|
|
Where it all began...
by Sybel Coetzee Möller
Two small blonde boys dash across the lawn, a cashbox firmly tucked under
the arm of the eldest. "We're late, Ma's going to open the doors and we've still
got to cut the cakes and the Irish coffee glasses need a polish!" "Are you ready
guys? I’m going to let them in, it's time!" I open the doors. "Hi Sue, hi John,
welcome, you're in the limelight box tonight. Mrs Manning! Good evening, party of
eight? You're second table form the left, in front of the stage.
The theatre fills up, that magic buzz of a full house is tangible, the smell of
wood chips, red wine and gourmet picnic baskets. Louis gives me the signal, I move
in next to him behind the sound desk and pick up a small black box with a couple
of levers – the lighting system! I glance over my right shoulder to Marius, 14 years
old, and Heinrich, two years his junior, in the bar/coffee shop, time to kill the
lights… It's Showtime Folks!!
We, the Möllers, have both been involved in the performing arts most of our lives,
Louis as co-founder and producer of amongst others, Carte Blanche, and me Sybel
Coetzee, as a freelance actress and TV presenter. In 1989 we took stock of our hectic
lives and decided that family comes first, with the result – goodbye Joburg, hallo,
brave new world, a dairy farm close to Plettenberg Bay. After a few years of farming
we longed for a way to combine our two loves – the footlights and our farm. That
was 1996, the birth of The Barnyard Theatres. Why Barnyard? Louis had built a beautiful,
rustic American-style wooden barn on the farm and this we converted into a theatre
with an old-world atmosphere, heavy wooden beams, a horseshoe gallery, big, big
tables with welcoming lanterns and wood chips on the floor. What a happy happening
this has been! We had enormous fun with this our first very much hands-on family
affair.
Our very first productions was called An Evening of Love Songs. Talented locals
put together quite an impressive show. Our audience loved it, but the star of the
evening was undoubtedly The Barnyard. The first taste of our homely, rustic farm
theatre where friends and family could be entertained and eat, drink and talk into
the small hours of the morning proved to be a winner, and they wanted more. Louis'
old Joburg company produced a hit show A Handful of Keys with Ian von Memerty and
Brian Schimmel, They honoured our play-play theatre with a handful of shows and
the ocean loving people of Plett and Knysna were now on the hook – this time on
theatre!
My booking office was my cell phone and a scrap of paper was eagerly produced be
it whilst milking cows or taking oysters off the rocks. The children were so young,
Heinrich could hardly peep over the bar counter, but that was their business. They
had to do the stocktaking, buy in the drinks and cake and make it work. Louis expanded
the theatre, continually upgraded it technically and negotiated with artists and
they all graced our little 6 x 10 metre stage, from Peter Dirk Uys to the rockers
of Roll Over Beethoven.
Other Barnyard Theatres were opened, which saw the start of many successful working
relationships and lasting friendships. In Mossel Bay we teamed up with Tom and Ann
Muller. Tom is currently co-owner of the Menlyn Barnyard. In Magoebaskloof we met
the effervescent Howard Blight, today one of the shareholders of our Broadacres
(Fourways) Barnyard. A Barnyard was opened in White River and then the brand was
catapulted into the limelight when we decided to go mainstream by introducing the
theatre into a major city. Gateway, the largest shopping centre in the southern
hemisphere, was opened in Umhlanga Rocks in 2001 and opening a 470-seater theatre
there seemed an obvious launching pad for this initiative. Debbie Davidson with
her incredible attention to detail, uncompromising work ethic and hands-on approach
proved an invaluable partner.
As Barnyard Theatres mushroomed all over the country, Louis joined forces with Duck
Chowles, a brilliant musician who has more than paid his dues in the entertainment
industry. Having penned and produced, amongst others, the mega-hit Roll Over Beethoven,
Louis instinctively knew Duck belonged in the Barnyard stable. They spoke the same
language. With the relentless onslaught of the electronic media, and in face of
the struggling arts, the most challenging side of theatre today is that you cannot
afford to fail, and you must be totally in tune with what the people want, to ensure
a faithful following coming back again and again.
Presently there are 8 Barnyard Theatres in South Africa. While each theatre is
a product of its individual setting, I honestly believe they all retain the quaint
rustic charm of our humble beginning. Sitting on a wooden bench be it in Plett or
Cresta, I can still hear young voices and laughter: "Hey Heinrich, that guy has
just tipped us five bucks!" |
|
|