Grocott's Mail
  • NEWS
    • Courts & Crime
    • Features
    • Politics
    • People
    • Health & Well-being
  • SPORT
    • News
    • Results
    • Sports Diary
    • Club Contacts
    • Columns
    • Sport Galleries
    • Sport Videos
  • OPINION
    • Election Connection
    • Makana Voices
    • Deur ‘n Gekleurde Bril
    • Newtown… Old Eyes
    • Incisive View
    • Your Say
  • ARTSLIFE
    • Cue
    • Makana Sharp!
    • Visual Art
    • Literature
    • Food & Fun
    • Festivals
    • Community Arts
    • Going Places
  • OUR TOWN
    • What’s on
    • Spiritual
    • Emergency & Well-being
    • Safety
    • Civic
    • Municipality
    • Weather
    • Properties
      • Grahamstown Properties
    • Your Town, Our Town
  • OUTSIDE
    • Enviro News
    • Gardening
    • Farming
    • Science
    • Conservation
    • Motoring
    • Pets/Animals
  • ECONOMIX
    • Business News
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Personal Finance
  • EDUCATION
    • Education NEWS
    • Education OUR TOWN
    • Education INFO
  • Covid-19
  • EDITORIAL
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending
  • ADC partners with Rhodes psychology trainees for trauma workshops
  • Rhodes SRC elections nullified as 5 candidates found to be on academic probation
  • Women’s Day inspiration at Amazwi
  • PJ beat Graeme seconds in titanic battle
  • Gunn shines for Klipfontein in bonus-point win over OC
  • Swallows end season on a high
  • A jubilant celebration of Xhosa music and culture
  • Debt enforcement under the National Credit Act
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Grocott's Mail
  • NEWS
    • Courts & Crime
    • Features
    • Politics
    • People
    • Health & Well-being
  • SPORT
    • News
    • Results
    • Sports Diary
    • Club Contacts
    • Columns
    • Sport Galleries
    • Sport Videos
  • OPINION
    • Election Connection
    • Makana Voices
    • Deur ‘n Gekleurde Bril
    • Newtown… Old Eyes
    • Incisive View
    • Your Say
  • ARTSLIFE
    • Cue
    • Makana Sharp!
    • Visual Art
    • Literature
    • Food & Fun
    • Festivals
    • Community Arts
    • Going Places
  • OUR TOWN
    • What’s on
    • Spiritual
    • Emergency & Well-being
    • Safety
    • Civic
    • Municipality
    • Weather
    • Properties
      • Grahamstown Properties
    • Your Town, Our Town
  • OUTSIDE
    • Enviro News
    • Gardening
    • Farming
    • Science
    • Conservation
    • Motoring
    • Pets/Animals
  • ECONOMIX
    • Business News
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Personal Finance
  • EDUCATION
    • Education NEWS
    • Education OUR TOWN
    • Education INFO
  • Covid-19
  • EDITORIAL
Grocott's Mail
You are at:Home»ARTS & LIFE»Rob’s still standing, looking like a true survivor
ARTS & LIFE

Rob’s still standing, looking like a true survivor

Rod AmnerBy Rod AmnerJuly 1, 2022Updated:July 1, 2022No Comments2 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
'Rob van Vuuren is Still Standing.'

COMEDY: Rob van Vuuren is still standing
Review by DANA OSBORN

After swearing that 2019 was his last show, Rob van Vuuren is back at the National Arts Festival following what seemed like a rather tumultuous lockdown period. Divorce, Covid, near-death experiences, and he is Still Standing. 

Loadshedding forced a change of venues a few hours before the show, which caused a bit of a wait while NAF staff worked to get another venue ready. As 9 pm approached, the cold weather seemed to get to a few members of the crowd. Let me tell you; it was well worth the wait. 

In typical van Vuuren fashion, he started the show heckling audience members and running through some safety protocols (checking there were no Will Smith fans in the crowd). The show is centred around the aftermath of the “apocalypse” and what is framed as some of the most brutal years of Van Vuuren’s life. He creates a hilarious picture of South African life during the pandemic, covering pretty much everything from Separation and harrowing Ayahuasca experiences to crime and home affairs. 

Van Vuuren proved, once again, his comedic brilliance in this brutally astute and brilliantly executed set. Especially in his moments of improvised, sharp-witted retort when chatty audience members pipe up. 

Van Vuuren seemed elated to be back on stage. He explained in-depth how ‘kak’ online comedy was when his only audience member was his knitting mom, who “didn’t laugh once” at his jokes.

The energy van Vuuren brought to his live audience was tangible, creating an hour of dearly missed interactive comedy. What elevates Van Vuuren’s show is his masterful use of physical theatre. His mocking expressions and animated gestures make for one immensely entertaining watch. 

Van Vuuren claims he is something of a demotivational speaker who has figured out that the meaning of life is “not a very hopeful message”. However, he left the audience with an uplifting sentiment. Despite everything, we are still standing and, thanks to Rob, still laughing.  

Catch the extra final performance of Rob van Vuuren is Still Standing on Saturday, 2 July, 2-3 pm.

Rob van Vuuren. Photo: supplied
Previous ArticleThe entanglement of us all
Next Article Not just politicians lusting for power
Rod Amner

Related Posts

A jubilant celebration of Xhosa music and culture

Two Rhodes plays ignite conversation about women’s struggles

‘Jikelela’ refuses to let you go back into the world thinking everything is fine

Comments are closed.

Tweets by Grocotts
Newsletter



Listen

The Rhodes University Community Engagement Division has launched Engagement in Action, a new podcast which aims to bring to life some of the many ways in which the University interacts with communities around it. Check it out below.

Humans of Makhanda

Humans of Makhanda

Weather    |     About     |     Advertise     |     Subscribe     |     Contact     |     Support Grocott’s Mail

© 2022 Maintained by School of Journalism & Media Studies.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.