THE Newton hall was jam packed with five hundred people, three nights in a row with a crowd that resembled a “Who’s who” of the people in Jeffreys Bay.
Everyone who had a son or a daughter was there to cheer their children on, and from the moment the curtains opened on the stage, I saw an old world magic there that I thought I had forgotten.
“Children of South Africa,” danced on the stage, with cymbals, xylophone and flutes, against the background, five silver stars and half a silver moon. The piano kept time as the audience came alive, clapping to the beat of “Kalie Pieter Kat. Dis waar, ek kan nie pla, dis al die katte nooi en sing.” and a tiny tot upon the stage held high a sign saying, “Hello Ma.”
The big gold Mexican guitar was larger than the child that strummed it, but man, those kids could sing! A hundred on the stage at a time, dressed up as rugby stars and dancing queens.
“Zoom zoom zoom, Hasie hoekom is jou stert so kort?” and “My achey Breaky Heart” in Afrikaans which came out as, “Dik bek lang gesing!”
Die Kaapse Klopse reminded one of Cape Town in the 1920s.
Banjos, straw bashers, bow ties, and striped waistcoats to match, and children’s faces painted black. Someone’s dog, a border collie, got excited in the audience and wanted to get up on the stage as well, but he was restrained by a rather sheepish owner. No-one seemed to mind because they were all enjoying themselves so much with, “August, September, October, November . . .”
The honky tonk piano of the fifties took up the beat, and two
little girls in pale blue chiffon dresses came on to do a tap dance.
“Die klein Japanese pop” was a hit, complete with parasols
and white-masked Japanese faces, but the crowd went wild when Robinson Crusoe en sy manne came on to sing, “Hier kom die Bokke in Gauteng” to the beat of “Wild Thing . . . you make my heart sing . . . !”
Die Kinderkransdae stands out in my mind, because of the stories from the old Testament and home-made songs.
The curtain opened on little Cupid dangling from the roof with his bow and arrow; balloons went up all round the stage when the Flowerchildren became the rage. Girls appeared dressed up in Gatsby hats, silk stockings and high heeled shoes to match.
The boys in New York dinner suits and bow ties too.
“Hello Dolly,” was what they sang and “Get me to the church on time.” And at the wedding feast the bridegroom popped the cork too hard and knocked an actor to the floor before the laughter closed the act.
The curtain opened yet again,
“Baby Mash” became the scene with starlets in red body suits shaking to the beat. Lucinda was the star, for where she led the others followed.
The Standard Fours came on in school uniform and when Pink Floyd started up with “Just another brick in the wall” we knew it was a skit on the school.
The senior choir filled the hall with, “Sing ‘n liedjie saam met my,” which led to the final act that really brought it all together. “Hier kommie Bokke” filled the stage. It was as if world cup rugby fever had hit town all over again.
Their final song was “We are the champions,” sung by all.
And then the curtain came down.
) Supplied by Robbie Hift.
Published in Our Times: September 22, 1995 (
shortened version)
