Uy's 'Erections' Pokes Fun at Politics

There is a famous saying, attributed alternately to Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw, that goes: “If you’re going to tell people the truth, you’d better make them laugh; otherwise they’ll kill you.” For South African playwright Pieter-Dirk Uys, this statement is hauntingly literal. His most recent one-man production, “Elections and Erections,” currently being performed at the Zero Arrow Theatre, showcases the wry satire and verbal wit that has defined his career. The performance’s unique format, drawing upon drag and cabaret influences, provides a vehicle for the strong political dissent for which many South Africans have been killed.

Uys began writing plays criticizing Apartheid while attending college in Cape Town in the 1960s. As a gay man living under a government that criminalized homosexuality, estranged from the white community and legally prohibited from associating with other ethnic groups, Uys struggled to find a place within the rigid social politics of South Africa.

During this time, Uys found the medium that would define his career: one-man comedies. “Elections and Erections” continues Uys’ tradition of performing as a variety of male and female characters. On stage, he is able to explore the full spectrum of skin colors, genders, and social statuses that make up South African society. Speaking from a wide range of ideological viewpoints gives Uys a multifaceted perspective on South African politics. This hard-hitting political commentary, delivered through plenty of lipstick and glitter, has made his shows a mainstay of South African political activism, from the Apartheid era through the recent troubles with President Thabo Mbeki and the African National Congress (ANC).

Uys’ unique approach has broadened his audience to include even those he mocks. He is popular within the ANC and is frequently invited to perform at their events. However, Uys refuses to be a simple court jester: during a Winnie Mandela impersonation at an ANC event, Uys performed a skit about “necklacing,” a violent execution tactic endorsed by Winnie Mandela during Apartheid. Mandela, sitting in the front row surrounded by bodyguards, simply laughed. “You’ve got guts,” one of the bodyguards said after the show. Uys responded in characteristic form: “Can I keep the guts?”

“Elections & Erections” is similarly irreverent, lampooning everyone from Archbishop Desmond Tutu to Nigerian president Robert Mugabe. “I want to offend everyone in the audience at least once,” says Uys. The comedic excess of his show is disarming, resisting categorization and thereby dispelling the viewer’s potential biases against outspoken activism. Uys mocks public figures across the ideological spectrum, forcing the audience to abandon political allegiances and approach the show from a common standpoint of startled acceptance.

Uys has deftly adapted his act to suit American audiences. In addition to providing the requisite background information on South African politics, he examines American political issues such as church pedophilia and the Democratic primary. He draws startling parallels between American and South African politics, describing the operation of the ANC as “First World corruption.”

Though tempered by comedy, Uys paints a bleak, totalizing picture of the corruption, incompetence, and bigotry that permeates national and international politics. This cynicism can easily collapse into pessimistic apathy and hopelessness, but Uys stresses the importance of optimism. He lightens his political satire with stories of ordinary citizens taking an active role in improving their country’s situation. “The people must lead,” says Uys, “and the government will follow.”

This faith in the actions of individual citizens has been a driving factor in Uys’ work. In the mid-90s, when the severity of the AIDS epidemic became apparent, Uys began visiting schools in South Africa to educate young people about contraceptive use. His performances are entirely free and were a crucial service to schools that lacked funding for such programs.

Uys seeks support from international audiences with performances such as “Elections & Erections” and “International AIDS,” which premiered as the inaugural performance at the Zero Arrow Theater. These shows help fund Uys’ AIDS work in Africa. Perhaps more importantly, however, Uys’ comedic performances bring South African politics to the attention of the international community. “The only weapon I have is the weapon of humor. It’s a great weapon of mass destruction. And a politician does not like being laughed at,” says Uys. “It’s a great way to bring them down.”