Reviews of Pieter-Dirk Eish!
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(full texts of reviews are found in the Archives)
Reviews of Pieter-Dirk Eish! in Johannesburg — 2007
Creatively in Pieter-Dirk Eish! Uys has now reached a pinnacle of supreme
artistry. This is the skill of a master clown, someone who knows that comedy
does not help you escape from the truth, but highlights it. Uys challenges
assumptions, tests limits and crosses boundaries. This is no gentle ride. As Uys
plots the changes, he reveals that with it comes loss, and loss is an
uncomfortable feeling. Yet the combative satirist insists on promoting and not
silencing the loud diversity of opinion essential to our new democracy. Here is
the calm authority of acting genius.
– Mary Jordan, Business Day, 20 February 2007
Uys has honed the art of telling uncomfortable political truths to perfection
through silken characterisation. The measure of the depth of the writing and
razor-wire comedy is also gloriously evident. Here's an incomparably mature
artist at work. The brilliant Pieter-Dirk Uys has never stopped being the
People's Conscience.
– Adrienne Sichel, Star Tonight JHB, 20 February 2007
Eish! is 90 minutes of multi-facetted entertainment and should make young and
old double-up with laughter. Uys's good news is to laugh at the bad news in
spite of everything, no matter how absurd. Few South African stage artists have
the ability to allow comedy and tragedy to go hand in hand like this.
– Kobus Burger, Beeld, 20 February 2007
This is a richly rewarding night out at the theartre. We all need a good
laugh. EISH! is a wonderfully entertaining journey in which the effervescent Uys
holds court. Uys dramatically transforms himself on stage into a host of
characters who support Evita's candidacy and they fire a barrage of sharp
observations on life that is achingly funny.
– Peter Feldman, Artslink-on-za News, 16 February 2007
When it comes to delivering South African satire on stage there is nobody who
can match the skill and talent of Pieter-Dirk Uys. As always, Uys manages to
play up the humour and hypocrisy and from there takes his audience on a
fast-paced intelligent and colourful ride through the South African political
arena. No politician making headlines escapes Uys's perceptive eye or his
cutting tongue. Laughter resonates from the audience from beginning to end!
– Cathryn Pearman-Owens, Citizen, 22 February 2007
From race-related satire to the often explosive politics of the day,
including the current succession issue which tends to dominate present day South
African political discourse, Uys was our tour leader. Corruption in the ranks of
the new political elite means they can no longer claim exclusive moral
uprightness. This in a nutshell is the essence of the satire.
– Edward Tsumele, Sowetan, 23 February 2007
A satirist par excellence!
– Kwanele Sosibo, Mail & Guardian, 2-8 March 2007
*****
His ode to South Africa, which seems a lament at times, is really a
love letter from the depths of a heart that understands South Africa, its people
and issues so well.
– Yazeed Kamaldien, Cape Argus, 30 January 2007