Pieter-Dirk Uys’s latest book – One Man Shows: the black and white years – published here by Missing Ink, is now available free to read or download:
This is the link to the free book: http://pdu.co.za/OneManShows.html
Uys, who has made available all his dramatic play scripts online, spent the 2020 pandemic lockdowns sorting out the satirical revues that have been part of his life since 1981. One Man Shows: the black and white years includes his first seven one-man shows. It takes the reader through the revues that dodged censorship and the authorities, and shows how he used humour and irony to highlight the hypocrisy and corruption that were part of South Africa’s daily life under apartheid.
* His first one-man show, Adapt or Dye, opened on April Fool’s Day in 1981 and introduced Evita Bezuidenhout to the nation and then the world, touring internationally throughout the 1980s.
* Total Onslaught 1984, subtitled Yes-No-Orwell-Fine, reflected the Nationalists’s new constitutional plans for the future.
* Beyond the Rubicon played on PW Botha’s notorious speech at the 1985 National Party Conference, where his announcement of crossing the Rubicon caused the rand to become a cent overnight.
* Rearranging the Deckchairs on the SA Bothatanic depicted South Africa as a luxury liner with familiar white people in first class and everyone else in steerage.
* Cry FreeMandela the movie, inspired by Richard Attenborough’s film Cry Freedom, showed a local version of the dramatic story of an escape from the security police with the news of brutality and murder most foul.
* A Kiss on your koeksister took the shape of a 1990 National Party bazaar that bizarrely showed the state of a confused white nation after the release of Nelson Mandela and the unbanning of the ANC.
* The 1994 election inspired One Man One Volt, which was performed over the tense and exciting days of capturing a rainbow nation while turning black and white into colour.
In addtition to the text of each show, Uys also takes the reader through the backstory of each production, the ups and downs of the politics of the day and the media reactions, and includes archival photos of the characters and the famous faces of the Volk.
Uys might have been alone on stage, but his chorus line of characters in One Man Shows: the black and white years filled each performance. While the politics of the black and white years are anchored in 1981 to 1994, the realities of political tensions, legalised racism, corruption, state capture and rumbles of revolution make what this one man shows through this book very topical at this time of pandemic regulations, misinformation and political confusions.
Applications for performance rights, both professional and amateur, should be addressed to: productions@evita.co.za
Characters and personalities of the time featured in One Man Shows: the black and white years include policemen, security policemen, PW Botha, Pik Botha, Piet Koornhof, Queen Elizabeth II, Bill Clinton, John Major, DF Malan, JG Strijdom, HF Verwoerd, Ronald Reagan, Gatsha Buthelezi, Ferdi Hartzenberg, Felicia Mabusa-Suttle, Andries Treurnicht, Jan van Riebeeck, Vause Raw, Jaap Marais, Chris Heunis, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, FW de Klerk, Margaret Thatcher, Riaan Eksteen, a censor, an Afrikaans poet, ‘n Kappie Kommado tannie, die Wit Wolf, Barbara Woodhouse, Joan Collins, Richard Attenborough, Donald Woods, Winnie Mandela, Evita Bezuidenhout and Nowell Fine. Pieter-Dirk Uys is joined by Chris Galloway on the SA Bothatanic cruise and in the Mandela movie.
Upcoming Shows
For more information on upcoming shows at Evita Se Perron, please visit evitaseperron.com
Want to visit Evita Se Perron?
Visit us at 8 Arcadia Street, Darling, Western Cape!
We are open from Wednesday – Monday 9am – 4pm and closed on Tuesdays.
Evita Bezuidenhout has celebrated her 85th birthday
on 28 September with a new look!
“Over six months of lockdown meant I couldn’t get to the hairdresser for my weekly repairs. I was horrified at first to notice a silver lining to the dark brown. By Level 2, I had taken my scissors and snipped away gently into a practical style. Clicks then sent me a wonderful gift of shampoo. Now it’s short, soft and manageable. How many women were in the same situation? No wonder the pandemic becomes a damn panic, forcing us to adapt and not dye!
“Turning 85 demands a new energy from me. Once the world squirms out of its straight-jacket of isolation and fear, the so-called ‘new normal’ might be too much like the Depression of the 1930s which led to the rise of Fascism. The economic outlook is bleak. Political vision is lacking. A confused collective ANC leadership is unable to lead. The invisible Covid-19 virus has made the virus of corruption, empowerment and capture even more visible. Meanwhile, there is nothing we can do to change the reality of Covid-19. So stick to the rules of survival.
“Focus on your family, friends, neighbours and community. The many examples of good neighbourliness and support during the past six months have inspired me. President Ramaphosa has said members of the ANC known to be corrupt must leave their positions. It is time to find the honest comrades. Life will go on with or without Covid. Let us make community the jewel in the crown of democracy. Let the buck not stop with government; it will be captured. The buck now stops with us. The future now starts with us. The tender for orange jumpsuits is open for business. Watch this space (with your mask on!)”
Past Events
Pieter-Dirk Uys presents ‘Adapt or Fly‘
live-streamed from Penny Lane Studios via Quicket on
THURSDAY 24 SEPTEMBER 2020 at 18H00 (SA time)
Tickets available at Quicket: https://qkt.io/pieter-dirk-
The previous two shows from Penny Lane Studios via Quicket are available at the links below at R70.
Hello Darling
https://www.quicket.co.za/events/113546-video-on-demand-pieter-dirk-uys-says-hello-darling
Message from Evita Bezuidenhout
“Everyone asks me: ‘When will Tannie Evita be back on stage at Evita se Perron?’ Let me assure you all: as soon as the vaccine is proved to be safe and secure, I will be delighted to entertain you all without fear or favour.
In the meantime stay safe, wear your mask and keep your distance. There is a light at the end of this tunnel. Just remember: the tunnel is curved.”
Message from Pieter-Dirk Uys
Keep your eye on Quicket. I will be live-streaming five shows during 2020. Information will be found here.
And then in 2021 my satirical cluster will be happy to welcome you all here.
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