Review: BRYAN SCHIMMEL - MORE THAN A HANDFUL at The Drama Factory

This autobiographical look at Bryan Schimmel's life is a truly inspiring piece of theatre and he is so brave and honest in it. I want to say the story - but it's Schimmels' real life that we're talking about here - was full of ups and downs, and a whole lot of musical talent. All of it is delivered through a quirky, dead pan sense of humour that I love.

The audience is met with a black and white stage that's surrounded by music stands. To the one side is a table and a box, to the other is a keyboard. Enter Schimmel with a folder full of papers, which he spills across the stage. These papers are the letters he wrote to his mother throughout his life, and they're the vehicle through which he transports the audience back in time.

Through the letters and the stories Schimmel shares on stage, we learn about all the obstacles he's overcome including a speech impediment. He takes us on a journey from his childhood, to the success of A HANDFUL OF KEYS, to his eventful life in New York, LA and Las Vegas before finally coming home to South Africa. Throughout the performance, Schimmel is totally candid with us - making the piece that much more inspirational to watch.

Of course, one of the major highlights of the show is when Schimmel sits down at the keyboard. His playing fills your heart up with emotions. I absolutely loved being able to see the sheer joy of playing on his face with every song or even snippet of a song that he played for us. In fact, my only real complaint about the show is that I wanted more playing and more singing.

The production has enjoyed two successful runs in Cape Town so far in 2022, and I'm told the show is now going on the road. Keep an eye out on VR Theatrical's website to keep up to date with new venues and performances as they get scheduled. You don't want to miss out!

Photo credit: supplied

Follow VR Theatrical on Facebook and on their website to find out more about new performances of BRYAN SCHIMMEL - MORE THAN A HANDFUL

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