26 July 2024
Thursday evening brought me a wonderful invitation to Durban High School (DHS) for a performance of “The Little Shop of Horrors”. One word kept filling my mind during and after the show: FUN!
The script was fun, the music was fun, but, most importantly, the performers appeared to be having fun. In fact, they appeared to be having a blast. And isn’t that what it’s all about?
Those who appeared in big productions during their school days will know the lasting impact those experiences make. Especially in instances where contributors are brought in from other schools, long-lasting relationships are formed, some of which last a lifetime.
Props to DHS, they had girls from 12 different schools in the cast! DHS, it appears, is a hot ticket.
It’s that mixing of influences that delivers value, and not just in terms of the interaction of boys and girls, but also in the interactions between girls from different schools.
The enthusiasm on stage, it became clear afterwards, was what flowed from the director Liesl Coppin.
DHS secured the rights to Little Shop of Horrors in 2020, she shared, and the Head Boy that year, Quincy Hitler, was supposed to take on the role of Audrey II, the giant plant that needs human blood to survive and grow. But Covid-19 put an end to the production Fittingly, in 2024, that role went to DHS Head Boy, Unaye Mndau. He shone as the voice of the plant.
A brief aside: Mndau, a loosehead prop, represented the Sharks at the Craven Week and it has been heart-warming to witness the pride displayed by Director of Rugby Peter Engledow in his players’ involvement in stage productions. He was also hugely enthusiastic in 2023 when the school put on “Grease”, deriving huge joy from his charges’ inclusion.
This time around, the cast included Mndau and 1st XV flank Daniel Ikotela, while SA Schools’ hooker Mahle Sithole was a very effective stage manager.
The choreographer Danny Guselli explored the stage superbly, weaving little groups of performers into a coherent whole, with their dance moves matching the rock ‘n roll soundtrack nicely, and musical director Tori du Plessis ensured everything flowed smoothly together.
It was at the conclusion of the show, when the cast swamped Liesl Coppin in a big hug-a-thon, that one saw how the shared experience had brought the cast and crew together. On the big production, they became family.
Mholi Malinga played the straightlaced lead, Seymour. His performance of the kindly and clumsy main character was nicely counterbalanced by the ditzy Audrey, his love interest, who was excellently portrayed by Yzabela Gabrielle Aromin, from Crawford College La Lucia.
Danile Mayiza, in the role of Mr Mushnik, uplifted the show as he tried to exploit his improved life’s circumstances, thanks to the previously underappreciated Seymour. When he broke out his dance moves, Mayiza delighted the crowd.
Sandla Twenani‘s villainous Orin, the laughing, gas-swilling dentist, was a particular highlight. With his evil laugh and grin, which were both scary and charming, he demanded the audience’s attention.
Audrey II, of course, was hard to avoid. The props department did a fantastic job of showing her in her various stages of growth, and Colby Bezuidenhout masterfully pulled off his role as her puppeteer.
It was, all in all, a welcome bit of escapism, an enjoyable outlet for expression, and a rewarding experience to witness the boys and girls tapping into their creative juices.
Congratulations to DHS. May there be many more productions like Little Shop of Horrors to come.
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