Follow Spot Productions have certainly secured a following in Durban with their show Big Boys Don’t Dance winning over the masses during its run last year (and more recently, too), and even scoring an award at this year’s Musho Inter- national Festival of One and Two-hander Theatre.
This week the company brings the prequel to Big Boys Don’t Dance, Love at First Fight, to Durban for the first time.
Starring husband-and-wife team Ash Searle and Vanessa Harris, the play tells a story that is partly derived from the couple’s coming together.
“It is a loosely based story about ourselves and how we got together – from the girlfriend/boyfriend stage to now,” Harris said.
The couple, who have been married for four years, have been through quite a journey in their personal and professional lives. Harris said it was during this journey that the idea first sparked for Love at First Fight.
“The idea came about a long time ago. We had been performing in the musical theatre industry for some time and were tired of working for someone else and decided to start our own company.
“We decided to come up with an idea and often, in trying to decide what to write about, it became a huge argument, and that was when we realised that was it.”
Love at First Fight was born and has been showing to rave reviews since 2009. This year will also mark the third year that the show will play at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown.
“We’ve run it for a long time to amazing reviews and stunning audiences. Love at First Fight is a fun experience,” said Harris.
The play hones in on a couple who are about to go on date. It is a special date because a proposal is on the cards. But on their way to the restaurant, the pair get lost and end up spending the evening trying to find the venue. Of course, things get heated because of the arguments that ensue when it comes to the differences between men and women reading maps and taking directions.
“A series of conversations leads to flashbacks so the audience gets to share in moments such as their first date, moving in together and more.
“We also very gently touch on in-the-bedroom stuff, but it is very teasy and light. You will also have a taste of some bathroom shenanigans that boys and girls get up to,” explained Harris.
On the naughty aspect, Harris said they had been very careful: “We do add in some naughty jokes, but they are so subtle that they just go over the heads of the younger audience. It’s a good, crowd-pleasing show. An all-rounder everyone can enjoy, from the regular theatregoers to the teenagers who like the movies, everyone will love this one.”
A highlight in the show, as with Big Boys Don’t Dance, is the element of dance.
The unusual comedy/dance production Big Boys Don’t Dance won the Suliman Selection Award at the Musho International Festival of One and Two-hander Theatre in January. The show also won a Standard Bank Ovation Award at the 2010 Grahamstown National Arts Festival.
Big Boys Don’t Dance has been hugely successful wherever it has played, probably largely because of the dances that interlink sets in the show.
Harris and Searle are dancers, so this element that has been woven into the new production.
“We try to make the show different by doing a comedy show about relationships, but we’ve added in some dance numbers. So it’s a nice mix of comedy and dance. We don’t sing, but we do do a twisted version of a musical,” she laughed, keeping mum on any further details.
• Love at First Fight runs from tomorrow until Saturday. Tickets cost R70, pupils and pensioners pay R50. The production’s running time is one hour.
Seating is unreserved.
Bookings: seabrooke’s@ durbanhighschool.co.za