Not your average cabaret duo, “Just a Song and a Dance” looks at the women of PlumSong: a mother-daughter duo with a killer repertoire, kickass voices and a less-than-classic style of mother-daughter banter. PlumSong are at yet another gig, where they need to be (much to their dismay) background music and not a cabaret. Join Sharyn and Dara as they sing, dance, and complain their way through another gig and you’ll understand just how this friendship blossomed.

"Beth and Seidel-Kometz deliver an amazing jazzy yet modern set-list with attitude and astonishing vocal gymnastics... it truly is a charming and delightful theatre experience" 
- Barbara Loots, Theatre Scene Cape Town

"Enjoy a light-hearted, feel-good performance by two hugely talented artists. They complement each other beautifully, and not just with their singing. They interact with the audience, leading to lots of chuckles. A special mention must be made for their expressive soundcheck person." 
- Tanya Van Onselen, Cue Media "Fringe 50 Reviews"

Plumsong is Sharyn and Dara's real-life cabaret duo which they formed in 2011, while Dara was still in Matric. “Plumsong” is a swing/jazz/pop/cabaret duo which performs at venues and functions across Cape Town.Sharyn Seidel has been singing for 32 years. Her vocal range has afforded her the privilege of being able to perform in cabarets, musicals, blues, alternative and rock bands. Sharyn’s career began in 1986 with the very successful cabaret "Junk ‘n Jive". In 1987, she moved to Johannesburg where she recorded and played with various cover and original bands until her move to New York in 1993. In 1995, Sharyn returned to Cape Town where she was cast as the lead vocalist in the sell-out rock show "Roll Over Beethoven", which ran for 11 months at the Pump House, in the V&A Waterfront. Sharyn also recorded her own CD in 2002. After its release and quite a few NYC shows under her belt, Sharyn decided to take a break from music to focus more on her family. Sharyn returned to Cape Town in 2011 and started the three-piece group “The King & Us” along with Lionel Bastos and Russell King. In 2011, Sharyn formed “Plumsong” with her daughter, Dara. “Plumsong” is a swing/jazz/pop/cabaret duo which continues to perform at venues and functions across Cape Town. Sharyn also fronts Cape Town-based rock band Rock Steady. (She also made the poster) 

Dara Beth is first and foremost an angry, Jewish feminist. Secondly, she is one half of the cabaret duo “Plumsong”, which she has been performing as since 2011 with mom and fellow performer, Sharyn Seidel. Dara completed UCT’s Theatre and Performance programme this January (for which she received the class medal for theatre-making, the Ruth Peffer’s Prize and distinctions in Drama). Since graduating, Dara has worked as a stage manager on Wessel Pretorius’s “Klara Maas Se Hart Is Gebreek” (2017) and “Die Ontelbare 48” (2017), Ameera Conrad’s “Reparation” (2017) and Jon Keevy’s “The Underground Library” for ASSITEJ’s Cradle of Creativity (2017). During her studies, Dara also directed her class’s production of “Figs” (2016) for the National Arts Festival’s Student Festival at which she was nominated for Best Student Director. Dara also makes up one third of The Furies, a womxn-centric artistic co-op with whom she will be staging two original productions before the end of the year. 

Kathleen Stephens graduated from the University of Cape Town with a degree in Theatre and Performance, specializing in theatre-making, in 2014 and has not stopped working since. As a performer, Kathleen’s most recent credits include Jon Keevy’s “Underground Library” for ASSITEJ’s Cradle of Creativity (2017), Jon Keevy’s “Single-Minded” (2016) and Wessel Pretorius’s “I love you, Sally Field” (2016). Kathleen Stephens makes up one third of the creative team The Furies, a collective dedicated to making work for and by womxn with a particular focus on giving to space to narratives of colour. An incorporator of Hungry Minds Productions (NPC), Kathleen has also been heavily involved in the devising, staging, designing and performing of productions such as “People Beneath Our Feet” (2016) and Athol Fugard’s “People are Living There”(2015). Kathleen is also a contracted director for Arepp: Theatre for Life where she directs educational theatre productions which have toured across the provinces of South Africa. As a director she creates a work space which is not only safe but exciting and inspires performers to play.

Audience Responses

Fantastic

Loved it! Brilliant! So talented! But are they really mom and daughter? Just wondered ..!

The ladies i got these tickets for raved about the show! they enjoyed every second :)

We thoroughly enjoyed this delightful show........ Sharyn and Dara were excellent.

So much fun! All three of the ladies were magnificent.

Well worth while ! We thoroughly enjoyed it. Keep me on your mailing list. Better than the mauling list of others !!! Regards, David

That was a lovely show

Loved the show ???? 4.5 rating

fabulous show!

We thoroughly enjoyed the choice of songs, choreography and banter between Sharyn and Dara, but as I mentioned to your sound controller, the background music was WAY too loud for simple reason that we could often not hear their beautiful voices - which I believe should always predominate over background music. This problem is exacerbated in a small theatre such as yours, and from previous visits, it seems to be an ongoing issue which detracts from the pleasure of watching some of your great featured performers.

So much fun! All three of the ladies were magnificent.

Absolutely Amazing, from the little bits of humour through to the songs it was outstanding, Great show and can't wait to see what Plum song does next :)

It was outstanding. Great evening had by all 5