Some ‘Family Therapy’ to keep audiences smiling
Aaron Mcilroy and Lisa Bobbert bring their brand of comedy to the Guild Theatre
After a year-long Covid-19 induced hiatus, well-seasoned comedic duo Aaron Mcilroy and Lisa Bobbert are back in town to perform their newest hilarious hit show — Family Therapy.
Catching up with Mcilroy and Bobbert at the Guild Theatre ahead of their first performance on Tuesday, it was clear that Covid-19 had changed many things for the pair and their work, but their passion for bringing belly laughs, self-reflection and fun to audiences has definitely not faltered.
The zany performers first brought Family Therapy to life on stage in late 2019 and have since performed the show via the 2020 virtual National Arts Festival, and at a series of independent theatre venues, church halls and more intimate spaces such as restaurants.
“Things have changed quite a bit. We’ve had to see which venues opened up and look at our business model to come up with new, fresh ideas for the future
“It’s been difficult to prepare or plan too far in advance or know what is coming next.
“We’ve just had to find a gap and perform where we can,” Bobbert said.
In the midst of Covid-19 she started Starz At Home — a national online talent search, showcase and competition platform for budding young SA performers.
Mcilroy said it took a lot of work for venues to open and ensure Covid-19 compliance, so many of their regular performance spots had not worked out.
“This is what we did when we were younger — travel around and set up anywhere to perform. It was only about a month ago that we called Zane Flanagan and asked what the Guild was up to,” Mcilroy quipped.
Directed and choreographed by Daisy Spencer, Family Therapy sees Mcilroy and Bobbert play a series of madcap characters who share their family woes with the audience.
The production takes place on a talk-show type set where Mcilroy and Bobbert embody multiple guest speakers who deliver their wacky stories as a series of personal family dramas and suggestions to the audience.
Throughout the show Mcilroy and Bobbert deliver impressive — and hilarious — musical performances by cleverly reinventing well-known songs to speak to each character’s experience.
These range from an incredibly fitting version of Smokie’s Living Next Door To Alice to the hilariously appropriate rendition of Queen’s Under Pressure.
Family Therapy has music, theatre, hilarity and sincerity all rolled into one and offers just the right amount of nonsense and heartfelt moments to keep audiences smiling throughout.
Inspired by many of their own experiences, Mcilroy and Bobbert, who are married and have four children, said the show had been sparked by its title — Family Therapy.
“The name is how it started. It makes it sound like we could all need some therapy. In a way, do we not all feel like we need family therapy sometimes? Because the people closest to you can really drive you bonkers,” Mcilroy quipped.
“We thought this would be really fertile ground for comedy and for dealing with the various challenges families face. We cover topics like the generation gap, fractured or blended families and the importance of setting healthy boundaries.”
Bobbert said the show ended on a hopeful note as they played the role of an older couple reflecting on their lives and making it to the end in one piece.
“The old couple focus on the importance of family, but they also have no shame to tell it like it is. We want people to laugh of course, but as we’ve become older there’s a lot more meaning and substance to our work too,” Bobbert said.
“With experience I think you earn the right to have a say,” Mcilroy said.
“And it’s always about what comes back from the audience and how real or how helpful the show is to them. In a live context it’s hilarious because you see people recognising their own situations and recognising themselves in our characters.”
Family Therapy runs at the Guild Theatre until Friday (May 14). Performances start at 7pm and tickets at R180 per person are available at Computicket. Tickets for students and pensioners are R160. Tickets are limited and Covid-19 protocols will be in place.
It’s been difficult to prepare or plan too far in advance or know what is coming next. We’ve just had to find a gap and perform