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REVIEWS

(full texts of reviews are found in the Archives)

RECENT INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL REVIEWS

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Reviews of Desperate First Ladies  in Cape Town  —   September 2011

 

Uyslike bydrae tot landsake .... Met ’n fladder van ’n vals wimper kan Uys sweerlik ’n diktator koudsit.

– Laetitia Pople, Die Burger, 9 September 2011

 

Desperate First Ladies is a hilarious tour de force ... Not to be missed!

– Greg Landman, City Press, 18 September 2011

 

Uys is still a much-needed social commentator on South Africa. Not only does he provide a safe environment in which we can confront our fears and prejudices. He also helps us to make sense of what is happening in South Africa. And, at least for now, we can do so by shaking with laughter rather than by trembling in fear. Uys at his best.

– Tyrone August, Cape Times, 12 September 2011

 

PDU shows top form in 'Desperate First Ladies'

– Peter Tromp, The Next 48 Hours, 23 September 2011

 

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Review of Adapt or Dye  in Johannesburg  —   July 2011

 

Seeing a 30-year revival of Adapt or Dye at the Market Theatre on Friday night not only rekindled memories from the bad old 1980s, it was also a reminder of what a master satirist and shrewd political commentator Pieter-Dirk Uys was, and still is.

 

Almost unbelievably, considering it was so rooted in 1980s National Party politics, the show is as fresh and funny and sharp and clever as ever. Friday night’s audience, including several people who weren’t even born in 1981, were in stitches throughout.  This is because the new-millennium incarnation of Adapt or Dye has been adapted by Uys to include entertaining explanations of context and draw parallels with the current sociopolitical landscape.

 

Uys continues speaking truth to power, in a manner that is crisp and cuts to the funny bone.

– Christina Kennedy, Business Day, 2 August 2011

 

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Review of Desperate First Ladies  in Grahamstown  —   March 2011

 

Uys’ irreverence knows no bounds ... [he] takes on all of the sacred cows, while very seriously challenging our democracy, and all politicians within it to uphold it.

– Mike Loewe, Makana Moon, 30 March 2011

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Reviews of F.A.K. Songs and Other Struggle Anthems in Cape Town — September 2010

 

Uys, a consummate showman, understands completely the language of the theatre, threading a bit of Bambi's personal history with political and social commentary and much mad wit and pathos. ... FAK Songs and Other Struggle Anthems is a cabaret in the true sense of the word and a production that restores this much-abused genre back to its dark, decadent, disturbing, sarcastic and satirical essence.  

– Marianne Thamm, Sunday Times, 12 September 2010

 

Dit is alles en nog meer as wat 'n kabaret behoort te bied.

– Mariana Malan, Die Burger, 3 September 2010

 

Pieter-Dirk Uys's Bambi slaughters sacred cows with her sharp wit .... The Federasie van Afrikaanse Kultuurvereniginge (FAK) Songbook is ripped to pieces, rearranged and spiced up with bloodthirsty vulgarity and embarrassingly true lyrics containing all the sad sordidness and joy of the human condition.

 

Bambi is a gift from Pieter-Dirk Uys we should treasure while we have her with us.

– Astrid Stark, Cape Times, 13 September 2010

 

Pieter-Dirk Uys remains a consummate performer, who is able to draw and hold an audience, no matter how uncomfortable the subject matter.

– Fiona Gordon, artslink.co.za, 15 September 2010

 

A sublime marriage of musicianship, characterization and textured showmanship.

– Peter Tromp, The Next 48 Hours, 10 September 2010

 

Bambi's music is sophisticated and clever. She sings in three languages: English, Afrikaans and German. The combination of FAK songs, twisted to up-to-date relevance, with Brecht and Weill numbers is remarkable.

– Daphne Cooper, bizcommunity.com, 3 September 2010

 

As usual Uys is spot on ... and goodness knows he still has the legs to be wearing high heels.

– Theresa Smith, Cape Argus, 7 September 2010

 

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Reviews of Desperate First Ladies in Johannesburg  —  August 2010

 

Uys’s name is synonymous with surprise and even with shock, for he is a celebration of contradictions: hilarious and malign, polite and lewd, generous and caustic. But the most sensational of all his contradictions is that he has bamboozled us into accepting and keeping faith with Evita Bezuidenhout, the she who is a he, the amazingly actual star who has a complete life of her own.

– Mary Jordan, Business Day, 10 August 2010

 

Uys has crafted a unique and powerful position that he is still using wisely to be the conscience of the country without fear of repercussion.

 

His new show Desperate First Ladies instantly proves Uys hasn't lost his edge and we haven't lost the need for him as he launches into an entertaining attack on efforts to curb the freedom of the press. It begins with Uys as himself, and it's a pleasure to hear him give his own views in his own persona. He's sharp and witty, and somehow more caustic and direct without the softening feminine accoutrements. ... An undiplomatic diplomat who points out political and social ills, spreads the message about Aids awareness, and highlights the evil of men abusing women.

 

It's sad that South Africa still needs Evita — but it's a very good job we still have her.

– Lesley Stones, Artslink, 8 August 2010

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Reviews of Elections & Erections in Los Angeles  —  October 2009

 

"Elections" is part confessional, part drag satire and all politics ....  Uys' message — that the health of a country depends on citizens leading their politicians and not the other way around — resonated powerfully.

– Charlotte Stoudt, Los Angeles Times, 6 October 2009

 

Elections & Erections has a wondrous blend of political cynicism and optimism, derived from a love of life that gives this show its energy.

– Steven Leigh Morris, LA Weekly, 5 October 2009

 

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Reviews of Elections & Erections in Cape Town  —  April / May 2009

 

South Africa is not for sissies. We are a tough bunch of multi-coloured peeps who long ago learned to laugh at our fears and torments. But even the most resilient of South Africans have been challenged by the machinations of late.Thank heavens for Pieter-Dirk Uys.  Some of his humour is really dark but the wink it accompanies is so broad that it goes down easily. ...  In these trying times Uys proves himself to be a vital national treasure.

– Zane Henry, Tonight, 15 April 2009

 

 

Uys serves up a hearty portion of social commentary, coated with a thick layer of satire to sate the most cynical of appetites. Judging by the way he ripped into any topical political figure, the term ‘diplomatic immunity' clearly meant nothing to him — nobody was exempt.

 

The timing [of Elections & Erections] could not have been any more perfect. Foremost in the hearts and minds of all South Africans at the moment are the upcoming elections, which provide plenty of fodder for Uys. But while tickling your funny-bone, he also provokes serious thought, and in trying times like these, laughter may yet turn out to be the best medicine. I highly recommend you get your dose.

– Kent Reeve, bizcommunity.com, 9 April 2009

 

 

With the national elections only a week away, the latest offering from satirist Pieter-Dirk Uys could not be more relevant. ...  One really is left with an overwhelming sense of the positivity of what means to be South African. It’s all about being energised by the fears and fun that are a part of being in exciting times in an exciting place. And about using your vote to help make the sort of difference that one dreams of.

 

Uys uses this stage as his soapbox and the message is clear — a loud "No, you can’t!..." get away with ridiculousness, directed at our politicians, and a resounding call to the people of South Africa to help maintain that accountability, to love the wonderful country in which we live, and mostly — to VOTE!

 

And quite frankly, I think he does so rather brilliantly!

– Fiona Gordon, artslink.co.za, 14 April 2009

 

 

Politics isn’t life, it isn’t even close, but somehow PDU makes it feel alive. And humane. The way he lampoons public figures is hardly ever done with menace. Instead he tackles their hubris and delusions with a critical but still almost forgiving eye. He is an artist, and that sometimes means taking the high road. 

 

"Elections And Erections" is one hell of a show, and a good time guaranteed.

– Peter Tromp, The Next 48 Hours, 17 April 2009

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Reviews of Macbeki in Johannesburg  —  April 2009

 

****  MacBeki has to be [Uys'] most ambitious foray into the body politic yet. ...  a wily comedy, a political satire, a compelling tragedy, rolled into one.

– Adrienne Sichel, Tonight, 7 April 2009

 

 

Go and see this show as it will make you either angry or excited depending on which side you are on. No fence-sitting here.

– Edward Tsumele, The Sowetan, 17 April 2009

 

 

Uys, takes his wit and humour to a new and truly fabulous level. ... MacBeki is satirical social commentary at its best.

– Poppie Mphuthing, The Times, 15 April 2009

 

 

MacBeki uses Shakespearean references, urban legends, rumour and poetic licence in a sweeping Machiavellian ("MacBekivellian" to Uys) narrative about the lust for power and the ruin it brings the protagonist.

– Percy Zvomuya, Mail & Guardian, 3 April 2009

 

 

In MACBEKI , playwright and satirist Pieter-Dirk Uys has dug deeply, searching Shakespeare’s play to find hidden riches, seams to explore, small, shocking ideas and tiny secrets that reveal or give away an enormous amount about our own political predicaments. ...  When he messes about with the text, there is the immediate excitement of contrasting energies; and, as the characters move from one intense emotion to another, all manner of unexpected things are released.

 

Uys’s unstuffy approach creates a broad, pantomimic atmosphere, filled with breezy confidence and irreverent gusto. Everything is artfully arranged to give plenty of laughs and the show has the pulse of real life. Ingenuity such as this is a real tonic among the alarms and excursions of SA today.

– Mary Jordan, Business Day, 14 April 2009

 

 

The Comrades and William Shakespeare make unusual bedfellows. But this is what happens when a gifted playwright like Pieter-Dirk Uys sets his mind to re-writing one of The Bard’s most famous works with inspiration from members of the ruling party and other characters who happen to get in the way.This slice of lunacy, which provides audiences with moments of great hilarity and clever word interplay, makes for an engaging night at the theatre.

Uys’ magic begins to weave it own spell as the hilarious action unfolds and the various identifiable characters make their appearance.Described as a "transgressive variation" of "Macbeth," the play retains the elements of ambition, power, deceit and greed during its discourse, with the happy family of South African players contributing immeasurably as the farce unravels.

– Peter Feldman, artslink.co.za, 2 April 2009

 

 

Uys’s Shakespearean-inspired script airs the country’s dirty laundry with glee, laughing at the hypocrisy and chiding the inadequacies.  When it’s not eliciting a giggle, or a gasp of shock, Uys’s dialogue is extremely hard-hitting.  Kudos to Uys and his cast for providing some sobering perspectives just ahead of the elections.

– Natalie Bosman, The Citizen, 6 April 2009

 

 

Structurally, "MacBeki" rests on the Shakespearean tragedy; its humour is sometimes cheap in its urbanity, sometimes cutting in its cruelty, brilliant in its bitterness. It’s a tale of Aids and its discontents, of this country’s crippling challenges: from xenophobia to misinformation and ministerial corruption, and one of unbridled lust for power, in its ugliest (and most pathetic) form. But this is a farce, not a tragedy, even if the underlying layers hit home with profundity more than the rolling heads and blood baths in other interpretations.

– Robyn Sassen, artslink.co.za, 4 April 2009

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Reviews of Elections & Erections in Johannesburg  —  March 2009

 

I'd forgotten how funny Pieter-Dirk Uys is. His delivery is superb, his analysis spot-on and no one is spared. This is a must-see show. It is irreverent, cutting-edge and above all, incredibly funny. Uys is a living legend.

– Therese Owen,  Saturday Star, 7 March 2009

 

Elections and Erections is devastating, brilliant and outrageous. ... In a flawless piece of political audacity that encourages his audience to view their world as a wonderfully funny and carefully crafted comedy, Uys handles his material with integrity and a light touch, helping with the only really necessary revolution: revolution in the heart.

– Mary Jordan, Business Day, 10 March 2009

 

 

Trust Pieter-Dirk Uys to bring us the fear and fun of politics in equal doses as he puts the erection back into election.  As he dazzles with his brand of diplomacy — slapping everyone equally hard — he has us laughing at the country we love.

 

More than that, he (and she) tell it like it is:  Be scared, be very scared. The Tannie is talking tough.

– Diane de Beer, Tonight, 6 March 2009

 

 

Master satirist Pieter-Dirk Uys is back on top form with  Elections and Erections. ...  It is crisp, clever and hits the comedy mark with precision.  Staged to coincide with the run-up to the general election on April 22, Elections and Erections does what no politician can: it delivers the facts, wrapped up in a swaddle of belly laughter but unencumbered by spin-doctoring and petty points-scoring.  Uys does not discriminate in who he skewers.  He continues to serve as a watchdog with undiminished vigour while ferreting out the absurdities of modern South African life.

– Christina Kennedy, SA Jewish Report, 13 March 2009

 

 

Pieter Dirk Uys’s Elections and Erections, appears to be innocent humour on the surface.  But it is not. It is actually a serious political commentary touching on many strands of our politics.  Well, the commentary is well packaged, in such a way that you will laugh, but at the same time when you scratch beyond the humour-coated surface of this satire, you will realise that it gets into the core of our body politic.

– Edward Tsumele, Sowetan, 13 March 2009

 

 

Pieter-Dirk Uys is back! And I don’t just mean with a new play. In Elections & Erections he’s back as himself. He delivers a riveting monologue in which he recounts his first sexual experience with a man of another race which should be stored carefully in the gay archives for its colour and realism. ... This show is not to be missed.

– Gavin Hayward, EXIT Online, March 2009

 

 

The consummate raconteur, Uys still has the power to move audiences deeply. ... He's providing a priceless public service by helping ordinary folk face the difficult issues head-on.

– Bruce Dennill, The Citizen, 5 March 2009

 

 

Pieter-Dirk Uys, one of South Africa's most celebrated theatrical figures, certainly has his timing right. Weeks before the election, Uys has created a show that is both educational and hugely entertaining. As always the material is excellent and Uys sparkles as Evita. It's the stuff we need right now.

– Peter Feldman, Artslink, 4 March 2009

 

 

'n Mens verlaat die teater met 'n bree glimlag, 'n positiewe(r) blik op landsake en politiek en 'n hernuwde waardering vir 'n satirikus sonder gelyke. ELECTIONS & ERECTIONS is doepa vir meer as net die getroue teaterganger. Moet dit nie misloop nie.'

– Kobus Burger, Beeld, 10 March 2009

 

 

The laughs come quickly and with vengeance. ...  There’s a bitter humour peppered with poignancy which reaches deeper than the stage,. [and] offers salient insight into Uys’ brilliance. He works with heart: his empathy toward his audience is palpable; he can laugh at us and with us simultaneously.

 

It is truly a joy to see Uys back onstage, giving the flaccid wishy-washiness of pre-election doublespeak a kick where it can be felt most palpably.

– Robyn Sassen, Artslink, March 2009

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Reviews of Macbeki  in Cape Town  —  February / March 2009

 

"MacBeki"  sparkles and fizzes with Uys’ particular satirical genius. This is the first theatrical rendering in 15 years that directly confronts and exposes those who would wield enormous power over our lives. And all this in an election year. The relief at seeing these "remote" figures pilloried and exposed in such a hilarious fashion is cathartic and downright good for democracy.

 

With "MacBeki", Uys draws together the many strands that contribute to his singular status as one of the most important, influential and versatile public voices in the country.

– Marianne Thamm, capetheatre.co.za, 26 February 2009

 

 

Sometimes political situations in this wonderful country of ours really do play out like dramatic Shakespearean plays with twists and turns, betrayals and love affairs and in the end it all turns out to be a bit of a joke. Pieter-Dirk Uys has done just this with MacBeki,  making the current South African political divisions hilariously funny using Shakepeare's famous tragedy, "MacBeth" as the scene and setting.  The plot however is thicker than Shakespeare could ever have imagined.

 

Congratulations to Mr Uys, it's a true South African beauty.

– Sindy Peters, bizcommunity.com, 3 March 2009

 

 

‘MacBeki’ is pretty close to vintage PDU.  As the title suggests, Uys has appropriated Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ for his own satirical purposes but his appropriation is pretty loose limbed.  [The production] soars, especially when it goes for broke. It shows that satire can actually be meaningful with enough imagination and verve.

– Peter Tromp, The Next 48 Hours, 6 March 2009

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Reviews of Elections & Erections in Durban  —  February 2009

 

Uys dishes up a meaty stew of characters from his past, present and future — a melting pot of matters both political and, rather touchingly, personal.

 

Elections & Erections sees Uys at the peak of his game. Don't miss him!

– Billy Suter, Tonight, 20 February 2009

 

 

The first half of the show is taken up with impersonations of characters that followers of Pieter-Dirk Uys will be familiar with but you can rest assured that all the material is new. ... The second half of the show features Evita Bezuidenhout at her best. Her sharp wit is razor-edged when she banters with the audience and answers questions. ... Strongly recommended.

– Mark Colvin, Kwana.co.za, 20 February 2009

 

 

Uys had the audience in stitches, he had us wide-eyed and thoughtful, he had us howling like banshees. The man is a consummate observer of South Africa's social and political foibles. ... The master of the elegant dismount and the eloquent delivery, he held every member of the audience in thrall.

– Travis Lyle, The Voodoo Kitchen, 18 February 2009

 

 

Pieter-Dirk Uys has, with his extraordinary talent and courage, changed the face of South African theatre and comedy. He continues to be inventive, original, sharp as wolves' teeth and hilarious and, if, as in Elections and Erections, he allows his vulnerability to show, it gives us a twinkle of insight into the kind of man he is under the vigilant intellect and hard-line comment.

 

The thrust of Elections and Erections is, of course, the forthcoming elections: an ideal playground for Uys to frolic on. As always, the mind-blowing misdemeanours, idiotic sayings, appalling behaviour and scandalous scenarios that are part of the real lives of our politicians provide excellent material for his wit and wisdom.

 

Uys is fearless in his continued pursuit of his craft.

– Gisele Turner, Tonight, 24 February 2009

 

 

No-one escapes Uys’ penetrating eye.  The witty and cutting-edge remarks keep coming.

– Caroline Smart, Artsmart, 19 February 2009

 

 

Pieter Dirk Uys takes to the stage as if the whole country is his living room, commanding hundreds of people as if he's having them over for tea. The audience is made comfortable, uncomfortable, jovial and then uncomfortable at being jovial. He exercises our dark thoughts, he shows us how to hope through a comedy of despair.

 

For all the seeming randomness of his wandering through all his characters, he has picked carefully what he wants to tell us, he uses jokes and languages understandable on all levels, and he guides the audience through a thought process that is primarily to amuse, yes, sure, but actually to enlighten. There is not much comedy that can claim such ideals.

 

Uys uses the comedy of politics to gently prod out complacency, and make us feel good about thinking again, he delivers a meal of humor with a spice of thinking. You simply have to see the man to understand the depth of his comedy.

– Nathan Zeno, Durban Live

 

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