Outstanding young Howick musician Ben Kubiak musically directs a one-off performance of the revue “Tomfoolery” at the Howick Little Theatre on Sunday 26 November at 5.00pm. Ben has just completed his honours year at The School of Music at Auckland University capping it off with a demanding recital program.
This is Ben’s second venture as Music Director having cut his teeth with “The Shakespeare Revue” in 2016 and although his music major is in Classical Voice in this show he mostly accompanies the performers on keyboard but has two comic numbers which he delivers from the keyboard giving full vent to his comedic talents.
Last year, production company Four Men @ Lunch presented “The Shakespeare Revue” at the Howick Club, which received terrific reviews, and was described by Catherine Kelsey as the best theatrical night out of the year.
“Tomfoolery” is a comedy-musical revue, containing within it some of the very best music and lyrics of Tom Lehrer, a satirist from the 1950s and ‘60s. Songs like “Poisoning Pigeons in the Park”, “Smut”, “The Vatican Rag” and “The Elements Song”, which Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) randomly sang on The Graham Norton Show recently (see it on YouTube). Even though his scabrous, bitingly satirical songs are 50 years old, they have all become rather timely and prescient as we settle down into the era of Trump!
The international standard cast includes Takapuna soprano Caroline Everitt-Gardiner along with her colleagues Nick Brown, Minouk van der Velde and Richard Neame. The cast are highly experienced on the musical stage both in New Zealand and overseas.
The show takes a break from an extended season at the Albion Hotel in the City for a trip East for a first time visit to Howick Little Theatre. Tickets at iticket.co.nz.
