Cape to Kwa Kwa Comedy Festival

The Spier Arts Summer Season presented by Auto and General will celebrate South African humour with a number of comedians.

The Spier Arts Summer Season presented by Auto and General will celebrate South African humour with a number of comedians. From Cape Town's recognised stand ups, Marc Lottering and Kurt Schoonraad to esteemed comedy icon, Mel Miller, the evening is sure to prolong the silly season late into January.

The two-day festival has a unique line up for each night. The first night of the festival (Friday 21 January) features, Mel Miller, Kurt Schoonraad, Makgano Mamabolo as Miss Kwa Kwa and Corné and Twakkie of The Most Amazing Show.

Mel Miller jokingly remarks that it took him twelve years to become an overnight success with his show Biltong and Potroast, which was South Africa's first television series. He has subsequently cemented himself in comedy circuits with a career spanning thirty years of pushing the boundaries of political correctness and forcing South Africans to laugh at themselves.

Recognised for his recent television show, Going Nowhere Slowly, Kurt Schoonraad hit fame in 2000 on the Green Spicer Comedy Campaign. He describes himself as "Mitchells Plain, born and fled" and bases much of his material on recollections of his upbringing. He has since moved from strength to strength with his characteristic side burns and comedy style that highlights the idiosyncrasies of living in Mitchell's Plain.

Louw Venter and Rob van Vuuren are the masterminds behind Corné and Twakkie, the fallen rock star and rejected stunt man. The Most Amazing Show (T*M*A*S) is a comedy duo and is hosted by the universally recognisable characters of two larger-than-life trailer park wannabees, Corné and Twakkie. Even though they share common traits with the park dwellers across the globe, it is the South African flavour that defines the specific appeal of their humour and humanity.

Miss Kwa Kwa- Makgano Mamabolo is written by Stephen Simm and is just about the only one-woman satirical comedy performed by a black woman in South Africa. The show chronicles the journey of Miss Kwa Kwa from a homeland beauty pageant to superstardom and promises plenty of laughs. The show has been described as "black comedy at its best".

The second evening (Saturday 22 January) includes Marc Lottering, Margit Meyer-Rödenbeck as Dowwe Dolla, Lindie Stander and the hilarious Chilli Boy, performed by Matthew Ribnick.

The 1997 one-man cabaret, After the Beep, shoved Marc Lottering into the spotlight. This was followed by several successful shows including, That's Mister Lottering to you, Big Stakes and Slap Chips, Three Songs and Some Jokes and recently Say Cheese. This two-time Vita award winning comedian, captures the essence of the Cape Flats in his impersonations and humour and has enjoyed international recognition for his proudly South African humour that has split the sides of European and Australian audiences.

Margit Meyer-Rödenbeck stars as the ditzy blonde Dowwe Dolla whose charming anecdotes send messages regarding the realities of society. She has been a resident at On Broadway for the past five years with shows such as, Staatslet, Vigs en Gesond and Dolla Gee Haar Beste. Margit is a graduate of Drama from the University of Stellenbosch and when she is not the character of Dowwe Dolla, she does radio work and children's theatre.

Lindie Stander is back after the success of "Man-Alleen" with the popular "Vinger-Alleen". This multi-faceted actress and comedian is known for impersonating diverse characters ranging from Indian girlfriends to Afrikaner men as proven in G'n Hierjy nie. It is written by Lindie Stander and Gaerin Hauptfleisch.

Matthew Ribnick has achieved outstanding success for Chilli Boy with his versatile personality that embraces the many faces of this production. The play, written and conceived by Geraldine Naidoo and Mathew Ribnick, offers hilarious insight into South African multiculturalism by juxtaposing two different cultures. Chilli Boy focuses on Troy, a white bruiser from Gauteng who is faced with confusion when he discovers that he is the reincarnation of a superstitious Indian granny from Umkomaas. You will split your sides as you watch this talented actor in his one-man show.

The Spier Arts Summer Season provides a bit of something for everyone, from Durban, Johannesburg to Cape Town. It is a journey, which takes you around the country and gives insight into these amazing South African personalities and leaves you with hilarious memories.

The Cape to Kwa Kwa Comedy Festival will be showing at the Spier amphitheatre on 21 and 22 January 2005 at 20h00.

Article sourced from: Spier Arts