Humour and flair at science spectacle
THE Durban iZulu Theatre at Sibaya Casino is no candy store, but it was the scene of a lot of excitement from the young audience who visited it on Tuesday night.
Maverick University of KwaZuluNatal astrophysicist Megandhren “Dr G” Govender’s science show, So You Thought Einstein Was a Genius Too?, was the rage, targeting an audience aged from five to 105. The youngsters — whom he advised to “never grow up”, lest they lose their curiosity and ability to try new things without being self-conscious — lapped it up, but there were things to make the adults chuckle too.
Govender served as the narrator throughout the show, and did it well. He recovered smoothly from a failed experiment by explaining why it was not working out as desired. LIGHT? FANTASTIC! Dancing flames and hypnotically undulating glow-in-the-dark pendulums were some of the fascinating experiments on show. In the dancing flames segment, Dr G wheeled out tall, angular metal frames and made a gaspowered series of small flames on a metal tube flare, flicker and dim to the beats of the Black Eyed Peas hit I Gotta Feeling. However, the vacuum machine-powered (it was clean) marshmallow bazooka was a favourite on the night.
The do-it-yourself (although Govender sternly warned not to) weapon of mass excitement had the children frantically waving their hands in the air, trying to catch the marshmallows that Dr G fired into the audience. Other experiments included him lying on a bed of nails, creating instant, real ice cream for a sweet young volunteer, and revealing the secrets of levitation. YOUNG AT HEART: The audience, young and old, found the bickering old couple, Dickson and Romilla Appalsamy, amusing. Their slapstick arguments and child-friendly jokes drew many chuckles. First-time actress Neetu Govender (Dr G’s wife) and a family friend, Neil Govender, pulled off a convincing performance — even if Neetu’s face was freakishly young-looking beneath the grey Romilla wig. A lot of effort went into choosing the costumes and props for the show’s technical and aesthetic needs. This resulted in a beautiful and interesting presentation. It seemed like the young dancers were a little less well versed during the early half’s contemporary pop numbers, but they got into their stride during the second half. The Bollywood dance came together beautifully. OVERALL: The show, which ends today, was cleverly conceived. The science experiments, the later dance pieces and the delightful old Appalsamys were carefully thought out and well executed. However, the thread holding them together seemed a bit weak . . . sometimes the pauses between the show’s segments were too long. This resulted in the audience disengaging at times. With smoother transitions, the show would have garnered a more resounding applause from the audience. Either way, Dr G and his team taught most of us something new that night.