2012 South African Theatre Retrospective: Cabaret and Comedy

In AN AUDIENCE WITH PIETER-DIRK EISH!, Pieter-Dirk Uys presented a showcase of his best loved characters (like Evita Bezuidenhout and Noelle Fine) and impersonations (including Archbishop Desmond Tutu and a range of previous South African statesmen), linked by a series of sharp philosophical insights into life in contemporary South Africa. What made this more than simply a "greatest hits" evening was the fact that every show was different, with the audience selecting the line-up from 15 prepared skits that were represented by boxes lined up on stage at the top of the show, and that Uys's social commentary was up-to-date and completely relevant. Freelance writer, actor, singer and musician Godfrey Johnson picked Uys's show as the best thing he saw on South African stages this past year, saying the show reminded him of how important honesty is on stage.

Want to share your thoughts on the best comedy shows and cabarets you saw around South Africa over the past year? Leave your comments beneath this article - and keep an eye out for our look at the shows that will be on offer on South African stages early next year.

Photo Credits: Stefan Hurter (AN AUDIENCE WITH PIETER-DIRK EISH!)

Born and bred in South Africa, David has loved theatre since the day he set foot on stage in his preschool nativity play. He graduated with a Master of Arts (Theatre and Performance) degree from the University of Cape Town in 2005, having previously graduated from the same university with a First Class Honours in Drama in 2002. An ardent essayist, David won the Keswick Prize for Lucidity for his paper "Homosexual Representation in the Broadway Musical: the development of homosexual identities and relationships from PATIENCE to RENT". Currently, he teaches Dramatic Arts at a high school in Cape Town and also freelances as a theatremaker and performer.

More Articles by This Author...