And just like that...

The year is over. Well, for me at least. Going to be taking a break till the 17th of jan next year with some exciting changes. But I do leave you with this. 


My top 5 comedians for 2011.


Before I start this list I need to add a little disclaimer. These are just my personal choices. There was no voting or anything like that. Also, the list is in no particular order. So lets go! 


5. Werner Weber 

First time I saw Werner Weber was at the Graca Comedy festival earlier this year which is round about the same time I started this blog. He didn’t place in that competition but didn’t let that slow him down. He went to create his one man show Devolution which was not perfect but for a first try was damn well close to it. The main reason why I like Werner is his jokes. Sure he does the delivery and all that stand up stuff with great technique but as do everyone on this list. But his jokes are what set him apart. He is a shot left of wrong, especially if you read his tweets on twitter(forteeseven, two e’s not a y). He won’t be for everyone but he tickles my funny bone. 


4. Martin Evans 

Can you call Martin Evans a fringe comedian? I can. Martin’s one man show won a silver standard bank ovation award at this year’s Graham’s town festival. When he brought it to Cape Town I went to see it twice back to back and the show, FBPK, didn’t disappoint. Above that Martin is always a hit in the clubs. Especially when he MC’s an event and interacts with the crowd. He has a dangerous wit about him which always entertains, the ones that aren’t in his crosshairs. 


3. Ndumiso Lindi 

This is a special entry. I saw this man once this year. Since he is based in Joburg, us capies don’t get to see much of him. His twitter feed isn’t that funny either. But his show, Here I stand, was something really special. With a ending that made me leap to my feet and applaud. This is one talented comedian indeed and a must see. 


2. Rob van Vuuren 

What can I say about Rob van Vuuren that I haven’t said already? An actor who isn’t afraid to say he is also a comic. His 2011 show, Live, brought tears to my eyes, as did his dvd of his 2009 show Rob van Vuuren is Rob van Vuuren. One of the few comedians that will make you laughs by just standing there. It is all in the face you see. 


1. Piet Potgieter 

Piet Potgieter is one of the view comedians that can go on stage and turn a crowd around. I saw him play Pakalolo once where the crowd were a few guys in the crowd made it really difficult for the rest us to enjoy the show. Piet went on and got everyone laughing again, even the unruly ones. Great, hardworking comedian and funny as hell.

Leave Nonhle Thema alone...

Local Comic and all around nice guy Martin Evans has taken it on himself to tell all the Nonhle Thema haters to leave her alone. Nonhle Thema for those of you who don't know, was a model and then lost her job because of her twitter tirades. Or something like that. I stopped caring at model.

Check the video:



NOW LEAVE HER ALONE!

Follow Martin on twitter for more.

Review: F.B.P.K:

Directed by: Keri Miller

Performed by: Martin Evans

F.B.P.K. is the story about the best year of Martin Evan’s life. The story starts with Martin having a broken leg and no Medical Aid or Hospital plan. Best year of his life? Yeah, you read right.

The show starts off with a small movie where Martin gives a quick recap about his year. That he crashed in front of the house of the lady he would later ask to marry on a tropical island, and that they later bought a house from Desmond Tutu. It mixes these heartwarming scenes with shots of Martin’s external fixation which are stomach churning to say the least. The short movie sets the mood for the rest of the show. The movie says it best… “this is a story about guts, rather than six packs”, and by this time it is clear you are in for a treat.

Martin comes on stage and puts down his beer. He starts by explaining how he was in a horrific accident on his souped-up Zuma scooter which led to him being in a wheel chair for six months. While in hospital, he learned about different cultures South Africa has to offer. His fights with doctors over his morphine levels being too low, being released from hospital and sitting at home with a hard drive of porn. What is a man to do?

Behind Martin pictures are shown to accompany his story. This was a first for me in a stand up show and I really enjoyed it. It wasn’t used in a way to take attention away from Martin too much but rather it helped bring certain points home.  Martin goes on to talk about being able to walk again, touring the country, getting to know more interesting people and past experiences with AMA (Afrikaans Martial Arts). Martin delivers jokes about Afrikaners in a way that doesn’t so much offend, but entertains. He changes his voice slightly to put in that well known Afrikaner accent but in a tasteful way which is still hilarious.  This is great to see, cause I are be a Afrikaner myself and I for felt before that I can like to P.K. a guy for making the funny about us.

Martin’s show is not yet at a level that he himself would like it to be. I have had the pleasure of seeing the show twice in a row and although most of the show is the same, some bits are different and others seemed funnier the second night. The latter was mostly due to the crowd being a bit more diverse the second night than the first night. I did find it rather interesting to see how a crowd can make a difference to a show, but I digress.

F.B.P.K. is not a ‘laugh a minute’ stand up show where all the ‘easy’ jokes are made. There are some really sweet moments mixed in. I was hoping the show would tell more of how Martin met his Fiancée in the end? He does mention that it was after the crash but where, how and when? This might be kept for future shows though, time will tell.

In the end, F.B.P.K. is a sweet funny story of how a man takes every day as it comes. It is still a young show and I would love to see it grow into something big. Here is hoping that a longer run happens soon. This show is a must see.

Hellpants and the FBPK at On Broadway – COMPETITION TIME

I have written about Martin Evans’s new stand up show called Hellpants and the FBPK before when he took it to the Grahams Town Arts Festival. If you ask Martin, he would probably tell you that he only sold three tickets and it was a major flop. If you ask Standard Bank though, they will tell you it was worthy of a Silver Ovation award. So either the show is good or Standard Bank confused three people standing up and walking out as an “ovation”.

From my experience with Martin however, this show is going to be good and Cape Town is finally getting a chance to experience what a FBPK is. A story about how a guy almost had to give a leg to meet his future wife. Martin Evans is coming to On Broadway on the 4^th, 5^th and 6^th of August 2011 so you don’t have much time to get your tickets, as they are sure to sell out quickly.

Tickets can be booked at Computicket

I have more good news though. Through hard work and countless emails (not really, took like one tweet) I acquired two tickets to Friday (5 August 2011) night’s show to give away to one lucky reader. To be that lucky reader all you need to do is comment below and a random winner will be selected in a draw. 

Remember to tell your friends and their cousins about this once in a lifetime opportunity.


Update: Competition closes on Tuesday night. The winner will be announced on Wednesday morning. 

Three, One man acts to go see

Ten years ago, had you asked if I would like to go to the National Arts Festival, I would probably have punched you in the face, just to point out how manly I am. Today, I am still not a big fan of ‘arty farty’ festivals, however, this year’s National Arts Festival in Grahamstown seems to be the place to be for any fan of comedy. Who knew it was an art? 

The festival starts on the 30^th of June and if you find yourself lucky enough to be in Grahamstown due to that wrong turn you took in Port Elizabeth and having run out of petrol, here are three shows that I think you should definitely make time for while you wait for the petrol price to drop.

Rob van Vuuren – Live!

St. Andrew’s Hall:

30 June 21:00;

1 July 13:30; 3 July 15:30; 4 July 22:00; 5 July 16:00; 6 July 10:00; 7 July 17:30; 8 July 18:00; 9 July 14:30

Tickets: R40 – R70

Special discount:

30 June 21:00 – only R50

“Winner of the 2011 Comic Choice Award” What does that mean? It means the other comedians in South Africa came together and chose one comic who is funnier than all of them, and Rob van Vuuren is the guy  they chose. What a wise choice indeed. Following on his last show, Rob van Vuuren is Rob van Vuuren, Rob comes with a brand new show and is ready to blow you away, with golden showers of nothingness. 

In your face! 

I have seen parts of the show while Rob was still working on it and doing sessions at Kalk Bay Theatre earlier this year and I can honestly say you will be in for a treat. Even though Rob is a newcomer to stand up, he is a black belt in comedy. This guy will be able to make you laugh while you are falling to your death after your parachute didn’t open. I, personally cannot wait until he brings this show to Cape Town, to see it in its completed form. Also, be sure to look out for Rob and Louw Venter in The Most Amazing Show also at the National Arts Festival. They don’t call it “The Most Amazing show” for nothing.

Martin Evans – Hellpants and the FBPK

Directed – Keri Miller

OB’s Scout Hall:

30 June 16:00; 1 July 18:00; 2 July 20:00; 3 July 22:00; 4 July 12:00; 6 July 14:00; 7 July 18:00; 8 July 14:00;9 July 16:00 & 20:00

Tickets: R40 – R53

Special discount:

30 June 16:00 – only R35

"Full Body Poes Klap", I asked so that you don't have too. 

Martin Evans had one kak year. He was a man with a dream. Then he broke his leg in a scooter accident. He didn’t just break his leg though, He proper broke his leg. He was in and out of hospital for the better part of the year, but he didn’t let a broken leg get him down. He used that time to work on his new one man show. He also chatted up Keri Miller from 94.5 KFM radio fame. What made her decide to get engaged to a man who walked funny and whose professional job is to stand in front of people and make them laugh? No one knows. I like to believe it is his incredible charisma. When Martin starts his act there is no stopping him. Oh you can try and interrupt him but you do this at your own risk. Martin handles hecklers better than most of us handle flies. He isn’t afraid to make any joke and, you can believe me, he will cross that line if he feels it necessary. I have yet to see Martin in a one man show, but he is the main reason I became a fan of the local comedy scene after moving to Cape Town in 2007. I have also seen enough of his work to know that this is going to be great. Tickets are almost sold out and he has already received a few five star reviews. This show cannot be missed!

Mark Palmer – Best Medicine

Drill Hall:

30 June 17:30; 1 July 21:30; 2 July 15:00; 3 July 10:00; 4 July 16:30; 5 July 15:00; 6 July 19:00; 7 July 17:30; 8 July 10:00; 9 July 19:00

Tickets: R45 - R50

Special Discount:

30 June 17:30 – only R40

Plamer, Mark Palmer

Now the previous two acts will probably leave your 8 year old son asking you what sperm is, or your 7 year old daughter asking you what a “poes klap” is. Best Medicine however is good clean fun for the whole family. Even Granny will laugh as Mark paints a picture of how he defends his home from things that go bump in the night. Mark will cure any ailment with his slice of life style of comedy. With some jaw dropping moments when Mark shows you what a wordsmith he is. Let Mark take you on the adventure that is his life and the funny he sees in it.

The festival runs from June 30^th to July 10^th 2011. Follow the link below for the complete program. 

National Arts Festival