ADHD, Musical comedy
Venue: Victoria Theatre
Next performance: Thursday 03 July 14:00
Review
By Sayuri Persotham
Dynamic duo Lisa Bobbert and Aaron McIlroy bring an old-school charm to the 2025 National Arts Festival, leading their team, the 031 Collective Hub. The collective features around 10 creatives and eight productions – all curated with the acuteness of seasoned performers. For the 031 Collective, it all boils down to preparation – arriving already stage-ready in Makhanda. “When you come to the Festival, everyone’s tired, everyone’s slightly bewildered and overworked,” Aaron says. “You don’t want to do a sort of C-rate version of a show in the venues.” A ‘C-rate performance’? That couldn’t be further from the reality of an 031 production. By the first musical interlude, the hours of rehearsal, sharp technical work, and raw passion are undeniable. Mesmerised audiences can attest: 031 shows bring life to Festival theatre through their immersive, high-quality productions.
Photo: Sayuri Persotham
Aaron McIlroy’s ADHD is an insightful, comedic take on the everyday chaos that is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Relevant to adults and children alike, his humour portrays the struggles of ADHD from classrooms to the literal South African battlefield. The precise music and lighting cues amplify the performance, landing each punchline flawlessly. The 031 atmosphere is electric – palpable in audience laughs, gasps, and murmurs. “As far as festivals go, our shows feel closer to being in a theatre,” Aaron explains. “Instead of just four lights and winging it, we produce artistic shows that demand a certain attention to detail.” The ethos of the 031 Collective Hub? “Each show performed at our venue must be a solid piece of theatre.” The veracity of this, I shall leave up to the viewers. Words alone cannot do justice – the power of theatre must be felt amongst the filled seats. If the excellence of ADHD is anything to go by, we’ve got a full house of winners on our hands.
With decades of NAF experience behind them, the artists trace their success to the early Durban arts scene. The collective’s name pays homage, highlighting Durban’s area code ‘031’. “It was an incredible hub when we were young,” Aaron says. Today, the two-man act has flourished into an entire team – “a pivotal force in keeping the arts alive.” Musical comedy is the aim of the McBob game: “Our first priority is our craft, which is humour, music, and character work.” After all, “Nothing is more serious than comedy done well.” In this regard, the 031 shows speak volumes, revealing poignant themes through biting satire and side-splitting hilarity.
