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AUGUST - My favourite kind of month - LOTS of variety. Started shooting SA's Got Talent - everything from the brilliant to the bizarre. Happy and buzzing corporate performances in the Cape and a couple of red hot fund raisers - SANCA and Vrouekring.

JULY - Circle of Life hopping all over - Plett, and fundraisers for Farm Comm and Oscar's school (and the letters keep pouring in - people react to this show on a different level to anything else I have done). I was also hopping around : CT for Sanlam, and Joburg for Altron, and overseas for a week of indolence .

JUNE - My first long run in years - 3 weeks of Circle Of Life at Monte Casino. Great reviews, wonderful reaction and solid business ( wlthough we were all caught up in the world cup delirium) then a fund raiser for North West Hospice. (And a well deserved holiday for the kids with cousins after that!)

MAY - Another month of travel - Seychelles for Handful of Keys, around Eastern Cape for gigs, Circle of Life sold out at the Uplands Festival (my fourth year running). And three days at Sun City for the insurance Institute which was  whole lot of fun (see client reaction)

APRIL - Circle Of Life -  opens in Cape Town and does excellent business, business built fast and we closed to capacity audiences who gave us the most wonderful reception. You can read some of the reaction on the 'Messages from Fans' page - but suffice to say that we were very happy (and tired) by the time we got home,

MARCH - Starlight Classics for RMB at Vergelegen was bigger, better and brighter than ever before -  sold out and sensational, followed by another excerpt of Handful in Joburg. Meanwhile I was recording the new CD - Circle Of Life whilst we were in final rehearsals before our first show for Herbert Hurd Fundraiser in PE. We had a wonderful reaction so we felt ready to take it on the road.

FEBRUARY  - this month took a lot of stamina. Viv and Ian in Joburg for a very emotional fundraiser, followed by a private show in Seychelles, then three delicious shows of Captain Entertainment at Uptown in PE, then the following week 2 full performances of A Handful of Keys - the first time I played this show in 5 years. Down to CT for a one off and then straight into rehearsal for Starlight Classics. AND there was THAT performance on Nooit vir Nooit!!!!!

JANUARY 2010 - Started the year in Mauritius aboard MSC Symphonia, where we did two delicious shows on board and then returned home and hit the ground running - these first three months were going to test my memory with the sheer volume of work. Started off with 5 shows of Rory and Ian around Kwa Zulu Natal, then onto CT for a 20 Tenors function, and an unbelievably 'rock concert-ish' show for CIPLA.

DECEMBER - Finished off the year with a flurry of travel up and down the country for various shows before taking a break. And the break was great with various highlights including Sandy Ngema's ULTRA glamorous Top Billing Wedding, the hugely successful fundraiser for Lisa Melman's Cancer Treatment at Gold Reef City where we raised close to R 200 000, and then the whole family boarded the MSC SINFONIA - to do 2 performances of our family show CELEBRATION on an 11 day cruise to Mauritius. And yes! it was as good as it sounds! In fact it was even better than it sounds.

NOVEMBER - OF course the highlight of this month was four nights of consecutive live television for the electrifying semi finals and finals of SA's Got Talent. What a fantastic success - and a great reflection of the diversity of this country. The international head of production, after wiping the tears from his eyes, said 'that it was the finest line up of talent in a final anywhere in the world!!'. Otherwise I was kept pretty busy popping all over the country for various gigs.

OCTOBER - Started with 5 very needed days camping with the family under canvas. Galliova Food Writers Awards in Winelands ( 3rd year now and always a joyous occasion, Sun City for Discovery, Centurion for Momentum, East London for St Bernard's Hospice, as well LOTS of rehearsing for the new famisly show which opens next year. Having to work well in advance because of a schedule that is already crowding in. And of course SA's GOT TALENT hit our screens, to huge reaction - it is a joy - even if I seem to have a face of Indian Rubber. How many expressions can one man have!!!

SEPTEMBER - An insane month! Three days filming SA's Got Talent, Rory and Ian in Hilton, 2 corporate shows in Port Elizabeth, a fundraiser of Capt Ent, a corporate show in the Berg of all new material, PLUS I was directing Beethoven Rocks Again - where a superbly talented cast rescued a very rushed rehearsal process AND directing STARLGIHT CLASSICS for RMB which was smack on target and where the FNB 20 Tenors came into their own in the best way. (Watch this space)

AUGUST - Started with two sensational performances of Handful of Keys celebrating the 1000th and 1001st performances where we raised R 150 000 for Theatre Benevolent Fund. All 5 of us who have performed the show were on stage at the same time (it has been recorded and we will release it for next year's run). then drove to the Berg to work with the Drakies, then continued filming SA's Got Talent, and did several one off shows - and finished watchign Renee Fleming's concert in Pretoria which was sensational.

JULY - Handful of Keys continued its sell out run through out July and we then rehearsed for the special shows. Celebration had 4 great shows, and I was busy flying all over the country filming SA's GOT TALENT - and having more fun than I ever thought I would, and I did several one off shows including Mrs South Africa (yes MRS - which was everything you thought it shoudl be!)

JUNE -  Handful of Keys sold out its last two weeks in Durban, and then opened to wonderful advance in Joburg. Joe and Ian - did our first two shows ever in PE - where we had a great time - and if time permits, we will try schedule a tour next year some time. Rory and Ian - played Durban for a week - and as usual we had a lovely time doing it. But not as good as the ten days in Italy to start the month off. Oh and Sandy Ngema and I were nominated for Best Television Presenter Awards in the You Spectacular Awards. Nice AND suprising!

APRIL / MAY - one performance of Rory and Ian for Ukhuthula Woman's refuge, then off to Durban to direct Broadway Rocks with a a dynamite cast, JHB for corporate plus PE for Old Mutual, down to Plett to check out Handful, Jhb to guest on for Nooit vir Nooit - which should be flighted in Feb next year, two charity performances in PE and then off to White River for Celebration at the Uplands Festival. Plus Viv and I are rehearsing two new numbers with fantastic costumes.

MARCH - I am almost back to human, and Viv and I are rehearsing new stuff but the schedule is inhuman. 5 performance gigs, PE PORT NET, CAXTON AWARDS, OPERATIONAL MARKETING, FREDDIE HIRSCH'S 80TH BIRTHDAY, and YESHIVA FUNDRAISER, plus 2 directing jobs, STARLIGHT CLASSICS for RMB at Vergelegen and HANDFUL OF KEYS - ensure that, once again I am overly familiar with the chaos of travellign at the moment. A very successful but tiring few three weeks.

FEBRUARY - And the medical crisis continues. Too much travelling, and sitting, and eating out means high cholesterol and a horrid, painful op in the beginning of Feb which takes me out of commision for 3 weeks. Once I was back on my feet I got it together again for Three REALLY wonderful shows in Geroge with Celebration (and Fancourt put us up in the loveliest house).

JANUARY - The start of a long medically induced recuperation. The one cure for shingels is rest - so I slept a lot (which is about all I could do) and at the end of the month went up to Gateway for three fantastic shows of CELEBRATION. But I was still not firing on all cylinders.

DECEMBER - Rock a Tutu was still playing, as was Hollywood Rocks, and we had the two final shows of Strictly Come Dancing, PLUS a New Year's Special for that, AND CELEBRATION had a really great time at the ARTS Centre @ UJ for 8 shows. BUT I was performingn with shingles (which the Scandinavians call Hell's Burning) so I was not a happy chappy. Cataflan, cortisone, and doctor footlights did the job BUT OW OW OW. Rested for a week before going off to Plett for another 2 shows of Celebration!

NOVEMBER - True madness - for which I will pay later!!! 5 shows of Strictly Come Dancing, Rock a Tutu opened to dancing audiences, and 10 other perfomances all over the country meant that I had a lot of dirty washing by the time I finally got to unpack. 8 beds in 11 days!!!

OCTOBER - A BUSY month. Aside from the first five shows of Series 5 of Strictly Come Dancing (and I think this lot of celebrities are making for really GOOD television), we did three shows of THE VON MEMERTYS - A CELEBRATION (in PE and Margate) ; I was in Cape Town twice. for the International Londocor  Gynaicologists conference (standing ovation), then Galliova Food Writers Awards and JHB for SAVRALA gala award dinner (2nd year running for both), and then the VERY prestigious Fancourt Ball which was as glamorous and chi chi as you could wish for - but clocking up a lot of local time in airports!

SEPTEMBER - I am blessed!!!! On the last Saturday of this month I had four shows running. Firstly THE VON MEMERTYS - CELEBRATION ended its run in CT to yet another standing ovation and the most inspiring audience reaction (we are discussing a return season some time).  A HANDFUL OF KEYS did three extra sold out shows in JHB, after a triumphant season in CT (That ended this year's run - see current productions for plans for next year!). The 20 TENORS performed in front of 10 000 people at the RMB Starlight Classics Concert - to excellent reaction. And HOLLYWOOD ROCKS played another great show at Broadacres. And I got to work on the script for STRICTLY COME DANCING SERIES 5.

 AUGUST - Oscar got thru to the PE Finals of the Wimpy B.eat dance competition and then was voted thru to the national finals - 1of 9 kids from over a 1000 contestants. He filmed the finals on 9th August - which will be screened on 19th August on etv @ 3.30pm and came back inspired and ready to have his ears pierced. We have also done the Opera House on 1st August for MNS and Kearsney Upbeat festival on 9th August with A CELEBRATION - screaming standing ovations! Viv and I did the LifeLine fundraiser on 16th - and I did Spar Women's Day (ALL WOMEN) and Metropolitan Life Awards (LOTS O MEN) and had a ball. Also did a fast but apparently effective staging of the ANGELS group in CT - who are selling CDs by the thousands. And to finish the month off I am in George preparing the Fancourt Ball Community Performance. Oh and by the way - HANDFUL - closed to sold out signs in JHB and thrilled Plett and George.

JULY - THE VON MEMERTYS - A CELEBRATION played in Durban for a week - getting fabulous reviews and joyous reception. WHAT a treat for us to do this. A HANDFUL OF KEYS opened at MonteCasino Theatre and is doing WONDERFUL business. The team have settled into something superb.

JUNE - THE VON MEMERTYS - A CELEBRATION - had its first try out in PE - and WOW! Fantastic. A HANDFUL OF KEYS toured to White River, Margate, Durban and Swaziland to uniformly rave reactions and sensational notices. 

MAY - A HANDFUL OF KEYS opened at the Port Elizabeth Opera house. The following quote from the review says it all. "A fantastic first half escalates into a phenominal second half. Their interaction and chemistry is gripping and infectious. Don't miss this theatrical treat." (nuff said)

APRIL - HOLLYWOOD ROCKS opened at The Barnyard in Gateway and in the words of Debbie Davidson the owner - 'this is the most wonderful show we've had in ages." Great talent, great songs, great band - it is the best of Barnyard fare. Ian also did a special performance of Handful - called a Handful of Chillies ; which he did as a Durban Indian - who would have thought

MARCH Ian had a fantastic time at Vergelegen for starlight Classics - symphony orchestra, beautiful setting, great talent and a wonderful breand new project which you can read aobut LATER. He also hosted the True Blue Awards for Standard Bank, and hostedng the final three episodes of Strictly Come Dancing, which were red hot!

FEBRUARY Ian was nominated for a Fleur du Cap Award for Best Performance in A Revue for Captain Entertainmnet. Aside from that, he also hosted the four very exciting episodes of Strictly Come Dancing (and this is the most popular of the series so far). He was also MC for the Valentine's Ball for Community Chest, did the Ford / Motor Sales Conference, the HUGE ABSA home loans conference, and did auditions for the Fancourt Ball which he is directing and performing at in October.

Messages from Fans

CELEBRATION - Hi Ian, Vivienne, Oscar and Kasvia,

Thanks again to you all for a brilliant show last night at Victoria Park.  We did want to come and say hello after the show but, with it having got a bit late, the kids were exhausted and we needed to get home.   The kids of course were mesmerized. 

Best Regards -  Russell, Nina, Warren and Jason Crowhurst

A HANDFUL OF KEYS

Hi  Ian  and Willem - just to say a big thanks - fab evening -

A HANDFUL OF KEYS

Duisende dankies vir 'n magic show. My ma is 82, het vir 68 jaar daarvan die kerkorrel gespeel. Sy het nie skoolgegaan nie - sy het musiek gegaan! Sy was van 5 jaar in 'n convent tussen Irish nuns, het musiek, musiek en musiek as vak gehad. Sy is die mees briljante pianis wat ek ken - het vir dansklasse, ballet, soliste begelei. Musiekonderwyseres met meestersgraad in orrelmusiek. Sy het langs my gesit en met haar af-heup, rolstoel en smart (my broer is 2 maande gelede op 53 oorlede) haar beste dag ooit in jare gehad. Sy het gehuil van geluk toe sy terugkom by die huis. Vertel asb vir die 2 pianiste ek was dood skaam vir die oningeligte mammas wat hul kinders nie kon beheer.

A HANDFUL OF KEYS

We went with our 8 year old son to see A Handful of Keys yesterday and it was absolutely fabulous.  We first saw the show when you and Brian started it years ago and we loved it then, and we loved it now – Roelof and Jonathan were incredible.  Congrats on 14 years – this is really a show worth keeping around.

CELEBRATION -   thoroughly enjoyed the evening and the concept and execution of the show is a Wow!  Viv looks marvellous and moves like a dream and your colourful costuming is fabulous.

Kasvia is already a little charmer while Oscar also seems like a smaller  chip off the old block!

Bob Eveleigh

CELEBRATION - Wow! What was it that hit PE last night? Aren't we the luckiest people to have been treated to an "outstanding" show. The talent, the charisma, the vibes between them  all, it was so exciting, hanging onto every word, song and music with everyone sitting on the edge of their seats. If it were on again tonight, I would be there, boots and all. Congrats to the von Memerty family - sterkte in big chunks. Joc and Roy

CELEBRATION - You were quite right - WOW!!!!

Thank you all for a wonderful evening!  It was the perfect blend of family, polish, laughs, genuine feeling and seeing 4 friends up on stage having so much fun together and doing it so WELL was a real treat and the shot in the arm the 3 of us needed.

WOW!!  Well done and thank you!

Margaret, Luke and Jane

A HANDFUL OF KEYS  - Oh wow!!! went to see this performance at the Opera House last evening. How brilliant! Congratulations and very well done. How talented you all are!

A HANDFUL OF KEYS - Dear Ian Saw your show in PE yesterday and was blown away again.This is the 3rd time I have seen it.The first time was at the Plett Barnyard(think it was the first show at this Barnyard). Saw it again at Barnyard with Roelof and now the third. Fantastic. You are such and inspiring person what with all you and your family have been thro. You give off so much energy and even tho you wer'nt in the show your energy still shone thro !!!! The guys were great. Such talent.I also bought your cd and am enjoying it so much.I teach music to children and have a real passion for music and ensemble work .Have to get them to play first before we venture into group work but now and then we get it together for the local eiatedfod or old age home or anyone who will have us.!!! I specially enjoyed the African medly and would love to arrange it for a group of instruments.Is the music available (to purchase or download).It is so well done and such a lovely arrangement. Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you once again for sharing your talents with us and for your positive, fun outlook on life. Regards Jane Donald

STANDARD BANK - Good Morning to You Once again a huge thanks for Saturday evening. By all accounts, you were an explosive hit! An evening like that is only held together, and is as good as its MC! And an mc, showman, entertainer of note we had! My thanks to you once again, for making me look good!! Kind Regards Camilla

IMPERIAL NU CORP IDENTITY LAUNCH - Hi Ian I had great feedback from Imperial who said you were superb!!! Best regards Babs Smith

THE BEST OF RORY AND IAN - We would like to compliment you on an outstanding evening. The show was an absolute delight........we enjoyed every single minute of it! Just wish we could see it again and again!! Please convey our thanks to Ian, Rory and Jeremy for entertaining us and making it a night to remember! Special mention must be made of Ian's lovely family. They were a treat! Once again thanks for giving us the chance to see this marvellous production. We wish you all a Merry Christmas and look forward to many great shows in the years ahead. Regards Marcel and Linda Nathan and all at Table

STRICTLY COME DANCING - We would like to congratulate you on your latest "Strictly Come Dancing" programme. We feel it is the best one you have had with some wonderful contestants. The standard was extremely high and I am sure you will find it difficult to find another group as enthusiastic again. Each week we just could hardly wait to see who was voted off and were very sorry on some occasions. We just missed seeing you and your beautiful wife dance for us, or even just hearing you sing as you are the ultimate entertainer.

THE BEST OF RORY AND IAN - Thank you for (once again!) dazzling us with a wonderful show. I am SO jealous of those who have been on this earth for longer and had the great privilege of seeing your earlier shows (WHY was I born so late????) BUT I have great faith that you will continue to grace South Africas stages with your fancy footwork, hilarious impersonations, melancholic magic and . well, just you... Heidi

CAPTAIN ENTERTAINMENT - Thank you so much for a wonderful show.thank you for giving as much of yourself as you do. You don't know what a difference you make to the lives of many people. You are a wonderful person and one heck of an entertainer. Lara

CAPTAIN ENTERTAINMENT - I laughed, I really laughed - you really touched and inspired me. Michelle

CAPTAIN ENTERTAINMENT - Thank you very much for organizing the 4 tickets for me and my friends from Somerset West. We thoroughly enjoyed the show last Saturday at 17h00 and I should like you to convey to Ian Von Memerty our congratulations on a fabulous show. The best part was that there was no foul language, no swearing and no blasphemy. It just shows that a comedian can produce a clean show with lots of satire and laughs, without resorting to filth, unlike some of our other comedians.

CAPTAINE ENTERTAINMENT -  It was a fantabulous show

My husband and I attended your Captain Entertainment on Saturday, 21 April, at the Theatre on the Bay. All I can say is: BRAVO!!! It truly was a tour de force of non-stop energy, entertainment, world class music, song and dance. You are an incredibly versatile and talented performer and deserve a medal for the many years of commitment and dedication youve shown towards furthering SA entertainment and theatre! Your show was an absolute highlight for us, and one well never forget. In fact, I still remember attending A Handful of Keys also at Theatre on the Bay while still at school, and it being a highlight for me back then too. Your latest show left us both feeling uplifted, inspired and deliriously happy.

adored your direction of THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY. It was slick, fast paced, highly entertaining and beautifully cast. Thank you for a truly fun afternoon at the theatre.

We have just returned from the Theatre on the Bay where we have seen Ian von Memerty in the show "Captain Entertainment". I can highly recommend this show - full of laughter and South African humour at it's best.... You should not miss this one!

have always admired you and your family, the way in which you stuck together, through thick and thin, and went 100% for your children. We have always enjoyed your shows (the few times that you have been to PE) and could see Handfull of Keys over and over again. You have been blessed with an incredible talent and we are thrilled that you share it so happily.

Hi, Saw the show last week and found it to be extremely funny. Thanks for a briliant show!

Dear Ian Thanks so much for our show on Friday - our staff had a terrific time and thought the show was GREAT. We hope to do something with you again next year.

Saw the show for the second time last night. Absolutely brilliant, as always. You are truly one in a million - it's not often that one wants to see the same show over and over again, but every von Memerty show I have seen, I have wanted to see again! Long may your incredible talent entertain S.A. audiences!

My wife and attended your performance at the Civic Theatre on Friday evening. It was a truly memorable occasion, we would like to thank a fit old fart for the joy you gave us. Regards, Des and Pat Plasket