Archived Reviews of Adapt or Fly

REVIEW OF ADAPT OR FLY  in PORT ELIZABETH — JANUARY 2013

Pieter Dirk Uys’ “Adapt or Fly” Show
– Nina Bodisch, MyPE, 29 January 2013

Pieter Dirk Uys is back in town — shout it from the rooftops! The political satire is as sharp and as relevant as ever! We went to his first of three shows in PE last night at the Boardwalk Vodacom Amphitheatre, and thoroughly enjoyed the man’s sharp wit. Throughout the skits of the various characters played, there was still a very pronounced sense of humanity, though. This came through very clearly in the skit of the Muslim Auntie from the Cape Flats whose granny had been dispossessed of her beautiful home in Newlands and had her stinkwood dining room suite taken away from her, all those years ago. This Auntie reminisces about the old lady and how she died still waiting to have her lovely stinkwood dining room table returned to her…

A nasty little Adolf Hitler popping in from hell for a visit, a succession of pompous and righteous former South African presidents and other politicians from the bad old days of apartheid (BJ Vorster, PW Botha, FW de Klerk, and a perfectly impersonated “as far as I’m concerned” Pik Botha), as well as some more recent political characters (Madiba, impersonated quite lovingly; Thabo Mbeki, Jacob Zuma) and the well known iconic ladies, Nowell Fine the Kugel, and Evita Bezuidenhout, these all put in an appearance throughout the show to remind us of the long and winding road this country has travelled to reach a semblance of democracy. And indeed we are reminded that we are still continuing to travel this treacherous road.

Uys warns us that history does not repeat itself in South Africa – the same things just come back with different names!

A laugh-a-minute, “remember when”, very sobering and yet ultimately uplifting show that is a real treat to watch!

Viva Pieter Dirk Uys, may his skillful political satire continue to cast light on our society and our political leaders for many years to come!!

There are two more shows: one tonight at 7:30pm and another tomorrow, Wednesday 30th Jan at 7:30pm.