Blue Moon Hotel  (Herman Lategan article – Argus Newspaper 24/01/2004)

Duncan Hammond has never forgotten the legendary Blue Moon Hotel. It seemed like a place of magic to him as a boy and played a strong role in shaping his destiny.
In its heyday the hotel which was situated on the Main Road in Lakeside was the magnet for a generation of people growing up in Cape Town during the 1940's, 50's and 60's. The first dance held there in 1939 on the night that World War 2 was declared, heralded the start of a golden era.
Living across the road from the hotel, Hammond who was born in 1950 spent the first 10 years of his life peering in fascination through its windows as twist sessions, bop sessions and rock 'n roll dancing took place on the specially built dance floor.

He remembers the ducktails hair slicked back with Brylcreem to achieve the distinctive look that gave them their name; the dancing competions; and the vigorous twist sessions. Hammond absorbed the drama and energy of the hotel and in the process became a true son of the Rock 'n Roll generation.
Hammond started a band "The Dunkin' Donuts" and were renown for impersonations of ZZ Top numbers.

While watching a performance of Grease he decided to turn his 50 year dream into reality by producing a musical about the hotel. With the help of Duncan Mc Kay (band 10CC) he recorded the 15 original rock songs for the proposed musical in 2001, on CD called "The Blue Moon Hotel". 
With assistance and encouragement from theatre people, Hammond finally completed the storyline for the "Last Twist at the Blue Moon Hotel". The contribution of an arts grant has meant that his dream will soon become reality.

His musical featuring a live rock 'n roll band and a top cast including Graham Clarke and Sophia Foster will run as a 1 week special at the Baxter Theatre from 2 February to 7 February 2004. Royston Stoffles who directs the musical says "the hotel was an icon for a generation who'll remember its specially built dance floor for the bi weekly dances. These became known as twist sessions and gained a cult following, to those who remember the decadent, multiracial evenings of dance. We have Christopher Kindo doing the choreography on this production".