Priceless.
That’s the simplest way to describe the experience at the HSS Cultural Show this weekend.
I can’t think of any other place that would grant me a shot at hosting an event on such a grand scale. A huge thanks, then to the organising committee!
Last year’s experience was already a huge deal but this year – with the amount of MC’s down to two – really hurled me into another realm. It obviously meant a lot less time between stints on stage.
The show is a multi-cultural spectacle put on by the Hindu Students’ Society and attracts performers and audiences from as far as East London (two hours away) and Port Elizabeth (just over an hour’s drive).
This time around, Virgil Prins (so familiar to this blog thanks to his fellow exploits with Naturally Caffeinated) was the man drafted in as MC as well. There are fewer settings more iconic in these parts than the Guy Butler Theatre. Why? Because it seats around 1000 people and is one of the main venues for the National Arts Festival.
Just incredible to perform there.
There was a short briefing on the morning of the show and when we arrived, a dance crew was still busy strutting their stuff on the massive stage. We eventually came back at around 4pm to start preps for the show.
I remember glancing out towards the waiting audience outside the theatre doors and realised just how massive a show this was going to be.
Pic: Tarryn de Kock
Showtime.
I’ll admit, there was a slightly low energy to the place at the beginning of the show. Prins and I took turns in trying to raise it straight up whenever we’d emerge between acts. Prins was having a good night and his material was keeping things bubbling.
A 5 minute slot was once again dedicated to comedy, as was the case last year.
I decided to go with a joke that’s been proving strong this year. It’s about dance styles in the township. It landed pretty well. Straight after that, Prins grabbed the mic and totally killed with his distinct laid-back brand of humour.
There was a really fun moment, straight after the models did their thing (yes, there’s a segment for modelling) where I came straight out in a mock runway walk and then made bizzare poses.
Memorable stuff. The acts on show were also pretty entertaining. The Latin-American flavoured “El Toro” are a guitar duo that really brought a lot of energy and a lot of the themed dance groups like Geetanjali and BDS were well received.
Between running into the ridiculously intriguing Tarryn de Kock (whose blog you MUST visit), chatting to a very interesting lady who turns out to be Mauritian and having a mini-crush on one of the cheerleaders (yes, they were great), I’d say it was a swell night. A great way to bring the curtain down on this term’s work.
Next week is our short break and hopefully this learning curve can just keep things interesting. I’ll have you in the loop.
Stay tuned…
-Tyson
Tyson Ngubeni 