Vincent – a riveting cabaret musical experience

The gripping, goosebump-stirring cabaret musical production Vincent returned to the Theatre on the Square for a second run of 2023 from October 25 – November 4.

Vincent, a production by Amanda Bothma, Jacques Du Plessis and Germaine Gamiet, presented a gripping musical journey chronicling the adventurous life of renowned artist Vincent Van Gogh.

This production is undoubtedly popular among theatregoers in Sandton for featuring an assortment of reworked musical hits, characterised by Daniel Anderson’s mind-blowing vocal range accompanied wonderfully by Coenraad Rall on piano.

Anderson marvellously portrayed a series of characters; chiefly Van Gogh and his brother Theo – who corresponded through letters enacted in Anderson’s performance.

The stage was minimalist. A piano in one corner, and a painting of Van Gogh in the other – with a desk and chair cluttered with papers in the middle. In the background, a multimedia screen showed paintings by Vincent Van Gogh.

Asked what moved him to give such a wonderful presentation of Vincent Van Gogh, Anderson credited his love for the artist to his late grandmother – who introduced him to Van Gogh as a child.

“My gran, she died quite young, and her life was a very tragic one,” Anderson shared after the show on October 28. “I always think about her, and her life, and how I would love her to be around to see the show, and to experience what I’m experiencing.”

Van Gogh’s life was a tragedy, and Vincent paid great homage to his tumultuous existence through the combination of hauntingly breath-taking piano play by Rall, and Anderson’s very passionate performance.

After falling in love with two cousins and getting fired from his first two jobs, Van Gogh soon found himself being hailed as the “Christ of the mines” before being sacked by the priesthood of his age as well. Eventually, Van Gogh acquainted himself with a prostitute – for whom he cut off his ear in a fit of insanity when he learned that she had been modelling for another artist.

The role isn’t an easy one to portray, and Anderson – whose performance transcended expectations by leaps – spoke to having corners in his mind where he stores challenging characters like Vincent Van Gogh.

“As an actor, you’ve always got them, and they’re always there,” said Anderson. “I think it’s more about sweeping away everything else in those moments and leaving the dark corners available for you to access. It’s about clearing the mind to be able to go there. That’s what I would say is what happens [when I am on stage, in this role].”

Related Article: Yum! Food and Wine tasting in Bryanston