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Pieter-
While some of us spent the pandemic lockdowns baking banana bread, discovering the differences between online video platforms and experimenting with home workouts, Pieter-
– Tamsin Metelerkamp, Daily Maverick, 4 January 2022
In his latest book, One Man Shows: The black and white years, Pieter-
During a time of political turmoil, censorship and legalised racism, Uys’s satirical revues used humour and irony to show the double standards and immorality that marred South Africa under apartheid.
“I exploit reflections in the cracked mirrors of daily life, entertaining in a minefield. During the 1980s it was like doing the tango in front of a firing squad,” says Uys in his book.
The book includes the text of each show, from Uys’ first one-
Along with the scripts, Uys provides the backstories of each production. Through sharing personal anecdotes, political insights and the media reactions from that time, Uys allows the reader to understand the social backdrop against which the shows took place.
The book is brought to life not only by the text, but by a patchwork of photos, posters, newspaper clippings and other sentimental keepsakes from a lifetime in the arts. The faces of many of Uys’ characters — Nowell Fine, Piet Koornhof, and of course, the iconic Evita Bezuidenhout — peer out from the pages.
While the “black and white years” of 1981 to 1994 are behind us, the themes that can be found in Uys’ work — corruption, State Capture, political tensions — still hold relevance in today’s South Africa.
The book is a reminder to look critically at the world around us, and to never underestimate the unconventional power of theatre in a time of societal upheaval.
The link to One Man Shows: The black and white years can be found here.
eNCA speaks to author, activist and satirist Pieter Dirk-
ONE MAN SHOWS: the black and white years
13 January 2022
Evita, romance, lies and poetry: Franschhoek Literary Festival tickets are selling out fast
– Shaun de Waal, News24, 10 May 2024
Tickets for sessions at the Franschhoek Literary Festival (FLF), which takes place from 17 to 19 May in the historic Western Cape town, are selling out fast. For instance, the workshops that are a newly extended component of the festival are now all sold out. Others that sold out early have had some extra tickets released. Here are several sessions for which you can still book:
On Friday 17 May at 14:30 (session 35), South Africa’s greatest satirist, Pieter-
Session 85, on Saturday 18 March at 18:30, celebrates the birthday of Evita Bezuidenhout, who is now 88 (10 years older than her imposter, as always). She has been in the public domain since 1981 when she, as South African Ambassador to Bapetikosweti, caught the public’s ear and Pik Botha’s eye. Well-
What is really happening in the love lives (and fantasies) of the BookTok generation? And why is comedy so essential to a hot romance? Romance novelists Bolu Babalola (Honey & Spice), Jo Watson (Love at First Flight) and Zibu Sithole (The Thing With Zola) share their trade secrets with Mbali Sikakana on Friday 17 May at 14:30 (session 24).
British-
At 12:00 the same day (session 57), she talks BookTok and Bookstagram with Candice Carty-
On Saturday at 11:30 (session 54), romance novelist Jo Watson (Love at First Flight) talks shop with two other top-
Many African and Black diaspora novels deal with a crisis of distance – be it from a motherland, a culture or a family; or from acceptance and peace. On Friday 17 May at 16:00 (session 31), Ashanti Kunene explores the ties that bind or burden with Irene Muchemi-
On Sunday 19 May at 11:30, there’s a literally unbelievable romp through South African history with Jonathan Ancer, author of Bullsh!t: 50 Fibs That Made South Africa. Ancer will be in conversation with News24’s Pieter du Toit and cartoonist Carlos Amato, who drew the illustrations. Read an excerpt from Bullsh!t here.
Bestselling writers Angela Makholwa and Cecilia Aherne discuss adapting novels to TV on 17 May at 11:30 (session 4), and on Saturday 18 May at 16:00 (session 80) Makholwa and actress Nqobile Nunu Khumalo talk to Mohale Mashigo about the TV adaptation by Showmax of Red Ink, Makholwa’s hit thriller about a writer’s entanglement with a serial killer. Taken from her new empowering and uplifting collection of poems, groundbreaking and award-
For the full FLF programme, go here
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Pieter-
– Weekend Special, 27 July 2023
Pieter-
The book focuses mainly on the five years of Nelson Mandela’s presidency, starting in 1992 with An Evening with Pieter-
Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s emotional TRC is showcased in Truth Omissions, while in Darling, Evita se Perron celebrates a revisionist history of old South Africa with Tannie Evita Praat Kaktus, as well as the present realities, all Live from Boerassic Park. In London, the 1998 premiere of Europeans Only reflects the EU confusions, with a South African tongue firmly in cheek.
In 1999 Evita Bezuidenhout addresses Parliament and then goes on an extensive election trek from Darling to Pietersburg. With the dawn of a new century and a new president, Dekaffirnated makes its own statement with humour and optimism where possible. It all really makes sense of Tannie Evita’s favourite slogan: “We don’t need a crystal ball to see where our country is going. The future of South Africa is certain; it’s just the past that is unpredictable!”
Humour and irony
The first volume — One Man Shows: The black and white Years (1981-
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. It is already being shared by school children in South Africa. They choose sketches from the revues of the 1980s and give them life. Both books are free to read and download at: http://pdu.co.za/OneManShows.html
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Pieter-
– Pieter-
In 1960, when Dr Hendrik Verwoerd was pulling South Africa out of the British Commonwealth and remaking us as a republic, I was a 15-
One day, soon after the Sharpeville riots, hundreds of people, most of them not white, marched in from the townships and past our school. They were on their way to parliament to demand the end to passbooks for blacks. All we could hear were sounds that we thought were tanks rumbling alongside the march.
We were told to lie under our desks and pray. This felt like the end of the world. A few years later at the University of Cape Town, I met some fellow students who were part of that march. I told them of our terror. They laughed. One said, "Why didn’t you come and join us?"
At school no one questioned apartheid. It was thought normal. We, the Afrikaners, were right and everybody else was black.
I had many teachers in high school, mostly products of the brainwashed society teaching us in a brainwashed way. But there were two exceptions. Meneer du Toit taught us the history of the Afrikaner (then recently rewritten in Pretoria). His job was to spread the word. He did it by telling us exciting stories.
The other teacher was Miss Nel, who taught our second language, English. A small woman with chiselled features, she looked a bit like Meryl Streep crossed with Bette Davis. She went far beyond her duty.
She’d just returned from London, where she’d been teaching rowdy Cockney kids for a year and shared her stories with us; made us feel like grown ups; made us curious to know more. As we worked towards the two national exams, she made learning personal and enjoyable.
Miss Nel took the class to see our Shakespeare set work play at the University of Cape Town (UCT) Little Theatre in Gardens. I will never forget the magic of King Lear. When that curtain went up, my life was changed forever. Miss Nel also asked us each to write her a poem. The prospect terrified me.
"In English? … No, Miss, I can’t."
"Yes, Pieter, you can . . ."
"No, Miss, I can’t . . ."
"Pieter, you can do anything! If you believe in it, and work towards it, you can do anything."
Aloise Nel also gave me the confidence to become a performer. As a constant target of the bigger boys, I learnt to survive the hard way, and learnt to tell jokes and make them laugh and that way forget they wanted to beat me up.
I would also hide in the girls’ toilets! Maybe that’s where I started illuminating tough life through entertainment.
After I left school, Miss Nel got married to Peter Lambrecht and had three children. She moved to Johannesburg and we kept in touch, firstly with Christmas cards and then with tickets to my shows.
I’d send her my scripts. She also pointed out what worked and what didn’t; sometimes she added: "Your spelling is still awful."
When she came to a new show, there was a great temptation to stop the performance and point to her and say that it was all thanks to her that I was on this stage.
The dawn of the new century saw my work at schools with details about HIV and Aids. I have also enjoyed hours discussing with learners about topics focused on humour in politics and the right to ask questions, a far cry from my school days, when it was taboo to discuss politics, question anything. Our fears back then remained unspoken.
Not all children get the full attention of parents. But every child should, could, must have a teacher who stands in for all the things parents are not able to manage. On my visits to schools I always tell the learners and the teachers about Miss Nel and how she, as my teacher and later my friend, changed my life.
My new book, One Man Shows, The Mandela Rainbow Honeymoon (1992-
Download your free copy of Pieter-
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ONE MAN SHOWS
– Pieter-
It all happened during the thing called lockdown. Suddenly, somewhere in March 2020, the world stood still. Lights dimmed. Planes didn’t take off. Theatres closed. People stayed behind closed doors. It felt like the end of the world. It was.
The new normal-
All my plays are available on my website: www.pdu.co.za and I’ve had wonderful reactions and questions from readers all across the world. I never put my revues there, for the simple reason that a satirical topical entertainment from 1981 would make little sense when read in 2023. And, of course, I had to type the scripts out because during those years there was
no internet. Imagine! No internet?
So, as I was reliving those experiences of life under the former all-
A backstory was needed to put the characters of the 1980s into perspective. Once that was done I realized that another backstory was essential to try and explain to a 21st century reader what the politics of apartheid entailed: laws absurd, obscene and sometimes paralysingly stupid. I ended with 488 pages, including photos. A book? Yes and during lockdown nogal!
I sent it to my publisher who reacted with excitement and enjoyment. ‘We laughed; we cried; we relived it all — but there will be no buyers!’ They were right. Who in the middle of a state of disaster would spend R500 to buy a book about something that happened 40 years ago?
So the next step was obvious: I would launch the book through my website — and that’s where it is, free to eye for anyone who wants to read it, print it out, share it with family and friends — or just delete it! If the book was to be sold as books are, it would be in a bookshop for a few weeks, then on a lower shelf, and soon out of the view of the buyer.
That’s the way things go there. But now readers in Ukraine, New Zealand, Hungary, Mali, Orania, Mykonos, Glasgow, St Helena and Darling can go on the journey of a lifetime, free to explore the dark days of fear and fun, when laughing at politics was sometimes as illegal as praising democracy.
The first volume is called One Man Shows: the black and white Years (1981–1994). It has been in the public domain since December 2021 and the reaction has been humbling. My greatest enjoyment is the fact that our learners have chosen sketches from the book to perform, and then ask the question: why was Winnie Mandela in this type of show in 1985?
Then history enters the classroom, a rare and unprotected reality in today’s schooling. I am nearly ready to launch the second volume on Madiba Day, 18 July. One Man Shows: The Mandela Rainbow Honeymoon (1994-
My future plans, with or without electricity, will include the third volume reflecting the Mbeki Years and his AIDS denialisms.
Then Volume Four celebrating the state capture of Jacob Zuma and the shows that reflected his inventiveness amid his giggles. Then the volume exploring the mystery and disasters of Cyril the Wise.
By that time I’ll probably know where the final indulgence takes place: a Malema dictatorship? Or have we by then become a Russian colony?
Time alone will tell. In the meantime, refresh your memory if you are of that generation. Otherwise explore the journeys with Google in close reach.
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'Drag queen? Jester? Subversive clown? Pieter-
His first one-
In this extract from his new book, which fans can download free from his website, the much-
– Pieter-
Months of forced confinement; the Covid-
“Social distancing” meant “Stay at home!” Especially my age group. Eskom switching off our power for hours a day in rolling blackouts had already forced me to reinvent the uses of darkness. With a few candles lit, I could clear out cupboards, sort papers and rearrange costumes in my theatre attic. The lockdown gave me even more scope.
Since 1973, I had written and performed 46 one-
As I worked through this material, it started forming itself into something other than an archive. Besides the texts that covered the apartheid years, I found myself looking back on a 40-
Most of the work was instinctive, much of it raw and naïve. In the passion of the moment there was no explaining and analysing, few discussions, not even the acknowledgement of fear and danger which was there every day. But now I had time to explore and understand what I had done back then.
As the words “satire” and “satirist” became part of a CV, I found [American stand-
That couldn’t quite work for me in a South Africa of legalised racism; the tragedy of the day had to be exposed that evening. But the truth was seldom funny or entertaining. Media was controlled; the press heavily censored.
Under apartheid, everything accepted as daily life was manufactured and handed to us as “the facts” by the regime. So how do you expose those lies and tell the truth in such a situation? It needed the masks of characters. Because fear is true, but so is laughter.
Looking back now, there is — surprisingly — still much in the material to laugh at. I avoided telling jokes. The truth could be bitterly funny and that was the dynamo of my shows: people could laugh at their fears, because that is what I also had to do. I would not look away from the things that frightened us.
And so I laughed with my audience at the absurdity, the obscenity, the impossible odds. In order to expose racism, one had to reflect and show racism. Today, some of it makes me cringe, makes my skin crawl, but back then it had to be outed.
Live theatre is for me the audience, that precious collection of people giving their valuable time to forget about the monstrous in their lives; the foundation of my dreams since the late 1960s, when The Theatre saw me and decided that I was the perfect sucker to capture. Life imprisonment without parole.
When filling in forms I always dither at “Occupation”. Writer? Playwright? Performer? Yes, and more. But I’m not a politician — that’s a cul-
“Pieter-
“Pieter-
It’s taken me over half a century to find out who I am. I’m not going to tell you. I want to show you, courtesy of The Oxford English Dictionary:
One-
One-
Stand-
Entertainment: the action of providing or being provided with amusement or enjoyment.
Satire: the use of humour, irony, exaggeration or ridicule to expose and criticise people’s stupidity or vices.
Subversive: seeking or intending to subvert an established system or institution.
Comedy: entertainment consisting of jokes and sketches intended to make an audience laugh: a play with a humorous or satirical tone in which the characters ultimately triumph over adversity.
Offend: cause to feel hurt or resentful; be displeasing to; commit an illegal act; break a commonly accepted role or principle.
Drag queen: a man who ostentatiously dresses up in women’s clothes.
Humorist: a humorous writer, performer or artist.
Clown: a comic entertainer, especially one in a circus, wearing traditional costume and exaggerated make-
Jester: a professional joker; a fool at a medieval court
I’m in the above somewhere.
This is an extract from One Man Shows, the black and white years by Pieter-
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| CV |
| Works to Date |
| Darling! |
| Current Concerns |
| Evita's free Speech |
| Freedom of Speech & Expression |
| Elections & Voter Education |
| HIV/Aids |
| 2019 |
| 2018 |
| 2017 |
| 2015 |
| 2014 |
| 2013 |
| 2012 |
| 2010 |
| 2009 |
| 2007 |
| 2006 |
| 2004 |
| 2003 |
| 1993 |
| 2019 |
| 2017 |
| 2016 |
| 2014 |
| 2013 |
| 2011 |
| 2010 |
| 2009 |
| 2008 |
| 2007 |
| 2006 |
| 2005 |
| 2004 |
| 2003 |
| 2001 |
| 1999 |
| 2011 |
| 2010 |
| 2009 |
| 2008 |
| 2007 |
| 2006 |
| 2005 |
| 2004 |
| 2003 |
| 2002 |
| 2001 |
| 2000 |
| Elections & Erections |
| Between the Devil and the Deep |
| Articles by PDU |
| Articles about PDU |
| New Yorker PDU profile |
| Archived Articles by PDU |
| Archived Articles About PDU |
| Archived Interviews |
| Archived Reviews |
| Miscellany |
| Archived Videos |
| 2017 |
| 2016 |
| 2015 |
| 2014 |
| 2013 |
| 2012 |
| 2011 |
| 2010 |
| 2009 |
| 2008 |
| 2007 |
| 2006 |
| 2005 |
| 2004 |
| 2003 |
| 2002 |
| 2001 |
| 1999 |
| 2018 |
| 2016 |
| 2015 |
| 2014 |
| 2013 |
| 2012 |
| 2011 |
| 2010 |
| 2009 |
| 2008 |
| 2007 |
| 2006 |
| 2005 |
| 2004 |
| 2003 |
| 2002 |
| 2001 |
| 2000 |
| 1999 |
| 1998 |
| 1997 |
| 1996 |
| 1994 |
| 1993 |
| 1990 |
| 1980 |
| 2018-1 |
| 2018-2 |
| 2018-3 |
| 2018-4 |
| 2018-5 |
| 2018-6 |
| 2017 |
| 2016 |
| 2015 |
| 2014 |
| 2013 |
| 2012 |
| 2011 |
| 2010 |
| 2009 |
| 2008 |
| 2007 |
| 2006 |
| 2005 |
| 2004 |
| 2003 |
| 2002 |
| 2001 |
| 2000 |
| 1997 |
| kaktus2 |
| Sell-by Date-1 |
| 2020 |
| 2019 |
| 2018 |
| 2017 |
| 2016 |
| 2015 |
| 2014 |
| 2013 |
| 2012 |
| 2011 |
| 2010 |
| 2009 |
| 2008 |
| 2007 |
| 2006 |
| 2005 |
| 2004 |
| 2003 |
| 2002 |
| 2001 |
| 2000 |
| 1999 |
| 1993 |
| 1990 |
| 1981 |
| 2015-1 |