Tannie Evita at Evita Se Perron

Pieter-Dirk Uys’s famous alter-ego rewrites history

Get a revised history lesson from South Africa’s most famous white woman, Evita Bezuidenhout, as she presents her sidesplitting, satirical stand-up Tannie Evita Praat Kaktus (Auntie Evita Talks Cactus) at her famed and beloved theatre, Evita se Perron, in Darling, every Sunday from 7 April to 5 May 2013.

The act is a revisionist look at South Africa’s past through the ages, from the arrival of the Cactus of Separate Development on the Drommedaris in 1652, through the Great Trek, the 1948 Election and the arrival of the National Party and Apartheid, right to the birth of democracy and the present. 

And this time, it’s all in English, so fans not so well versed in Afrikaans can get in on the laughs.

Not to mention, those who find that wry humour kick-starts their metabolism can arrive early and dine in the eatery. Evita se Perron, a transformed train station building, boasts two theatres as well as a restaurant serving South African favourites, like bobotie. The grounds also feature Tannie se Tuin, a community garden with a kiddies playground (though no children under eight are allowed in the theatre), and Boerassic Park, an art garden reflecting humour through political icons and symbols.

About Evita Bezuidenhout

For over 20 years, author, actor and activist Pieter-Dirk Uys has been enduring high-heels and extra long lashes to bring his most famous character to life. As a matron of political incorrectness, an honorary member of the ANC and a self-declared former ambassadress of a fictitious Bantustan called Bapetikosweti, Evita Bezuidenhout spends her time in the little town of Darling, 85km from Cape Town, performing at Evita se Perron throughout the year.

Bezuidenhout made her debut in 1982, and has since gained international acclaim for performances that poked fun, first, at the ridiculous laws under Apartheid, and then, at the leaders of the new, democratic South Africa. She has dined with Nelson Mandela, been kissed on the cheek by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and even received the Women’s International Centre’s 2000 Living Legacy Award in San Diego – an honour received by the likes of Hillary Clinton and Mother Theresa.

She is, indeed, a national treasure, giving us reason to laugh at our typically sobering politics and history.

Tickets for Tannie Evita Praat Kaktus

Tickets for Tannie Evita Praat Kaktus cost R150p/p (no children under the age of 8) and are available either by calling +27 (0) 22 492 3930 or by emailing bookings@evita.co.za . For an additional R85p/p the audience can dine on a delicious bobotie lunch – it starts at 12:45pm - before the show. The stand-up starts at 2pm.  

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Keen to catch a weekly dose of laughter closer to Cape Town? Head to Jou Ma Se Comedy Club.

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