Political satirist Pieter-Dirk-Uys at it again –this time heading to Montecasino
By Edward Tsumele, CITYLIFE/ARTS Editor
There is no better way of describing the career of veteran satirist Pieter-Dirk-Uys other than that his kind of theatre has endeared itself into the consciousness of theatre audiences over decades, and they never tire of enjoying his plays.
His kind of political satire is the kind that even those who are the subject of his satire would laugh even as he directs his punchy lines at them.
In an interview early this year, he told me that his trick is not to demean his subjects even as he hits hard at them and some of the stupid things especially when it comes to the political players in the country. And indeed the playwright has mocked the actions of politicians from the apartheid years up to the current post-apartheid type of politicians. And in a racially polarised South Africa, understandably coming from a complicated racial history,that comes with risks, and one needs to be smart to be able to move smoothly around that issue.
Dirk-Uys has done so with amazing skill, and while one or two politicians would sometimes consider his satire bordering on racism, particularly when they are the subject of his jokes, theatre audiences, both black and white, find his satire fun and even hilarious. At the end, that is what really matters to a playwright. And so Uys continues to entertain many in the country as they continue to embrace him and his satire that is always on point and captures the moments that will live in, and therefore resonating with audiences everywhere.
Theatre audiences in Gauteng must be excited right now with the news that Dirk-Uys will be gracing the stages of Montecasino with yet another dose of his politically informed satire.
Uys’s new show at Pieter Toerien’s Montecasino theatre from 24 August to 10 September is called SELL-BY DATE and, as expected from his one-person performances, features not only PDU, but also a cluster of topical characters: male, female and political. Being active in live theatre since the late 1960s, he is not surprised when people now ask: ‘When will you retire?’ His answer is short and sweet: ‘Not retyre; retread!’
SELL-BY-DATE will also show Uys at his 77-year old best, bringing laughter to various states of disaster. As always, his political scriptwriters are not letting him down, even when the lights fade to black!
Tickets on sale now at Webtickets https://www.webtickets.co.za/v2/Event.aspx?itemid=1529209224