Review: Four remaining ladies sêr groups stand out at semi-finals

After the magnificent show put on by the ladies semi-finalists, the fight for sêr tickets earlier this week proved to be worth it for the fortunate few who managed to get them.

Sonop’s Tess De Waal sang her heart out at the Kleinsêr semi-finals last night. PHOTO: Christina Pitt

Last night, nine ladies groups tried their best to outshine each other at the Endler Hall. The unprecedented decision to put nine groups through to the semi-finals, instead of eight, was unnecessary. The five groups who did not make it through to the finals, performed with admirable enthusiasm and energy, but they were out of their depth.

The finalists, announced at the end of the evening, came as no surprise to those who witnessed the performances.

The finalists for Kuko Kleinsêr 2017 are (in no particular order):

Hippokrates Ladies

Metanoia Dames

Osler

Sonop

See Matiemedia’s selection of the best performances from last night.

1. Osler

This group of talented ladies are definitely the forerunners in this competition. Their Harry Potter theme translated well on stage in terms of their outfits and comedic skits in between musical numbers. Songs such as Sister Bettina and Bad and Boujee were enjoyed by the audience. Aside from a few strained notes in the Shape of You solo, Osler gave a near flawless performance. Contrary to social media rumours, the Tygerberg group sang an Afrikaans song as required. The standing ovation they received was well-deserved.

CREDIT: Franco Havenga

2. Sonop

The Charisma sêr did surprisingly well. While Sonop may not have a reputation for being a sêr heavyweight, their performance last night should strike fear into the hearts of their competitors. Their stage presence was incontestable. The outfits, theme and their Ruby Rose lookalike sêr leader, Tess De Waal, made for a refreshing experience. The soloists are top- notch and song choices such as Afternoon Delight and It’s Raining Men were comedic but still well executed.

CREDIT: Franco Havenga

3. Metanoia Dames

The reigning champions are back and they’re out for blood. Metanoia gave a solid performance, but they haven’t reached their peak just yet. This could be dangerous for their competitors. The group got off to a slow start with a Top 40 medley of Justin Bieber and Bruno Mars songs, which lacked in terms of volume and energy. The second half of the performance picked up with their Ngud arrangement. Tegan Snyman’s solo in the Some Nights medley was a highlight.

CREDIT: Franco Havenga

4. Hippokrates Ladies

In the past, Hippokrates was always viewed as the clear-cut winner, but they now face competition from the other less prestigious groups. It would, however, be completely remiss for the other groups to underestimate them. Their Don’t Let Me Down soloist is one of the competition’s strongest. If one excuses their gimmicky Nandos theme and rap-heavy song choices, they may actually reclaim their throne. The ladies received a hearty Tygerberg standing ovation at the end of their performance.

CREDIT: Franco Havenga

Matiemedia extends their congratulations to the other groups for their effort.

1. Venustia

This group gave a nostalgic performance with song choices ranging from Backstreet Boys to Brenda Fassie. A tongue-in-cheek rendition of “Gaan weg Polisiekar” had the audience in stitches.

CREDIT: Franco Havenga

2. Erica

The “Dames met styl” entered the hall with what appeared to be Glee-inspired t-shirts with words such as “fat” and “lonely” printed on the front. Their message was uplifting, but the performance was mediocre. Their Dog Days are Over solo was reminiscent of Hippokrates Ladies in previous years when a Florence and the Machine song was a staple.

CREDIT: Franco Havenga

3. Minerva

Minerva kicked off their performance with a Phineas and Ferb song. It later became apparent that their chosen theme was Disney-inspired when they sang Under da Sea and Hakuna Matata.

CREDIT: Franco Havenga

4. Harmonie

Harmonie must be commended on the complexity of their arrangements. While it may have been hard on the ears, they were certainly not boring. At certain points their first sopranos tended to sound a bit screechy.

CREDIT: Franco Havenga

5. Lydia

Lydia started off the proceedings with an inventive rendition of Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika. Bohemian Rhapsody served as a basis for a medley that was well put-together. It became evident that the lack of jazz hands was due to Lydia’s struggle to remain on pitch at several places throughout their show.

CREDIT: Franco Havenga

-Christina Pitt and Franco Havenga