I'm not a lover of classical music and I find it difficult to appreciate jazz, but from time to time when South Africa's popular music stations irritate me (and they frequently do) I switch over to FMR on 101.3FM. In moments like these FMR helps me escape irritating DJs and annoying music, and fill my car with the peaceful order that classical music tends to bring. Unless of course I happen to tune into a triumphantly-loud orchestral piece... in which case I resign myself to endure silence. :)
I found hit hard to hide my surprise on the phone when my bank manager called to offer Kerry-Anne and I a set of complimentary tickets to see Dirty Dancing, the musical, at the Artscape Theatre Centre in Cape Town. Thank-you ABSA, the outing was fantastic!
I think I saw about 5 minutes of Dirty Dancing back in 1987. I was young and like most teenage guys, not much into those kinds of movies - we preferred the likes of Rambo and RoboCop. The young girls of that time were however crazy about the movie. Patrick Swayze, the dancing, and the music were in many ways iconic of the era.
We arrived at Artscape at about 19h30, bought a programme, and headed for our seats which were dead-center, in the front, on the balcony. The acting and singing were brilliant, the cast was beautiful, and the dancing... well, the dancing was something else. It was a spectacular show that certainly deserved the audience's enthusiastic cheering and applause.
If you are in Cape Town then there still is time to see the show. Tickets cost R350 per person and the last performance is on Sunday, 3 March.