The Magic of Madame Zingara

ENTERTAINMENT

Words: Sam Bradley | Photos: Courtesy of Madame Zingara

The magic of

MADAME ZINGARA Argentinians Walter and Ezequiel with their mesmerising drum act.

Madame Zingara’s website promises an enchanting, captivating and inspiring evening, and they certainly deliver on this bold promise. The magic begins as one walks through the stained glass doors, as this is no ordinary venue.

The tent (named Victoria) is a 25-metre velvet big-top filled with mirrors, drapes and old-style dining booths. One of the world’s last remaining antique mirror tents in the world, it conjures up images of a world from long ago; from an era when travelling gypsies and touring circus shows and spellbinding magic were part of everyday life.

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Be prepared to be bedazzled and bewitched by an enchanting cast of dancers, clowns, trapeze artists and singers from all round the globe.

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Performers from Ethopia wowing the audience with their aerial acts.

The Specifics are a truly world-class singing and dancing quartet.

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The magic of

MADAME ZINGARA After a trip to the Bijoux Boutique shop, to get into the spirit with face paint and wacky hats, we were soon settled into our seats with welcome drinks in hand and sky-high expectations.

And the performances really were from another world.

For over two hours, we were bedazzled and bewitched by an enchanting cast of clowns, trapeze artists, dancers and singers from all round the globe.

Hot Mr C the clown and his trusty sidekick Kleine Pomplenickle led the way with the laughs, while in-between we were thoroughly entertained by the extravagance and artistry of the various performances. My wife was intrigued by the two crazy Argentinian performers (Walter and Ezequiel) along with their drums and hand-held bollas, as well as the singing quartet The Specifics, while I was blown away by the strength of all of the aerial acts.

On a side note, you might want to leave your youngsters with a babysitter for the evening, as one or two of the dances would have fitted in equally well on a Fifty Shades of Grey set.

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Despite all the glitz and glamour of the performances, which truly are spectacular, Madame Zingara originally opened as a restaurant and the food is still the main attraction. Creating top-quality meals for 400 guests in a limited space and under huge time constraints is a magic show all on its own, and it’s one that is performed every evening here.

Guests are treated to a four-course meal extravaganza, consisting of a hot and cold Mediterranean starter, followed by a second starter of pasta or salad. After some laughter, courtesy of Hot Mr C, the main course is a choice between the famous Chocolate Chilli Fillet (just as memorable as it sounds), lamb shank (which was very good), Norwegian salmon, chicken or the vegetarian option. This is rounded off by a delectable Trio di Dolceletti (trilogy of flavours) dessert.

Drinks and tips are excluded from the ticket price, and while the evening may be an expensive one, it makes for a fantastic way to celebrate birthdays or special occasions.

Hot Mr C, looking as dashing as ever.

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Hot Mr C and his robotic friend during one of their memorable acts.

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The magic of

MADAME ZINGARA

One of the stranger acts on the itinerary, but just as mesmerising, is the bath tub dance. Guests seated close to the stage may get splashed a little during this one.

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What impressed us just as much as the food and entertainment was the teamwork and positive energy from all staff involved.

Putting the whole evening together into a seamless show is a mammoth task, and it’s made possible by the team ethos and dedication that is displayed by the staff.

Our waiter Kyle did everything to make it a special evening, and he shared that the staff are treated extremely well by the company, with a large amount trust and the opportunity to grow in the business. Travelling South Africa and being part of such a spectacular event must make for a great job, but it still takes an amazing amount of energy and dedication to make each night unique and memorable.

The reason for this great team ethos can probably be traced to the long and colourful history of the Madame Zingara business. Originally started as a restaurant in Cape Town in 2001, a tragic fire in 2006 sent the whole building up in smoke. With a long list of reservations and staff who needed work, the best quick-fix was the mirror tent, one of only 17 left in the world at the time. A few months later and Madame Zingara was on its feet again, albeit slightly differently than before. The tent structure begged for some entertainment to be added to the menu, and it wasn’t long before Madame Zingara was successfully running a dinner theatre.

Disaster struck again in 2009 when the show moved to England and was severely affected by the global recession, forcing the company into liquidation. Fortunately, shareholders believed in the brand and were willing to invest, to get the theatre of dreams up and running again. Again the strong teamwork and loyalty within the business was apparent to see, with 92% of the original staff returning to work for Madame Zingara.

The company has since added seven restaurants and cafes, as well as a retail store to its brand, and there are rumours of a 700-seater show in Cape Town in the future. With an interesting past and an exciting future, Madame Zingara is a show that will hopefully be entertaining audiences and spreading their own special brand of magic around South Africa for many years to come.

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Expect to be royally entertained by Hot Mr C and the ever enchanting Kleine Pomplenickle.

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Madame Zingara’s After Forever Tour is in Durban (Suncoast Casino parking lot 3) until 20 June 2015. Tickets range from R390 to R495 per person and can be booked on www.madamezingara.com or 0861 623 263. Gates open at 6 p.m. (guests need to be seated by 6.45 p.m.) and the show ends at 10.15 p.m. •

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