When comedy meets magic: Marc Lottering and Salome

Venecia Valentine

Inbound SA recently sat down with South African entertainment heavyweights Marc Lottering and Salome Damon Johansen to talk about their latest musical collaboration. From the moment they arrive, their easy chemistry is clear. This is a partnership built on trust, respect and a shared creative rhythm.

Marc, currently on stage in Colleen the Musical at the Baxter Theatre, invited Salome to lend her bold, unmistakable voice to the show’s theme song, Magic. It marks their second musical collaboration and further strengthens a creative relationship that feels natural and effortless.

Inside Colleen the Musical

With just a week to go before the final curtain, Marc offers insight into the heart of the production.

“If you don’t give your heart away, it will never be broken,” he says. That is the guiding rule of Colleen the Cashier, until Randall the Shelf-Packer walks in and changes everything.

Set against the everyday chaos of till queues, impatient customers and watchful supervisors, the story explores whether love is worth the risk. As Colleen’s carefully built defences begin to crumble, the audience is left wondering if vulnerability might lead to something more meaningful.

Blending comedy and music

The conversation shifts to the creative process and work ethic. Marc explains that their collaboration is intentionally fluid.

“We flow organically into each other’s creativity,” he says. “There are no rigid deadlines. I ask Salome how she feels about a song, and she decides how and when we work on it. Then we polish it with producer Ebrahim Mallum.”

Marc laughs as he introduces a word he coined to describe Salome’s musical talent.

“I call it ‘Salomified’. She can take any song and make it completely her own.”

He adds that when comedy and music meet, interpretation is left to the audience. “People often laugh just because I’m singing, even if it isn’t meant to be funny. I’m comfortable letting audiences decide how they feel in the moment.”

Salome on voice, confidence and collaboration

Salome reflects honestly on being asked to sing Marc’s work.

“At first, I took a while to respond. I was fan-girling. Someone of his stature asking me to sing his song felt unreal,” she says. “I love working on his project songs. He has a real gift for songwriting.”

She adds, with humour, “I was never meant to be a songwriter. Whitney Houston wasn’t either, and look at the songs she brought to life.”

A musical comedy with heart

Colleen the Musical is Marc Lottering’s fourth musical comedy, following the acclaimed Aunty Merle trilogy. The production blends humour, heart and memorable music, offering a relatable story about finding love in unexpected places.

Produced by Anwar Mc Kay and directed by Lara Foot, the creative team includes musical director Charl-Johan Lingenfelder, set designer Patrick Curtis and choreographer Grant Van Ster.

The cast features David Chevers, Carlo Daniels, Jill Levenberg, Marc Lottering, Sizwesandile Mnisi, Kate Normington and Anzio September.

Show details

Colleen the Musical runs at the Pam Golding Theatre at the Baxter from 29 November 2025 to 7 February 2026.
Tickets are available via Webtickets.