ONE MAN SHOWS:
In the Shower with Zuma (2010-2020)
Pieter-Dirk Uys’s latest book, published by Missing Ink — One Man Shows: In the Shower with Zuma (2010-2020) — is available free to read or download:
Download the text of One Man Shows: In the Shower with Zuma
Announcing Volume Four!
The first volume — One Man Shows: The black and white years (1981-1994) — available since December 2021, has been enjoyed all over the world by readers interested in exploring our long walk to freedom and democracy.
The second volume — One Man Shows: The Mandela Rainbow Honeymoon (1992-1999) — released on Madiba’s birthday (18 July) in 2023, focuses mainly on the five years of Nelson Mandela’s presidency. It 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!’
The third volume — One Man Shows: The Mbeki HIV Renaissance (2000-2009) — launched at the 2024 Franschhoek Literary Festival, welcomes the new century with a detailed focus on the HIV/Aids pandemic in South Africa.
All three books are still available to download and read on my website.
In volume 4 — One Man Shows: In the Shower with Zuma (2010-2020) — Thabo Mbeki has handed the reigns of power to Jacob Zuma. State capture becomes a common daily swearword. The ten years of Mshowerlozi’s control of the ruling ANC party lends itself well to sharp satirical comment. The following one-man-shows kept PDU busy for a decade:
*Fee-Fa-Fo-Fum — the soccer World Cup leaves footprints.
*Desperate First Ladies — reflects our president’s wives and the Nkandla homeland.
*Adapt or Fly — a variation of Adapt or Dye (1981), the new decision is stay or go!
*An Audience with Pieter-Dirk EISH! — from a collection of numbered boxes, the audience chooses a number and PDU performs whats in the box. Pick-a-Box or Kiss-‘n-Doos!
*Fifty Shades of Bambi — Evita Bezuidenhout’s younger sister Bambi Kellermann brings her view of life up to date. Not for the faint-hearted.
*The Echo of a Noise — for the first time, a memoir from PDU that fills in many empty spaces.
*Evita Bezuidenhout & the Kaktus of Separate Development — it’s been performed for 29 years: Evita’s celebration of Afrikaans history with a tongue firmly in your cheek,
*When in Doubt say Darling — focuses on living in a town called Darling and filling the stage with other darlings.
*#HeTwo: Unmasking Evita — inspired by #MeToo, PDU celebrates his chorus line of characters
The first three volumes are already being shared by school children in South Africa. They choose sketches from the revues and give them life. Many young women enjoy the Winnie Mandela sketches, which also inspire them to ask why the Mother of the Nation was in a satirical revue in the early days of our democracy. This gives South African history a chance to also be heard in the new century, while also inspiring questions from young readers who are surprised by the humour and the enjoyment of the Mandela years. It is ironic that focus on HIV and Aids is still relevant and urgent in spite of the availability of expensive medications.
Applications for performance rights, both professional and amateur, should be addressed to:
PD Uys Productions
productions@evita.co.za
But please read this collection of one-man shows with pleasure. We will be adding further PDU one-man show collections in future.