On Friday evening I checked out a new play called “I’m playing your song – The Marvin Hamlisch Story” which is currently showing at Theatre on the Bay in Camps Bay.
Not sure who Marvin Hamlisch is exactly? Well let’s see… Not only did this man win 3 Academy Awards on one night at the tender age of 29, but he’s also one of only twelve people in the world to have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony (also known as an EGOT) and one of only two to have won those 4 plus a Pulitzer Prize.
He composed big hits like The Way We Were, Nobody Does it Better and I Finally Found Someone. He was also the composer of musicals such as A Chorus Line, They’re Playing our Song & The Goodbye Girl. And then he penned the scores for dozens of films, including The Sting, The Spy Who Loved Me, Ice Castles, Sophie’s Choice, Ordinary People, Shirley Valentine, How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days, and The Informant.
This man, who started out as Barbra Streisand’s rehearsal pianist on Funny Girl, was super talented to say the least, and the mark he left on the world was like no other.
In fact, when he passed away in August 2012, the marque lights of all 40 Broadway theatres were dimmed in tribute to him…
So who would tackle such a big character you may ask? Local talent, Jonathan Roxmouth, who over and above all the acting, singing & impressive piano playing, also wrote the play. I think he deserves a big high five for that.
The play follows Marvin’s remarkable life story through the songs and music he gifted to the world, and Sharon Spiegel-Wagner accompanies Jonathan on stage as everyone from Marvin’s first Juilliard teacher to Barbra Streisand and Marvin’s wife, Terre Blair.
The execution is so good that for the first half of the play, I actually thought the piano playing was fake. I mean who could possibly act, sing & play the piano like that?? No man, it had to be a backing track I thought. But that was until I was reassured by everyone else in attendance that it was typical Jonathan to tackle it all with ease. My brain went from no no, never… to what?… to wow! But book your tickets and you’ll see exactly what I’m talking about.
Keen for a bit of a musical journey? Then take note of the following:
- When? Wednesday 13 Jan to Saturday 06 Feb 2016 – Tuesday to Thursday @ 8pm & Friday and Saturday @ 8.15pm
- Where? Theatre on the Bay, 1a Link Street, Camps Bay, Cape Town
- Running Time? 2 hours and 15 min including interval
- Tickets? R95 – R200 pp and available online over here OR via the theatre’s Box Office on 021 438 3300.
Take my word for it, you’re not gonna want to miss out.
xxx