Cathy Specific flew me Mile High in her latest musical comedy at The Fringe at the Joburg Theatre Complex , previously known as The Civic Theatre.
When travelling at the dizzy altitude of Cathy Specific you best unbuckle (or unzip) and get ready for farcical turbulence you won’t need a brown paper bag for. Ms Specific and friends (Ryan Flynn and Phumi Mncayi) will whiz you through a non-stop flutter of in-flight entertainment as you’ve never experienced before.
Musical Comedy
Ok, so I was invited to the opening night of the Johannesburg leg of Miss Cathy Specific’s much acclaimed musical comedy, Mile High, and, to be honest, never knew what on earth (or in this case, what in the sky) to expect. I had not seen this show when it originally hit the stage about a year and a half or so ago, so I was a virgin (not the airline) and wet behind the ears as to what to expect when I arrived in departures at The Fringe at the Joburg Theatre Complex.
I also pondered at how an entire show could be built around an air stewardess (or, as Cathy Specific likes to be called, air hostess) god knows how many thousand feet off the ground. I mean 90 minutes filled with banter about flying? Is this possible?
Cathy Specific
The platinum blond Cathy Specific is the deliciously irreverent (as opposed to unpalatably irrelevant airline food) alter ego of Brendan van Rhyn; a six foot six gay boy in heels at the end of gorgeous legs that never seem to touch down. It is a persona that took off nearly a decade ago.
Cathy Specific, from the moment the galley curtains open until they close, will romp you through the glamorous, trash cabaret life of an air stewardess. The result is musical comedy at its best. Maybe even better than joining the mile high club in an enclosed cubicle at the rear.
Brendan van Rhyn
Brendan van Rhyn has first hand experience as he was a South African Airways steward for six years. Before that he studied at the London School of Musical Theatre and completed a Musical Theatre Diploma at what is now the Tshwane University of Technology. Which all goes to prove that most actors in this country only need master one line, ‘would you like fries or a baked potato with your meal?’
He was a public speaking champion and has won popularity titles for his looks and personality. Amongst many other roles he has been Frank ‘n Further in The Rocky Horror Picture Show; Pooh in Winnie the Pooh; The prince in The Frog Prince; and the naked guy in The Judas Kiss.
Mile High
Mile High was written by van Rhyn and Maralin Vanrenen. It includes stand-up comedy routines and camp cabaret around reworked songs like Strangers on a Flight (Strangers in the Night) and Singing on a Plane (Singing in the Rain). As van Rhyn says, ‘If you think flying is a drag, wait until you meet Cathy Specific. After all, it isn’t only fairies that fly.’
Well, in my case dear passengers (liewe passasiers), 90 minutes of Mile High did not seem enough. I was jolted in my seat from the minute we took off until we regrettably touched down; at which I still found myself suspended in rapturous intercontinental flotation without GPS navigation!
And the feeling was sublime, because during times like these we need to be transported on a fun flight of laughter and song. I highly recommend you board this plane, which has pizzazz with a capital P.
Chris Meklis
