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Comedy Fest Kicks off in CT
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2007-08-29 14:01
SA stand-up comedian David Newton will join the line-up for the Ca...
2007-08-29 14:01
SA stand-up comedian David Newton will join the line-up for the Cape Town International Comedy Festival. (Photo supplied)
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Cape Town - Africa's biggest comedy event is kicking off in the Mother City on the 3rd of September.
The 11th Cape Town International Comedy Festival will run until the 23 September and cater for everyone's taste with seven separate programmes.
This year's line-up of top stand-up comedians hail from the UK, US, Canada, Germany and Australia and will be joined by South Africa's bright new comedy stars including David Newton, Riaad Moosa, Nik Rabinowitz, Dowwe Dolla, Michael Naicker and the celebrated Joe Barber duo of Oscar Petersen and David Isaacs.
As in the past the festival mainstays of the Main Arena and Danger Zone will be presented at the Baxter Theatre, while an exciting new showcase of the best in local Afrikaans comedy, Bek-Lash, makes its debut at the Artscape Theatre.
Bek-Lash incorporates the talents of Tobie Cronje, Dowwe Dolla, Joey Rasdien, Marion Holm, Martin Jonas, Emo Adams, the Joe Barber duo and Steve Best - an acclaimed British comedian, renowned for his physical comedy.
Directed by award-winning Lara Bye, Bek-Lash takes the form of a show more akin to vaudeville or cabaret and will be hosted by popular musical funny-man, Pedro Kruger.
The Main Arena programme of stand-up comedy will be hosted by celebrated British comedian Alistair Barrie who will introduce Cape Town audiences to Australian Carl Barron, Canadian Laurie Elliott and American Tom Clark.
Festival favourite
They will be joined by SA's leading funny-men Nik Rabinowitz, David Newton and Riaad Moosa.
A longstanding festival favourite, the Danger Zone offers comedy for more adventurous audiences who like a more edgy approach to humour.
This year sees the return of UK-based Australian funny-man Jim Jefferies who is considered one of the fastest-rising stars in comedy and appeared at the 2005 Cape Town International Comedy Festival.
He features alongside fellow-Australian Steve Hughes, American comic Bert Kreischer and Canadian Terry Clement.
Danger Zone also features South Africa's Kevin Perkins, as well as Perkins' irreverent alter ego, Michael Naicker, who is well-known throughout South Africa as the straight-talking, hard-hitting "common man's super hero".
An innovative addition to this year's programme is the inclusion of a mini-film festival, Comedy Shorts, featuring the world's best comedy short films at the Labia Theatre.
Co-presented with Just For Laughs, Canada's biggest comedy festival, Comedy Shorts comprises two programmes, Funny Shorts and Filthy Shorts.
Alternative humour
In the same vein as the Main Arena programme, Funny Shorts features the best mainstream short films from Just For Laughs' 2007 programme, while Filthy Shorts comprises an eclectic mix of alternative humour from the world's wackiest film-makers.
This year the festival once again presents a number of zany street performers who will be amusing unsuspecting Capetonians as part of the Street Comedy Festival which showcases the outstanding comedic talents of street entertainers from the capitals of the world.
Audiences who wish to sample a smorgasbord of the most popular acts from all the shows will be able to either go to The Late Show at the Bang Bang Club on Wednesday nights, or attend the Best of the Fest at the Baxter Theatre every Sunday evening during the festival.
Visit www.comedyfestival.co.za to see a full line-up and the schedule of the different shows. Bookings at Computicket.
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Comedian David Newton in Los Angeles Competition
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Top SA comedian, David Newton (www.davidnewton.co.za), is currently in Los Angeles pursuing his acti...Top SA comedian, David Newton (www.davidnewton.co.za), is currently in Los Angeles pursuing his acting and comedy career. David was invited by H2F Comedy Productions (www.flapperscomedy.com) to participate in their Ice House Comedy contest, after seeing an audition of his in March 2010.
The world famous Ice House in Pasadena (www.icehousecomedy.com) is one of the longest running comedy clubs in America and boasts alumni such as Tim Allen, Jerry Seinveld, Adam Sandler, George Lopez, Jay Leno, Steve Martin and Chris Rock to name a few.
The Ice House comedy contest was open to any comic currently working in Los Angeles and consisted of five preliminary rounds with 10 comics battling it out each week and the top two comics per night progressing to the finals with were held on the main stage at the Ice House main stage on the 7th April.
On the 17th March, week three of the preliminary rounds saw David Newton take the stage against nine other LA comics and delivering just 6 minutes of his unique brand of comedy. David impressed the judges and audience so much he scooped the top spot of the night and a place in the finals, the ‘Soup or Bowl’ of the comedy contest.
On Wednesday the 7th April the finals were held in the Ice House main room with 10 finalists competing for a week’s professional contract to do their own show on the main stage, automatic entrance into the Boston Comedy Festival in November 2010 and $500 cash. Drawing the short straw in the draw for the line-up, David was up first to open the show to an all-American audience and competing against an all-American line-up.
Dazzling the voting audience and impressing the judges once again David exceeded all expectations and walked away with second place out of 50 initial entrants.
For more on David Newton’s movements in LA and to see a clip from his performance in the final, follow him on www.facebook.com/davidnewton or go to his site: www.davidnewton.co.za
David Newton’s latest full feature length live show DVD, Nothing But The Truth is available now in all good retail stores nationwide.
East London performance: Tickets: R80
For more details, contact the Guild Theatre at 043 743 0704
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David Newton's raucous comedy at The Lyric
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The brutally honest and decidedly politically incorrect David Newton is set to bring side-splitting ...The brutally honest and decidedly politically incorrect David Newton is set to bring side-splitting stand-up comedy to The Lyric Theatre for two nights.
The shows are at the Lyric Theatre at Gold Reef City Casino on 17 and 18 December.
Newton is back in town after a spending a rock ‘n roll time in Hollywood. Get ready for two hours of hilarious comedy that compiles laughs from his critically acclaimed shows (Defending the Laid Man, Politically Incorrect, and Laugh) as well as a few bits from his Hollywood Sessions.
Winner of the Best Comedian Award at the National Arts Festival 2009, and nominated for Best Stand-up Comic of the Year in 2007 at the SA Comedy Awards, and nominee in the 2006 Fleur de Cap Theatre Award for Best Performance in a One-hander; Newton is nothing short of a comedy chameleon. Fearless and frank, there is no subject that Newton is afraid of.
These exclusive performances take place on 17 and 18 December at 20:30 at The Lyric Theatre. Tickets cost only R120, so book now at The Lyric Box Office 011 248 5000 or through Computicket to avoid disappointment.
You can follow @GoldReefCitySA on Twitter and on Facebook to keep up with Gold Reef City news and events.
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David Newton 'Politically Incorrect' comedy show
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I went to see David Newton’s new comedy show “Politically Incorrect” at the Jo’burg Civic Theatre la...I went to see David Newton’s new comedy show “Politically Incorrect” at the Jo’burg Civic Theatre last week. Now the only comedian that usually makes me laugh till my tummy hurts and my mascara runs, is Marc Lottering. Enter David Newton, who has taken a close second after Marc Lottering in my books. Now I have to be honest, I’ve not actually heard of David Newton before, so I was not sure what to expect on the funny front. However, I was pleasantly surprised, in fact, my funny bones got a real exercise!
Aptly named “Politically Incorrect” it runs the gamut from farting on escalators, to bulimia and anorexia, to picking up hitch-hikers and free range chickens!
There was also a serious note to the show. The idea is to use comedy as a vehicle to get across the message of Colorectal Cancer, a.k.a bum or bowel cancer, as David has made this his Corporate Social Responsibility project. Some you may have read that Farrah Fawcett, one of the original “Charlie’s Angels” from the 1970’s, has this form of cancer.
So expect to laugh and learn at the same time. The lesson? Brace yourself for a poke in the rear, that my just save your life! So get your Oncologist on the phone now.
David’s show is on at the Johannesburg Civic Theatre till Saturday, 30 May 2009 – tickets at Computicket.
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Defending The Laid Man
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After being bedridden for days with a terrible flu, it was with extreme scepticism that I dragged my...After being bedridden for days with a terrible flu, it was with extreme scepticism that I dragged my aching body to the Catalina Theatre to watch yet another attempt at the “Defending the...." title. Typical Durbanite, I crossed my arms and legs, sat back and thought: "Now, Mr Newton, entertain me - if you can!"
The inaudible soundtrack welcoming the audience got me to drop my head as well and I was surely not going to open up. After all, has everything about relationships not been said by now?
Then, a short-ish well groomed Newton walks on stage and rewrites the recipe for stand-up comedy. He wooed his audience and, without ever embarrassing anyone, tackles the most taboo subject on stage with amazing openness. Where the original Defending The Caveman and its copycats dealt with male/female and other relationships, Defending The Laid Man goes straight down (!) on the sexual interaction between the sexes.
Drinking water from a beer bottle, swearing like they all do yet never once leaving a bad taste in the mouth. He didn’t use exclamatory swear words for the sake of, he didn’t shout into his microphone, he didn’t spray spit all over the audience or ridicule audience members. He simply entertained and had the audience in stitches.
Subject matter of this nature certainly can easily be offensive, but not in the hands of Newton. Naming and describing the most private parts of the male and female anatomy should ordinarily raise eyebrows, yet, not if done with superb theatrical artfulness - and yes, raw stand-up can have finesse! Newton is a master at this. He is perfectly at ease with his work and presents it with accurate comedy timing and skill. Newton doesn’t only rely on his script, he is a truly talented performer. The result: an audience that relaxed and simply could not get enough.
What Dr Phil and Oprah can not achieve, Defending The Laid Man does: a healthy, open, extremely funny and wonderfully accurate reflection of the realities of sex. Not for the faint-hearted? Well, maybe if you live a celibate life.
Do not miss "Defending The Laid Man at any cost. Running at the Catalina Theatre until October 15.
(Note to the self: when not feeling well, take a good dose of laughter brilliantly mixed by David Newton and you will feel on top of the world in no time).- Luke Thomas
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Politically Incorrect comes to Obz Cafe Theatre
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After the national success of Defending the Laid Man, David Newton is back with his brand new show P...After the national success of Defending the Laid Man, David Newton is back with his brand new show Politically Incorrect, a hysterically controversial show, where David takes his Stand Up Comedy license and drives it full speed through ‘politically inappropriate’ territory. It runs at Obz Cafe Theatre “where everyone’s a VIP” from 21 March to 14 April.
David Newton was recently nominated for 2 prestigious Fleur Du Cap awards, Best Performance in a One-Hander and the People’s Choice Award for his last show nationally toured show, Defending the Laid Man. He was one of six SA comics at the Cape Town International Comedy Festival in September last year. There he performed along-side twenty of the world’s best international acts while scooping great media reviews which resulted in him being asked to perform at the ‘Best of Fest’ show.
David is quickly becoming one of South Africa’s most popular comics for making his comedy so appealing to his fans in his ability to speak directly and frankly about situations that happen to all of us. This is the theme of Politically Incorrect. His comedy material is so true to life that he effortlessly makes audiences relate to just about every subject he gives his attention to. Critics have described his performances as a “ferocious beast of gusto stand-up comedy” and that “one gets the feeling that David is not scared of any subject…”
Last year, other than David’s national tour of Defending the Laid Man, he produced the DVD of the same show, took two shows to the Grahamstown Arts Festival and hosted the SABC 3 reality travel show, Couch Trip as well as performing Stand Up weekly at venues around Cape Town.Along from the comedy, he is also in demand as a presenter and Master of Ceremonies and was recently ‘Ring Announcer’ and ‘MC’ at the ‘Taiboxing Spectacular’ and ‘Fight Night Africa’. In November David was also alongside Lebo Meshile presenting the ACT Awards in Jo’burg.
Director, 22 year old Ilana Wetzler, is the owner of Serotonin Productions and most famous for creating and hosting the popular Like Honey and Like Fire music shows. After studying part-time at the Waterfront Theatre School for 6 years, Ilana graduated from Afda as a film and theatre Director /Writer in 2005. She is primarily a comedienne and a writer and took her first show, Growing Things to the Grahamstown Festival when she was 19. Ilana has been acting, writing and producing since then, she is also the Event Manager for the Cape Leopard Trust’s annual Fundraiser at La Med on 22nd March this year as well as having worked on the American television series ER when it was filmed in South Africa last year.
Here’s what a few more critics had to say:
“This guy has a bright future and it’s bound to be under the spotlight on comedy stages far and wide. Really, Newton is seriously funny! He started out with some cricket crackers and wound up talking about blow-up dolls! You have to see it to believe it.”- Argus TONIGHT
“Newton walks on stage and re-writes the recipe for stand-up comedy… - ArtSmart Durban
Book at 082 041 0465 or call Obz Café Theatre on (021) 448 0649. For schools, corporate and block-bookings, charities and fundraisers call Kelli Lakey on (021) 448 0649. Tickets cost R130 inclusive of a three-course meal and coffee. Show only costs R65.
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Best Of Fest
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David Newton, two-time award nominated* stand-up comic (*Defending the Laid Man 2006 & Politically I...David Newton, two-time award nominated* stand-up comic (*Defending the Laid Man 2006 & Politically Incorrect 2007), is in Port Elizabeth at the PE Opera House for one night only on Friday 2nd October 2009 with ‘David Newton- Best Of Fest’.
Very familiar to the Eastern Cape as David Newton is no stranger to the Grahamstown National Arts Festival, with 5 festivals and 4 sold out shows under his belt. This year Newton took it to another level by taking 3 different comedy shows the the Festival & selling them all out making him the most successful comedian at Fest '09!
“Comedy dominated the list of biggest selling productions, with David Newton’s Politically Incorrect & LAUGH” –NatFest post festival report
In the past David’s shows, apart from being jaw-achingly hilarious, have all had a strong message behind them: Defending The Laid Man took a provocative look at dating, relationships & sex for the modern man.
Politically Incorrect dealt with the subject of political correctness and challenged audiences long-held views on what is or isn’t out of bounds to laugh at.
"Newton strikes again! Awesome stand-up! If you need an ab workout, this is the show for you! Nothing quite beats the feeling of laughing till your stomach hurts!" -(Review from CUE newspaper)
In ‘LAUGH’, David is going back to the basics of stand-up comedy which, in its essence is simply about making audiences LAUGH…and the ‘Abba/ James Bond’ finale is becoming iconic.
"...two beautifully constructed, clever and very funny final items earned its loud applause"- (Review from CUE newspaper)
Apart from Newton’s two own one-man shows, this year he debuted ‘Dekaf’ at the Festival. A one-man comedy show he produced, directed and co-wrote for actor and up-and-coming comedian Sivuyile ‘Siv’ Ngesi.
"A brave new face in stand-up, Siv Ngesi delivers a brilliant new dish! Top quality laughs...makes me proud to be a South African" - (Review from CUE newspaper)
Siv with be the opening act for ‘David Newton- Best Of Fest’.
If you missed this years G/town Fest...don't miss these. Or, if you did make the shows at the Fest then re-live the laughs!
Also familiar as the presenter of SABC3’s reality travel show Couch Trip (Big Blue Productions) and cameo appearances on Top Billing and Stokvel, his razor-sharp wit and his ability to provoke his audiences and make them laugh uncontrollably at everyday subjects, David has established himself as one of South Africa’s fastest rising comedy superstars…and has even been dubbed ‘Mr Grahamstown’ J
For further information on David log on to www.davidnewton.co.za.
Tickets are R100 per person.
Duration: 2 hours with opening act (including 15 min interval).
The show begins at 20h00.
For bookings go to the computicket website www.computicket.comor call computicket to book.
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David Newton- Best Of Fest
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If there is a cleverer, funnier stand up comedian at the festival,the packed and happy audience who ...If there is a cleverer, funnier stand up comedian at the festival,the packed and happy audience who stood to applaud nearly two hours of high energy performance would be amazed and delighted to know. Nothing, from the names of revered sporting heroes to the urologist's techniques, from the shape of tampons to Muslim couture escapes the eye of Newton or tongue of asp. Suitability: not for the prudish.
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David Newton Politically Incorrect
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Newton strikes again! Awesome stand up! If you're easily offended sit in the front row! If you need ...Newton strikes again! Awesome stand up! If you're easily offended sit in the front row! If you need an ab workout, this is the show for you! Nothing quite tops the feeling of laughing til your stomach aches! I'm guessing his show 'Laugh' will also rock. Don't miss either of them!
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