of the Umtiza Arts Festival.
Francis, 30, who grew up in Buffalo Flats and matriculated at Clarendon High School, cut her teeth performing in local productions, many directed by Amanda Bothma, took lessons in piano, cello, drums, recorder, steel band, marimba and clarinet and sang in her school’s choirs.
She was also a member of the East London Orchestra for a spell, but after matric opted to take a break from music and microphones.
“I obtained a BSoc Sci with English, history and politics majors because I had done so much music at school and thought I could not be a performer, but I missed music and when I came second in a jazz open mic competition, I realised I could make this my career,” Bothma said.
Francis credits her development as a performer to her appearances in pantomimes and cabarets on East London stages, starting with a role as the fairy godmother’s sidekick in Cinderella, when she was 14. She landed her first big role a year later as Jack’s sister in Jack and the Beanstalk.
“I also did Valentine’s Day cabarets and appeared in Hairspray and The
Clay Flute. Many shows were directed by Amanda Bothma, who always encouraged me to take my artistry to the next step.
“I have come full circle because she directed me when I was a kid and has now directed me in A Song For You.”
Four years ago, Francis embarked on an exciting stint as an assistant cruise director on passenger ships and travelled from the Suez Canal to Alaska and Iceland to Christmas Island.
Before long, she was performing alongside guest artists and devised a one-woman cabaret show in which she sang a wide repertoire of ballads, jazz, Motown and Bossa nova and pondered issues of identity and the way she was perceived by people from other countries and cultures.
“When I told people I was from East London they thought I was British, when I said I was from Africa they asked why I was not black and when I said I was coloured that word was not acceptable to everyone – and everyone thought we live with lions!”
Back in East London since December, Francis has collaborated with her former theatre connections, Bothma and pianist Jacques du Plessis and the entertaining A Song For You is the result.
“Audiences can expect a giggle as I speak about being on a cruise ship from a crew member point of view, as well as what it feels like to be away from home and the common links people from all over the world have.
“I will sing all genres like jazz and Bossa nova and Motown because this is a family show.”
Francis, who works in recruitment during the day, is soon to become a vocal coach at Legends and her cabaret includes songs by Barbra Streisand, Cher, the Carpenters and Roberta Flack.
“I am so happy to be home.”
● A Song for You will be staged at the Arts Theatre at 7.30pm tonight and tomorrow night at 7.30pm and tickets, costing R100, are available at Computicket.
● The Umtiza Arts Festival is on at the Guild, Ann Bryant Art Gallery and the East London Museum until Sunday. A full programme can be seen on the Guild Theatre’s Facebook page. —