Superfans News: The Addams Family The Musical Comes to Cape Town!

Superfans News: The Addams Family The Musical Comes to Cape Town!

Snaps fingers twice

Mother City theatre lovers and longtime fans of the kookiest family of all time, your weirdo faves are coming to our sunny shores in The Addams Family The Musical at The Homecoming Centre in Cape Town from 14 December 2024!

That’s right: for all of our 90s kids who inherited the love for Morticia, Gomez, Lurch, Thing, Cousin Itt, Uncle Fester, Grandmama, Pugsley, and of course, the ever-peculiar Wednesday, from our boomer parents via the comics, the cartoon series and the movies, this is our opportunity to share the best macabre family with our youngsters.

As a Broadway cult classic production, The Addams Family The Musical ran for 722 performances, garnering numerous awards and spawning many international productions:

Based on the beloved characters created by Charles Addams and following the darkly funny events that transpire when Wednesday’s normal boyfriend Lucas and his parents come for dinner, The Addams Family The Musical’s South African production is directed by Garth Tavares, choreographed by Nkosinathi Mazwai and brought to you by MotherCity Theatre Productions.

The show will star Samantha Peo (Chicago, Cabaret) as Morticia Addams, Tiaan Rautenbach (We Will Rock You, Mama Mia) as Gomez Addams, Bethany Dickson (Matilda, The Sound of Music) as Alice Beineke, Brendan van Rhyn (Cathy Specific, The Rocky Horror Show) as Lurch, Chad Baai (Buddy) as Lucas Beineke, and Jordyn Schaefer as Wednesday Addams. These extraordinary performers will be supported by their equally talented co-stars Candice van Litsenborgh, Yahto Kraft, Chris van Rensburg, Lara Visagie, Rebecca Hartle, Jasmine Minter, Jessica de Bod, Braeden Buys, Brandon Jones and Jayden Dickson.

They’re spooky and they’re kooky … it’s The Addams Family The Musical,coming to Cape Town this December!

Fair warning for any teens and Gen Z hoping for IRL enactments of the popular Netflix Wednesday show, this isn’t it. Those of us who enjoy characters randomly bursting into song and dance to convey the oh-so-overwhelming feelings they are experiencing and to overexplain plot points with huge props, exquisite sets (there had better a cool looking limo!) and big showstoppers, this is for us. The fact that our kids may enjoy it too is just a delightful bonus, am I right? πŸ˜‰

Get a little spooky and kooky for your show:

Make your little ones’ first theatre experience unforgettable by dressing up as one of The Addams Family characters! Party City in Gardens, the Crazy Store group, Yaga South Africa and Cosplay Cape Town are always great for your costume needs.

Looking for some horrifically awesome inspiration? I rocked this Wednesday Addams look at the Galileo Open Air Cinema’s Halloween event last year:

Wednesday Addams at your service. Image credit: Tania Knight

Time to graduate to Morticia, I think.

December just got a little bit wacky and a whole lot of weird and I am ready for it!

Tickets for The Addams Family musical are available from R350 per person and can be booked at Webtickets.

A Superfans Review: Finding the Light – An Evening with Musical Theatre Stars

A Superfans Review: Finding the Light – An Evening with Musical Theatre Stars

I woke my neighbours, belting out The Greatest Showman’s life-affirming tune This is Me and that should give you an indication of the theatrical high I am STILL floating on after last night’s spectacular Gala Show of Finding The Light – An Evening with Musical Theatre Stars at the Artscape Theatre in Cape Town, South Africa!

A concert-style celebration of some of musical theatre’s best loved shows, with 100% of net proceeds going towards supporting the work of the Kolisi Foundation, Finding The Light features South African, Broadway and West End legends including Kim Criswell (Olivier-award nominated for Annie Get Your Gun; Lucy opposite Sting in 3 Penny Opera; Cats); Michael D. Xavier (Joe in Sunset Boulevard opposite Hollywood film star Glenn Close; Joe Bradley in Roman Holiday The Musical; ITV’s Grantchester); David Habbin, (West Side Story, Les MisΓ©rables, Amici Forever, and co-founder of the
Finding the Light Foundation) and Broadway Star Nikki RenΓ©e Daniels (Company; The Book of Mormon; Les MisΓ©rables; Hamilton).

They join South Africa’s musical stars Jonathan Roxmouth (Phantom of the Opera, West Side Story,Cats), Lynelle Kenned (West Side Story, The Sound of Music, Orpheus in Africa), Tshepo Ncokoane (Janice Honeyman’s Peter Pan Pantomine, Kinky Boots, We Will Rock You – The Musical World Tour) and Lucy Tops (Kinky Boots, Funny Girl, The Romantix).

The Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Brandon
Phillips (CPO Resident Conductor), is the perfect accompaniment to the stars on stage. Image credit: Daniel Rutland Manners

These mega talents are accompanied by the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Brandon
Phillips (CPO Resident Conductor), and hosted by Marc Lottering. The stunning ensemble features students from the Waterfront Theatre School and LAMTA. This extraordinary show is produced by Daniel Galloway and Jessica Ross.

I will leave the more high-brow, in-depth review to the actual arts critics. For my part as your humble and regular Jane Superfan, last night was the closest I am ever getting to the Tony Awards and it blew me away in several aspects:

People came in their red carpet best:

One of the things I often lament about when I am back home is the utter lack of glamourous theatre-going attire from our local arts lovers. I marvel at how show attendees dress in their best Hogwarts costumes for even a matinee of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway. I rocked a totally out there, man, dress for the Back To The Future the Musical on the West End last year and I absolutely die for the incredible looks served at The Royal Variety Performance every year.

Thank you, Fatima Razzak and Letishia Charles, for being fabulously formal with me! Image credit: Ryan Jales

I had every expectation that I would be the only person who adhered to the “Fabulously Formal” dress code for the Finding the Light Gala Show but hey, my fellow South Africans came prepared. Whether that was to impress our Captain Siya Kolisi more than anything else, I don’t care. I am just SO proud of you, SA theatre goers!

Our local theatre stars outshining their international counterparts:

In chatting to my partner and some acquaintances during the interval, we ruminated on the fact that our local stars were outshining the West End and Broadway ones in the first half. We could possibly be biased, of course, and it may just be a case of having not seen the international players onstage before but for me, it certainly rang true. Kenned and Roxmouth are heavy hitting marvels, that is known, but wow, did Tops and Ncokoane really come into their own

Lucy Tops is spectacular in Finding The Light! Here she is, delightfully belting out Suddenly Seymour with the gorgeous Jonathan Roxmouth. Image credit:  Daniel Rutland Manners

Tops is always a delight in the aforementioned shows as well as the Kalk Bay Theatre shows and she is THE diva of Artscape Theatre’s annual disco themed festive season run. I have loved her extensive range since her Fleur du Cap Award nominated role in Bar None back in 2014/2015. In Finding The Light, she effortlessly switches between the naughty Audrey in Suddenly Seymour to a powerhouse artist with the innocent and in love Anna in Frozen’s Love is an Open Door and I am in awe of her. In the second half, Xavier and Criswell really rose to the occasion and I could see what makes them the illustrious international stars they are.

Finding new angles to old classics:

The set list for Finding The Light is designed to highlight some of the best award-winning pivotal musicals of our time and as a musical lover, I enjoyed the familiarity of numbers from Dear Evan Hansen, Sunset Boulevard, The Little Shop of Horrors, Chess, Into the Woods etc. What surprised me is discovering a new understanding of the big hits that I have spent all of my life singing along to.

From Phantom of the Opera to West Side Story’s Somewhere, Jonathan Roxmouth and Lynelle Kenned are chemistry and stage couple goals! Image credit:  Daniel Rutland Manners

Phantom of the Opera‘s titular song is always moving but with the stage stripped bare here (all the better to show off the gorgeous Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra), the mega talents of Roxmouth and Kenned and their intense chemistry, I FINALLY understood that it is a seduction song. One tends to think of the song Beneath a Moonless Sky in the sequel Love Never Dies as visual and aural proof of Erik and Christine’s alleged night of illicit passion that leads to the conception of their quirky son but in fact, Phantom is the red hot seducer. I always get goosebumps and emotional when listening to that song (as I have since watching a much-loved video tape of the original show when I was six years old), but last night, I, uh, had to fan myself and my heaving bosom (and no, that’s not just because Roxmouth looks divine in a tux 😈) .

Truly a stellar, magical show! Go see this incredible international cast dazzle in Finding The Light – An Evening with Musical Theatre Stars at the Artscape Theatre! Tickets available at Webtickets. Image credit:  Daniel Rutland Manners

It was indeed a magical evening. On balance, I do need to mention two things that were mildly irritating to me. One, was the confusion of whisking VIP guests off to our post-show reception, the lack of clear communication and signage to the designated area and the shepherding of guests that felt like we were the third class passengers on the Titanic, begging to be let in and rescued behind a barricaded gate. At nearly midnight, this was NOT amusing!

Two, when inviting VIPS for pre-drinks and a post-show reception, ensure that some non-alcoholic beverages are available, for free, to your teetotalers. I had to pay R40 for two soft drinks and honestly, my fellow sober attendees and I should not be penalized for our choices.

The spread of food was fabulous and really hit those late night cravings, though!

Get your tickets TODAY:

Finding The Light – An Evening with Musical Theatre Stars has just FOUR performances left and ends its super short run on Sunday 21 April 2024 at 2pm, so get your tickets TODAY at Webtickets.

Finding the Light to delight Cape Town musical lovers at Artscape Theatre

Finding the Light to delight Cape Town musical lovers at Artscape Theatre

Places, please, everyone! The curtain will rise on FINDING THE LIGHTAN EVENING WITH MUSICAL THEATRE STARS, at the Artscape Theatre in Cape Town from 17 to 21 April 2024.

Featuring some of our local titans of theatre including the always gorgeous and talented Jonathan Roxmouth (who will be resuming his titular role in the international tour of The Phantom of the Opera in China shortly), Lynelle Kenned (West Side Story, The Sound of Music, Orpheus in Africa), Lucy Tops (The Romantix, The Great Gatsby, Bar None)and Tshepo Ncokoane (Janice Honeyman’s Peter Pan Pantomine, Kinky Boots, We Will Rock You – The Musical World Tour), this not-to-missed showcase Β offers audiences the chance to experience the exhilarating power of some of musical theatre’s best loved shows.

Book your tickets at Webtickets for this not-to-be-missed musical extravaganza at Artscape Theatre this April! Image supplied.

Audience members will not only have the opportunity to sing along to all of their favourite showtunes, but just by purchasing a FINDING THE LIGHTAN EVENING WITH MUSICAL THEATRE STARS ticket, they will be supporting the impressive Kolisi Foundation. Yes, our World Cup winning captain Siya does so much more than chase a ball across a field – he and his wife Rachel founded the Foundation in 2019 to tackle some of the toughest challenges facing South African communities.Β Β 

Accompanied by the full Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra, and hosted by Cape Town’s very own Marc Lottering,  FINDING THE LIGHTAN EVENING WITH MUSICAL THEATRE STARS promises a visual and auditory kaleidoscope in celebration of our humanity and our collective search for the light. 

β€œWe are honoured to have some of South Africa’s finest musical theatre talent joining us on stage for Finding the Light. Inspired by the concept that β€˜singing connects us’, our wonderful guest artists and audiences come together for a fabulous evening of entertainment, whilst investing in the incredible work of the Kolisi Foundation,” says Jessica Ross, the London-based Executive Producer of the show and co-founder of Finding The Light Foundation.Β 

I know I will need to pack extra tissues because those big Phantom of the Opera and West Side Story musical numbers will leave me in absolute tears. Jonathan and Lynelle were breathtaking as Tony and Maria in the 2015 run of West Side Story and I am giddy with anticipation of seeing them perform together again!

Tickets for FINDING THE LIGHTAN EVENING WITH MUSICAL THEATRE STARS are available from R190 via Webtickets.

For more information, please visit https://kolisifoundation.org/ and https://ftl.org.uk/

Zip Zap Circus’s Rhapsody at the Artscape Theatre!

Zip Zap Circus’s Rhapsody at the Artscape Theatre!

We’re running away with the circus – the Zip Zap Circus, that is! This African treasure will stage its philharmonic circus show, Rhapsody, at the Artscape Theatre in Cape Town from 3 to 6 November 2022 before the cast jets off to romantic Paris for a three month run at the Cirque PhΓ©nix,Europe’s biggest dome-style circus tent.

We’ve been invited to the magical opening night show and we’re SUPER to experience the wonder of the Zip Zap Circus team:

The non-profit circus school recently celebrated its 30th anniversary. Rhapsody – A Philharmonic Circus includes traditional and contemporary circus acts, accompanied by a 14-piece troupe of musicians, led by conductor Chad Hendricks, and dynamic Cape Town vocalists, Janine and Riyaan Cornelius, who perform hits from Elton John, Tina Turner, local favourites Mango Groove and Johnny Clegg, and a number of other artists to keep the audience fully entertained.

A spectacular scene from Zip Zap Circus’s previous show! Image credit: Joan Ward

Tickets for this incredible show are available at Computicket.

Keep an eye on our Instagram and Twitter channels for live updates of Rhapsody‘s opening night!

A Superfans geek news roundup!

A Superfans geek news roundup!

There has been SO much happening in the geek world this week – from a new Doctor Who, to an Avatar trailer drop and a Top Gun: Maverick interactive game! Our Superfans hearts are so happy for it all.

Let’s dive into it!

Meet your new Doctor Who:

Meet your new Doctor Who Ncuti Gatwa!

We absolutely adored Ncuti Gatwa as the OTT Eric in Sex Education so we are delighted with the news that he will be taking over from Jodie Whittaker as the new Doctor Who in the upcoming season. BBC announced the casting of the first ever actor of colour to play the Time Lord here.

Avatar trailer drop:

To quote another famous James Cameron movie: “it’s been 84 years …” Ok, more like 13 since the legendary director’s Avatar fantasy feature blew our collective minds and we are DYING for more.

The teaser trailer for the sequel ,Avatar: The Way of Water ,dropped this week and while many have complained that it was unexciting (sigh, toxic Twitter), we’ll declare it an understated re-introduction into the world of Pandora.

Top Gun: Maverick call sign game:

It’s been more than three decades since Top Gun graced our scenes but man, are the production team stepping into the 21st century with a bang! Taking their marketing to all new levels, they’ve launched an interactive website which helps you to create your own call sign this week. Who wouldn’t want to be as cool as our Night Queen Leonie’s not-so-secret crush Tom Cruise?

Here’s our attempt at a call sign:

Get your Top Gun: Maverick call sign here.

Until next time, have fun!

P.S: For those who like their Broadway shows with some, uh, risque content, feast your eyes on Grey’s Anatomy alum Jesse Williams’s impressive “tools of the trade”, which trended on Twitter this week πŸ˜‰

Game of Thrones news: Iron Anniversary, more shows and a play

Game of Thrones news: Iron Anniversary, more shows and a play

What is dead may never die but rises again, Superfans readers … Game of Thrones, the global phenomenon which ended its initial TV run in 2019, returns in 2021 with tons of news about a 10 year anniversary celebration, three additional shows in the pipeline AND a play headed to Broadway and the West End!

As you can well imagine, my, our Night Queen Leonie and Hand of the Queen Tendai’s heads are spinning with all of the Westeros excitement heading our way and we don’t know which event we’re more excited to see first.

The Iron Anniversary:

In honour of the pilot debuting 10 years ago, the GOT showrunners released a stunning Instagram collage, videos on Facebook and Twitter etc with the #IronAnniversary hashtag:

#IronAnniversary on Instagram. Image credit: Game of Thrones

We know there are MANY awe-inspiring moments over the show’s tenure to choose from as our absolute favourites but it’s that first shocker that truly got us hooked:

New GOT shows:

As you know, the House of the Dragon prequel production is well underway and we look forward to seeing Dany and Jon’s ancestors take what is theirs with fire and blood. However, HBO is investing all of its dragons, stags and copper coins into THREE more Westeros related shows.

The Sand Snakes’s ancestor, Princess Nymeria, is getting her own show! Image credit: Hollywood Reporter

The trio of series are set to give us a look at parts and eras of the GOT universe we haven’t spent much time in, including the founding of Dorne with Princess Nymeria ( namesakes of the Sand Snake and Ayra’s direwolf) thousands of years before the drama of the original series; Lord Corlys Velaryon (soon to be seen in House of the Dragon) ‘s epic adventures of danger at sea and the final series will be set in Flea Bottom, birthplace of Ser Davos, the Onion Knight, and Gendry Baratheon.

We’re TOTALLY ready for this!

Game of Thrones, the Play:

When the news broke that Game of Thrones was getting the Harry Potter and the Curse Child treatment by being turned into a play for Broadway,the West End and Australia, I was beside myself with excitement for what the White Walkers would look like on stage, the possibility of walking through the open mouth of an actual fire-breathing animatronic dragon in the theatre foyer and getting that must-have photo op on the Iron Throne.

Alas, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter , the Game of Thrones play will be focused on the all-important The Great Tourney at Harrenhal , which sees Rhaegar Targaryen crown Lyanna Stark the new queen of love and beauty and kicks starts the events that leads to Robert’s Rebellion, Jon Snow’s secret birth and the main series’storyline.

Sigh.

I have no doubt that the Tourney is still going to be equally as breathtaking on stage as the Battle of the Bastards was onscreen and that maybe there will be some sort of graphic visual to set the tone, harking back to the Children of the Forest, the Dance of Dragons and the Night King.

I’ll be showing up in full Mother of Dragons regalia on Broadway, anyway πŸ˜‰

Are you excited for all of the new Game of Thrones developments? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!

The Fugard Theatre closes permanently

The Fugard Theatre closes permanently

It’s a sad day for the South African arts industry as the incredible Fugard Theatre announced its permanent closure as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic:

Image credit: www.thefugard.com

We Superfans have created many fond memories at The Fugard over the past decade … in fact, one of our first cosplay outings was as characters of Matthew Wild’s adaptation of The Rocky Horror Show at the theatre in 2014:

We will miss this magical place so much!

Experiencing theatre from your couch: musicals and shows to watch and listen to online

Experiencing theatre from your couch: musicals and shows to watch and listen to online

I am a bonafide theatre geek and damn proud of it! My last foray out into the Mother City’s theatrical palaces of pleasure was Marc Lottering ‘s Auntie Merle: it’s a girl in January at the Baxter Theatre.

I miss the sense of wonder and antici….pation as the lights dim, the curtains lift and a company of performers transport me to a land of make-believe.

When the national lock down started, Sir Andrew Lloyd Weber had me glued to my couch and singing along at top volume to his YouTube screenings of The Phantom of the Opera, its sequel Love Never Dies and his 25th anniversary show.

In between the local online comedy shows, I fell in love with Broadway giant Hamilton:

With the fifth month of lock down and another weekend of entertainment at home lying ahead of me, here are the virtual theatrical experiences I’ll be enjoying:

National Arts Festival 2020:

Each winter, Makhanda  (Grahamstown) is usually abuzz with National Arts Festival attendees and performers. This year, the event was held online from 25 June to 5 July 2020.

Image credit: The Cape Robyn

They have now extended the availability of most of the shows on their platform so you can watch them at your leisure. Get your tickets here.

I was lucky enough to win two tickets via The Cape Robyn and will be watching real life couple and songbirds Lucy and Alex Tops in their show The Ballard of Lucy and Alexander, as well as Jeremeo Le Cordeur ‘s Ouma Lilly en Haar Klong.

Baxter Radio:

My home away from home in life before corona, the Baxter Theatre has pivoted ( Gods, I hate that word!) into radio, bringing back the old tradition of listening to your favourite performers read thrilling stories on the airwaves.

You can listen to Baxter Radio here.

Live online comedy shows to watch during the #SALockdown

Live online comedy shows to watch during the #SALockdown

Let’s face it – life is pretty bleak right now and we could all do with a little laughter during lock down. Luckily for us, our top local comedians are reinventing the wheel with their host of live online comedy shows and we’ve got our top three right here:

Alan Committie’s No Contact Comedy Show:

Our favourite king of comedy is bringing his special brand of humour into your homes on Saturday 16 May at 8h15pm. Al’s promising an hour of his unique views on the lock down, taking life to new β€œlevels” as well as sharing some of his most treasured and hilarious comedy bits from 23 years of solo stand-up shows and we are SUPER excited!

Tickets are R60 and available at Quicket.

Stuart Taylor’s Money’s 2 Tight 2 Mention Corona Edition:

We loved the IRL version so much, we saw it twice so there’s no doubt funny man Stuart Taylor is going to bring the comedic online heat with a COVID19 twist on Friday 15 May at 9pm.

Tickets are R50 and available at Quicket.

Corne and Twakkie Presents The Style of Love

Hilarious duo Rob van Vuuren and Louw Venter are back as their popular characters Corne and Twakkie, sharing the love in their second online show (such trendsetters!) on 13 May at 9pm.

Tickets are R50 and available on Quicket.

Shiver in antici…pation with the Rocky Horror Show in Cape Town!

Shiver in antici…pation with the Rocky Horror Show in Cape Town!

By now, you all know what a big cosplayer I am so it comes as no surprise that when I got the opportunity to dig out my fishnet stockings, feather boa and nurse’s costume to attend the latest production of the Rocky Horror Show at the Artscape Theatre not just once, but THREE times, I jumped to the left… and took a step to the right!

Channelling my inner Magenta with the girls at the official opening of the Rocky Horror Show on Sunday 8 December 2019.

Starring Craig Urbani ( Dr Frank-N-Furter), Anthony Downing (Brad), Didintle Khunou (Janet), Stefania du Toit  (Columbia), Marlee van der Merwe (Magenta), Jarryd Nurden (Rocky), Kristian Lavercombe (Riff Raff), Kate Normington (The Narrator) and an ensemble cast, Richard O’Brien ‘s Rocky Horror Show has been playing to die-hard fans of the iconic film since early December 2019.

It would be unfair to compare this fun and quirky romp to the Matthew Wild-directed production staged at the Fugard Theatre in 2013/2014. That version was a futuristic take on the classic tale with design and special effects to boot. This Pieter Toerien Productions one sticks to its 1973 roots and is a marvel all on its own.

Urbani portrays a far more masculine Frank with his impressive physique and decidedly male strut. That, combined with his stunning vocals and comedic timing, makes for one irresistible Sweet Transvestite. In particular, his rendition of “I’m Going Home” left me in tears thrice!

Downing and Khunou are fantastic as the sweet innocents taken on the wildest night of their lives – with Downing practically stealing the show in his solo number, Once In A While.

Du Toit deserves a special mention for her spectacular portrayal of Columbia. The character demands a performer who is highly energetic and a vocal range to die for and du Toit ticks all of those boxes.

Nurden brings the perfect combo of abs and naivety to the titular role while
Lavercombe ‘s Riff Raff hits all the right scary but fascinating notes we’ve come to love about the character.

I loved watching Rocky Horror Show a second time as a friend’s birthday outing in late December:

Birthday nights out at the Rocky Horror Show on 27 December 2019.

I especially loved seeing it a third time, after hosting the cast for a special Time Warp performance and day out at the summit of Table Mountain:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B7E1LnyJ8Kf/

Having seen the Rocky Horror Show eight times in 7 years, I think I may be a little obsessed with my Creature of the Night and his Creator!

Cape Town, go and see it! The Rocky Horror Show runs until Sunday 12 January 2020 .Get your tickets at Computicket.

Last Chance To See The Jive Cape Town Funny Festival

Last Chance To See The Jive Cape Town Funny Festival

What do you get when you put five stand-up comedians, two musical acts, a magician and two (nearly) naked dancers on the same stage? Another year of the Jive Cape Town Funny Festival, which returned to Cape Town and the Baxter Theatre on 1 July.

Show producer Eddy Cassar has once again hand-picked the acts for their unique contribution to the almost two hour show, and he has clearly not lost his touch, because the 15th edition of Cape Town’s annual winter comedic tonic has
been playing to full houses and standing ovations ever since its opening night.

When word got out that Marc Lottering would not return to his usual headliner slot, many people wondered who could possibly take his place. After all, Marc has always been a popular member of the cast and a big drawcard to the show’s diverse Cape Town audience.

The answer is two-fold: Sifiso Nene made his debut at the Funny Festival, and soon had people talking about his subtle yet hilarious digs at SA’s cultural divide (“It takes a village to raise one black child. In white families, it just takes… Mavis.”). I have personally seen people falling out of their seats from laughing at his antics – he is THAT good. I hope Sifiso returns to Cape Town really soon! Otherwise I’ll have to go look him up with I’m in Jo’burg in September.

Sifiso Nene talks about eyebrows.

Closing the show is Emo Adams and his humerous musical stylings, deftly supported by a guitarist and … drummer? Not quite sure what to call the guy keeping the box beat, but I digress. Emo’s set has people in stitches, he is never off-key, and he earns bonus points for his fab adaptation of Punjabi MC’s Mundian To Bach Ke which closes the show. Off-stage, this is a man who travels to Jo’burg and walks off the plane straight onto the Funny Festival stage almost every day, while also navigating life with three youngsters and a newborn at home. Respect.

Emo Adams hits the right notes.

But that’s not to say the other acts don’t deserve glowing reviews, because they do!

Alan Committie returns as the MC – the glue that keeps everything together, and the person responsible for warming up the crowd ahead of each act. It’s a massive responsibility for an ensemble cast like this one, and he does the job exceptionally. As a loyal Committie fan, I’m always in awe of his ability to effortlessly improvise within his carefully crafted set.

Alan Committie’s word games always draws the laughs.

Lindy Johnson opens the show and sets the scene for the rest of the evening. She’s made waves on the comedy scene since she won the talent search that first brought her to the Funny Festival stage, and has since moved to the bright lights of Jo’burg. With her megawatt smile, big hair and even bigger personality, Lindy is the perfect show opener.

Lindy’s love life is as entertaining as the rest of her set.

Up next is Ozzie magician and mentalist, Matt Tarrant. He tries to convince the audience that he is not that great a magician and entertainer to wow the entire crowd, but once you’ve seen his mentalism act and astonishing close-up card manipulation set, you’ll stay up at night wondering “HOW THE HELL DID HE DO THAT?!?!?” He is brilliant, and if you love magic, he is a must-see.

Matt Tarrant’s mentalism skills are rad to the power of sick.

Carvin H. Goldstone, the Jewlu from Durban (go and check out the show to understand the reference) is fantastic. When I initially read some reviews about him, there was consistent reference to his clean, family friendly sets, which of course made me wonder, “… but is he funny?” Boy… this guy is brilliant! His delivery is hilarious and sincere, all at once. And his keen observations and impersonations are on point. I will keep an eye on his show dates to make sure I see him in another setting in the coming years.

Want to know why Carvin H. Goldstone reminds you of someone? Come to the show to find out.

Funny Festival regular, Kev Orkian, closes the first half on a musical note. He is fantastic as the single-guy-in-need-of-love-and-a-visa Armenian, and he is larger than life on stage. The fact that Prince Philip is a big fan who once delayed going to another engagement to congratulate Kev on his show in person should tell you everything you need to know about this incredible performer.

Calling all the single ladies. Kev as the lovelorn Armenian is looking for you.

And then there’s Obakeng Moroe. A fine performer and awesome human, it is almost impossible to think that Obakeng has ONLY been doing comedy for six months. He is the most recent new comic talent search winner to grace the Funny Festival stage, and judging by the audience’s reaction to him night after night, Obakeng has a bright comedy future ahead of him.

Obakeng has hairdresser trouble. Come and see the show to find out why.

Last but not least, dancing duo Ash and Brad Searle (a.k.a. The Big Boys) bring some serious eye candy to the stage. Their set has everything: dancing, comedy, pom poms, six packs, daring gymnastics, the flash of a butt cheek, comedy, dancing, hot bodies… sorry, where was I? If you’ve ever seen them at their spiritual home, Kalk Bay Theatre, you’ll be familiar with their awesome moves. If not, do yourself a favour and see them before Funny Festival comes to an end. You’ll leave, er, satisfied.

The Big Boys are certainly… talented.

There’s only a week left of this awesome comedy and variety show. Most shows are sold out, and if you left your ticket buying too late, it appears that your last chance to see the performers in action is on Monday, 22 July. Do yourself a favour and book your tickets at Webtickets before it’s too late.

You may not feel like venturing out into the cold at night, but once you’ve seen the 15th Jive Cape Town Funny Festival, you’ll be glad you did.

Jive Cape Town Funny Festival Extends Talent Search To Townships

Jive Cape Town Funny Festival Extends Talent Search To Townships

A new initiative of the Jive Cape Town Funny Festival is to search the entire city and uncover for Cape Town’s next great comic. The township-wide search, aptly called Kasi World Comedy Showdown, has opened its call for entries to search for the city’s next great funnyman.  Entrants will compete for a R5000.00 cash prize and a spot on the prestigious Jive Cape Town Funny Festival.

The Cape Town Funny Festival, the city’s largest comedy project, opens at the Baxter Theatre from 1-28 July.  The winner gets to share the stage with some of the biggest names in the comedy industry locally and internationally. Past winners include Reagan Allen, Lindy Johnson and Yaaseen Barnes and others, who have all made their mark on the South African comedy industry. Additionally, the winner is guaranteed a spot at the annual One Man Comedy Show Extravaganza planned for the Mother City, later in the year.

Eddy Cassar, Festival Director of the Jive Cape Town Funny Festival says that he is thrilled with the development.

β€œBesides holding the annual search with the Cape Town Comedy Club, which will continue, I am proud to venture into the townships with a separate competition and search the entire City to find its funniest new comic. In the past I have witnessed raw talent develop into confident top class performers, which has transformed peoples lives”. It’s a noble initiative and one that the Funny Festival is proud to be part of”.

The search is a proud partnership between the Jive Cape Town Funny Festival and SAComedyShares, in association with City of Cape Town, IComedy Kona, Dr Disi Foundation under Mandisi Disi Sindo and the #OneManComedyShowExtravaganza.

The competition is open to all amateur and semi-professional comedians and also allows entrants who have never performed before the opportunity to showcase their talent. The material must be devoid of offensive language and/or profanities and all material must be delivered in English as the winner plays on an International stage.

The Kasi World Comedy Showdown takes place over a period of five weeks and follows the time frame as follows:

  • Call to entry opens on the 11th of March 2019 and closes on Friday the 22nd of March 2019 midnight.
  • Screening of all of the chosen comedians is scheduled Saturday the 30th of March 2019 at Makukhanye Art Room

After the contestants have been screened, those selected will be allocated into different heats, according to their residential township. Family and friends are encouraged to support the comics at the heats.  The grand finale takes place at the Makukhanye Art Room in Khayelitsha on 4 May.

  • Heat 01 – Saturday 6 April – Black Box Theatre at Rent Office, Delft.
  • Heat 02 – Saturday 13 April – Kraai4Theatre, Kraaifontein.
  • Heat 03 – Saturday 20 April – Zolani Center, Nyanga.
  • Final – Saturday 4 May – Makukhanye Art Room, Khayelitsha.

Hopeful entrants must send their entries on either Facebook, Twitter, Instagram using the hashtags #KasiWorldComedyShowdown2019 and #KWCS2019.

Entrants need to send a video clip of maximum a minute, including name and address, comedic material, age and the reason for entering. Further information please email KasiWorldComedy@gmail.com.

All heats are judged by audience audience except for the final round where a panel of judges will preside.