15 September 2024
Clifton evoked the fashion of the roaring 20s and the music of the early 20th century with two performances of A Night at the Speakeasy, on Wednesday and Thursday, drawing packed audiences for a mix of swing, jazz and some old favourites, performed by the boys of the Senior Prep and College.
The evening followed in the footsteps of “A Night in Sophiatown“, 2023’s forerunner to A Night at the Speakeasy.
It was really about bringing the Clifton community together, explained Executive Headmaster Clyde MacDonald, which was something that had been in full swing (pun intended), but which took a hit from the Covid-19 pandemic. Community get-togethers are once again happening, however, with A Night at the Speakeasy the latest entertainment to celebrate Clifton’s Centenary.
With best dressed awards on offer to those who best represented the style of 20s, there were plenty of feathers, boas, suspenders and deerstalkers to be seen. It was a fun fashion choice for a fun evening.
The music began with a number of marimba bands setting the scene at the Sutcliffe Theatre before the guests moved on to the Ken MacKenzie Hall and Harry’s Speakeasy for a barnyard-style dinner and further entertainment. Glenn Miller’s “In the Mood“, one of the marimba numbers, perfectly set the mood for an evening of music that included many familiar favourites.
In the Ken MacKenzie Hall, the Senior Prep Orchestra ensured that the happy and light mood continued with their rendition of “The Entertainer“.
One of the highlights was a performance of “Take Five” by Jung An, Joshua Andrew, Jono Knight, Huven Moodley and Sibongakonke Mnyandu, with the violin serving as the primary instrument rather than the alto sax made famous by Paul Desmond. This was, no doubt, a reflection of the influence of the extraordinarily gifted violinist Jane Magner, who is also the Head of Clifton’s Instrumental Music.
Mixed in among the numbers was also a cracking the performance of the Charleston by Jake Savage and Yashmay Sooful on the black and white checkerboard dance floor.
The Senior Prep Choir brought some local flavour to the programme with their Stormy Weather Medley, which featured “Laduma” and the catchy “Tomorrow“, from the musical “Annie”.
They also joined forces with the College General Choir for “It don’t mean a Thing“, by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong.
For the slightly older, the closing number, “Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight“, superbly sung by Lucas Peria, brought back memories of the days when the SABC was the only option on television and Sha Na Na closed each episode of their popular show with the song.
The evening’s performers ranged from boys in grade four through to the grade 12s and showed off the impact of Clifton’s focus on music, which includes every boy in the primary school learning to play an instrument. That has helped in instil a love of music and a culture of music in the school.
Primarily, though, the show delivered a feel-good occasion for the entire Clifton community to enjoy.
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