Dragonflies and Astronauts.

This week my CLEO gal Morgane and I went to the Teatro Theatre at Monte Casino to see The Parlotones perform Dragonflies and Astronauts, a spectacular theatrical rock concert. The show was filmed entirely in 3D for 3D cinemas around the country, and for a global audience on 16 July.

To be honest, I wasn’t a raging fan of The Parlotones before the show. I recognised their music, but I didn’t exactly sing along at the top of my lungs. But now I’m a super fan! Baby Be Mine is the latest first-dance song to add to my bulging wedding portfolio. Kahn’s voice is so unique and he sounds even better live, which is more than most super-duper famous international artists can say for themselves (a.k.a Britney Spears, whose voice is so crap she never sings live).

I would’ve enjoyed the show more if we weren’t sitting so far away from the stage that I couldn’t tell for real if Kahn actually had eyes, a nose and a mouth. Next time I’ll ask MNet beforehand if we’ll be chucked in the cheap seats, and perhaps reconsider going to an event where I have to wonder if the lead singer has a face.

Nonetheless, The Parlotones’ performance was flawless. They didn’t do a lot of jumping around, but they didn’t have to, because the music was strong enough on its own. They played non-stop. In fact, the pauses between songs were so quick, Kahn couldn’t even change his own guitar – he had to get a weird-looking dude dressed surreptitiously in black [and a gas mask] to do it for him.

Which gets me started on the show’s unusual characters – created by Minky Stapleton and director Eban Olivier – and sketchy storyline. I didn’t quite get it. It might have helped if I’d had a programme to explain it. Four gyrating dancers dressed in white suits and astronaut-like hoods did not-so-impressive robot-come-hiphop dance moves. The three dictators were an oversized insect- and/or wildebeest-looking thing; a strange spider-come-narcissist carrying what I think was a mirror; and a character who looked like royalty in a gas mask. The alien princess was absolutely stunning. She wore an enormous skirt, not unlike a gigantic Chinese lantern with glittering material over it, and sashayed around the stage in slow, floaty movements – probably in fear that if she moved any faster she might fall sideways over her skirt and bounce right back, endlessly, like those children’s toys that you can’t push over. I felt like a little girl whenever she came on stage – “I’m her, I’m her!” 

The storyline left everyone I’ve asked confused, but the costumes were outstanding. Go to Minky Stapleton’s website to check out the character sketches here: http://www.minkystapleton.co.za/

Dragonflies and Astronauts will be featured live on 16 July at 10:15, exclusively at NuMetro cinemas, so book now!