After two sold-out runs in Cape Town and other well-received gigs around the city, the stand-up comedy collective Four Young Whites is coming to Jozi.
From May 1-3 at the Pop Art Theatre in Maboneng Precinct, the guys will show the Big Smoke why their brand of quirky, surrealist and energetic comedy is proving so popular in the Cape.
Having already been hosted by South African favourites Rob van Vuuren and Jason Goliath, the guys again have secured Jason as well as Donovan Goliath and Barry Roux – ag Hilton (this will change just showing you what will go here) to host their run in May.
The production has also had the watchful guidance of Three Little Pigs director Tara Notcutt, to steer the Whites from the path of madness.
The Four Young Whites is a provocative title that elicits many questions from audience members and the general public. In its literal interpretation – there are simply four guys who are young (ish) and white. Within a more complex sociological paradigm – their comedy is ironically often devoid of race-related material as so often seen in the country. The race issues that are touched upon are dealt with in a fresh and self-reflective manner that causes the crowd to question their own beliefs and opinions.
There is a refreshing camaraderie on stage among the Four Young Whites as they are chiefly friends having a good time together. Indeed in their past shows the feedback from audience members was that the banter among the guys, in between their stand-up sets and sketches, really allowed them to feel a part of the show.
The Four Young Whites are unabashedly hipster in their appearance, as seen by Schalk Bezuidenhout’s outrageous shirts, Oliver Booth’s fastened top button, Bradford Keen’s Casio wristwatch and Glen Biderman-Pam’s haircut called The Berliner – yes, the Berliner.
But unlike hipsters they value laughing out loudly in public and will even drink beers other than the craft variety.
The Four Young Whites represents a new brand of comedy in South Africa. It is fun, surreal, unapologetic and ultimately a solid laugh. Johannesburg needs to see this.
