One classy clown
Alan Committie is as comfortable in Shakespearean tragedy as stand-up comedy
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, writes Robyn Cohen. After clowning around, Committie goes into rehearsal for Maynardville 2019, as Richard III in Shakespeare’s tragedy.
Committie is the ultimate shapeshifter – 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 de-brief. 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 oneman 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 under13s. Tickets R120-R165. Discounts for seniors and students. Book at Webtickets.