RESTAURANT THEATRE

SHAKESPEARE SOCIETY

For all interested in Shakespeare, there are two interesting events this month:

On April 6 at 27 High Road, Overport, Barbara Barkhuizen will give a talk and lead discussion on the play As You Like It, the choice for a Shakespeare by Candlelight Reading to be held later in the month.

Please phone Barbara on 207-3687 to book your attendance.

BIRTHDAY

The Shakespeare by Candlelight Reading will take place on April 20 to celebrate the Bard's birthday. This will be held at the Westville Theatre Club, St James Avenue (alongside Westville swimming pool. Turn into the entrance marked "swimming pool" - parking is available immediately in front of the theatre).

The evening starts at 18h00 for 18h15. Cost is R20 per head. The ticket includes supper and a glass of champagne.

Unless otherwise stated, all Shakespeare Society meetings are byo and snacks etc. Membership of the society is R70 per annum (R25 for senior citizens). Contact Nancy Church, PO Box 7010, Overport, 4067. Phone 207-3687.

THE WAR YEARS

If the answer to today's gloom and depression, which seems pretty preva-lent, is to experience a little of that incredible British spirit which allowed her people to survive two world wars, then The War Years is .. "just what the doctor ordered"!

Running at 214 St Thomas Road, be-tween Musgrave and Essenwood Roads, from April 2 for a three week run, The War Years looks back at the variety of music which did so much to inspire and motivate soldiers and civilians during the Second World War. "Music is a great morale booster and unifying factor. Rarely is the power of music as evident as during the war years", said director Themi Venturas.

He has gathered a strong cast of top Durban performers to pay tribute to these powerful poignant and sometimes extremely funny songs including Vanessa Skaer, Shelley McLean, D'ARTS editor Caroline Smart, John Didlick, Gary McKenzie and Anthony Stonier.

Gary will alternate his roles with Themi himself in certain performances.

WEDNESDAY

Prizes are to be won for patrons who get into the spirit of the occasion and dress up in World War 2 gear for Wednesday evening performances.

Book through Computicket or the box office on 21-0756. Tickets for the evening are R75 (R30 for the show with the meal at R45). Blue Strawberry are the caterers. Wednesday and Saturday afternoon matines offer tea and scones.

There is safe parking behind the hall.

CELLAR NEWS

The Playhouse Cellar is still hosting the popular The Doowah Boys which runs until April 6.

This is a highly enjoyable FNB Vita-nominated show in which Kevin Feather takes a fresh, funny and sexy look at the last 50 years of boy harmony groups. Choreography is by Owen Lonzar with backtracks, musical arrangements and vocal direction by Garth Victor.

The `Boys' are Alistair Izobell, Sean Pieterse, Hughie Louw and George Coutsoudis.

PIECE OF MY HEART

Following The Doowah Boys will be a show featuring P J Powers.

Directed by Marilyn van Reenen, Piece of my Heart pays tribute to '60s rock star Janis Joplin who died of an alcohol and drug overdose.

P J Powers won a FNB Vita nomination for best musical in 1995 for her performance.

Piece of my Heart

runs for four weeks from April 15.

PLATFORM JAZZ

The Alliance Franaise of Durban will be holding an evening of Dixieland jazz on April 18. The performance will be by local Durban band, Platform Jazz.

Platform Jazz is a Dixieland band which plays authentic 1920's jazz. They have performed numerous concerts at the Playhouse over the past three years and have played for private functions.

Included in their repertoire are such favourites as When the Saints Go Marching In, Honeysuckle Rose, Chicago and 12th Street Rag.

The performance will take place at the Alliance Franaise, 22 Sutton Crescent, Morningside at 19h30.

Tickets cost R30 which includes a light meal. Booking is essential. To reserve your place, call Denise on 23-9582.

GRANMOUN LL

Granmoun Ll, a 10-member band of singers, dancers and musicians from Reunion, is touring Southern Africa, visiting Johannesburg, Soweto, Maputo, Windhoek, Gaborone, Harare and Blantyre as well as Nairobi and Addis Ababa.

Granmoun Ll will perform on April 10 from 21h00 at Funky's in the BAT Centre. The band's appearance has been organised with the support of the French Institute in South Africa (IFAS), the French Embassy, Funky's and the Alliance Franaise.