Alan Committie Photo: Supplied Alan Committie Photo: Supplied
Cape Town – Alan Committie is flexing his comedy abs when he opens tonight at the Baxter with his new solo stand-up show, Class(y) Clown, directed by Chris Weare.
After clowning around, Committie goes into rehearsal for Maynardville 2019, as Richard III in Shakespeare’s tragedy.
Committie is the ultimate shape-shifter - directing, acting, doing comedy and whatever else comes his way, including musicals and a bit of circus. (Who can forget the aerial act he performed in one solo show, in a lycra onesie? Awesome.)
This year, he’s been at full throttle. He toured nationally with two solo shows (Planet Mirth and Love Factually); hosted the Jive Funny Festival; and directed the comedic The Play That Goes Wrong (Cape Town and Joburg).
He then took a sharp turn from mirth when he performed in David Mamet’s harrowing drama Oleanna at the Fugard Theatre.
Class(y) Clown is his annual festive season comedic debrief. Can we expect a similar format to previous end-of-year shows - flashing high and low points of the year?
“It is my yearly review. I talk about how the world is ruled by clowns at the moment and how important it is for us to remain classy, but I also explore education and what youngsters are up against now.
“I turn 45 in January so I unpack what it is to be middle-aged in 2018.
“The show is 85 minutes straight through. I return to my annual Christmas Season show at The Theatre on the Bay in 2019.”
In a sense comedy has become Committie’s primary practice. But beyond the clowning, he has received considerable acclaim for his theatre work. For instance, in 2007, Committie won a best actor Fleur du Cap Theatre Award for his role in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead.
Whenever he has had the opportunity, he has got his teeth into non-comedic work. With the role in Oleanna and now Richard III, 2018 has been a huge turnabout for him in terms of a return to the drama track.
“I studied as an actor at UCT in the mid-90s. Once I gravitated to comedy and, in particular to stand-up, the idea was always to return to straight acting at least once every 12 to 15 months.
“I got that right for a number of years, but then I also started directing projects, starred in a musical (Little Shop of Horrors), and so 2018 finally presented me with another opportunity to sink my teeth into something meaty.
“Mamet is an awesome text and I loved every minute. It’s gratifying to flex different acting muscles.”
As for venturing into a Shakespeare production at Maynardville Open-Air Festival, he mused: “I’m very excited to be performing in a Maynardville production for the first time, under the experienced hand of Geoffrey Hyland.
“Geoff and I have been discussing this possibility for a number of years, and when it presented itself and our schedules all worked out, we leapt at the chance I love text and I’ve had a bit of a love affair with Richard III - which is my favourite Shakespeare - for more than 20 years.
“Twenty-one years ago I did a one-man version and now I’ve a chance to play this great part in a full-scale production I can’t wait to present the notorious hunchback and tell his tale of palace politics and political machinations.”
* Class(y) Clown runs from tonight until December 15 at 8.15pm in the Baxter Concert Hall. No under-13s. Tickets R120-R165. Discounts for seniors and students. Book at Webtickets.