CLINTON Marius’s record-breaking radio comedy, Lollipop Lane, which delighted thousands of fans for four years, has morphed into a serialised stage show, bringing back to life the wacky gallery of folk from the block of flats where the lift doesn’t quite go to the top.
Following on from the show’s pilot staged production, Lollipop Lane – The Big Biscuit Bake-Off, which was seen at the Catalina last October, funding has been secured from the National Arts Council (NAC) and the exciting venture continues with three more productions drawn from the popular radio show.
Scripted by Marius and directed by Caroline Smart, these will be recorded before live audiences and subsequently broadcast on Tape Aids for the Blind’s DSTV channel. Next up in the series is Lollipop Lane – The Beauty Spot. This can be seen at the Catalina Theatre on Friday, 24 and Saturday, 25 July at 8pm, with a 2.30pm matinée on Sunday, 26 July.
Where The Big Biscuit Bake-Off focused on one of the highpoints of the radio comedy series, The Beauty Spot picks on another fun scenario from the series, re-introducing more of the show’s characters. The two bickering Mrs Singhs, AKA Singh-Singh and Singh-Song, are back, played by Pauline Dalais and Sivani Chinappan respectively. Fans can also look forward to meeting up with other personalities from the show.
Casting includes Mayuri Naidu, who heads the roster in her key role as the ditsy, fashion-obsessed Cassandra. Other well-known names in the ensemble cast include Maeshni Naicker, Caroline Smart, Shona Johnson, Clinton Marius, Kim Ferguson and Musa Ntuli.
Tickets for Lollipop Lane – The Beauty Spot cost R120 each (R100 for pensioners and students) and are available through Computicket outlets, telephonically on 0861 915 8000 or online at www.computicket.com. Early booking is advised.