A-WHEN WE’RE 64, presented by Shaggy Dogs Theatre Company (fringe cabaret, Highlander until Thursday):
Reviewed by Leon Muston, Arts Editor
THEY may be singing When I’m 64, but the two performers Robert-Ian Caldwell and Jeff Judge look like they passed that age a long time ago.
This cabaret comes across as two old blokes who woke up in the old age home one day and decided to climb on stage and sing the songs of their youth for no apparent reason.
I had expected the show to be a Beatles tribute of sorts, but the songs of the Fab Four only come into one medley in the second half of the show.
Before that you have things like Cole Porter’s Let’s Do It, Nat “King” Cole’s Unforgettable and old war-time songs like Sister Susie’s Sewing Shirts for Soldiers and Every Time We Say Goodbye.
At least for the most part, they do update the lyrics to make them modern and humorous. Daisy, Daisy is updated to Duzi, Duzi about the canoe marathon, while Mad Dogs and Englishmen is changed to mad cows.
Eskom, name changes, Trevor Immelman, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal all get referenced in the new lyrics.
Caldwell’s singing is often out of tune and while he’s not bad on piano, Judge’s saxophone playing doesn’t match up with the accompanying backing tracks.
Maybe the show’s title should be the age restriction – you’ll only enjoy it if you’re over 64.
Tags: cabaret review, Cole Porter, piano, saxaphone, the beatles
