Still caught by the long arm of music
At 67, David Kramer is still exploring aspects of the Struggle, using music, movement and creative magic
DRESSED in his trademark black hat, a cream blazer and a pair of brown veldskoene, David Kramer returned to the Fugard Theatre this week for the debut of his latest musical, Langarm.
Kramer, 67, has been a household name on the entertainment scene since the 1970s.
He won the hearts of South Africans in the ’80s, many of whom still fondly recall the Volksie advert with Sannie van der Spuy and a bus called Gus.
But it was his partnership with Taliep Petersen that led to his 1987 hit, District Six – The Musical, that entrenched Kramer’s popularity.
He sat in the audience to gauge their response to the ballroominspired musical set in the 1960s. He was surprised by audience reactions at times.
Kramer began writing the musical at the end of last year in the early hours of the morning, when he does most of his writing, but admits he didn’t know how it would pan out.
“I’m thinking about things all the time. The world of ballroom dancing and langarm bands has appealed to me for a long time because it makes a good environment for a musical story.
“I’m on the lookout for environments that would suit musicals, and a ballroom is natural, whereas a courtroom would be difficult.
“I also always want to tell South African stories with roots in Cape Town,” said Kramer.
The inspiration for Langarm came during Kramer’s research into World War II, when he found a picture of a soldier in Bologna, Italy, playing a mandolin, who had enlisted in the Cape Coloured Corps.
“My father and uncle fought in World War II for freedom against the Nazis, only to find there was a political
shift in South Africa when they came back. (Jan) Smuts was booted out of government by the National Party,” he said.
Langarm is the story of a young ballroom couple, one dancer white and the other coloured, who decide to compete in the Swaziland Ballroom Championships.
But this is a direct contravention of the racial laws in place at the height of apartheid.
The music maestro is know for his work ethic and perfectionism.
“In musicals there are certain requirements that are a necessity, and during the audition process a lot of people were eliminated quite quickly.
“The process was longer than usual and it makes you nervous, because your choices are down to a small pool of people and you begin to worry that you won’t find the right person,” said Kramer.
Cameron Botha and Rushney Ferguson were chosen for the lead roles.
Kramer’s dancing skills don’t match those of his lead characters.
“I’m a fabulous dancer on my own,” said Kramer, “but don’t ask me to dance with someone else, I don’t have the discipline to learn the steps. I’m a spontaneous dancer.”
Kramer said his approach to storytelling and writing had not changed over his 40-year career, but admitted he had become more of a craftsman.
“All that’s changed since the early days. Back then, I would get inspiration and it would pour out of me.
“Now I have less inspiration and more craft. I’ll take a song or musical and I don’t need it to fall out of me, I just need a good starting point and I’ll craft the rest.
“The process of writing and directing does change you. When I’m writing I’m very much an actor, playing out the roles, and if you could be a fly on the wall you’d probably have a good laugh watching me,” said Kramer.
“The experience expands one’s writing and world view. My politics in my youth was firmly to the left and I’m a lot more moderate these days.”
Langarm is on at the Fugard Theatre in Cape Town until January 31.
Tickets are R160 - R260. Book at the theatre or at Computicket.