***Winner of Standard Bank Ovation GOLD award at National Arts Festival 2018. 

***Nominated for Freshest show, Fresh performer and Fresh creative, Cape Town Fringe 2017.

The Game Show Double Bill features two different styles of game show formats pitched at a same same but different audiences, separated by a short interval. Created and hosted by venerated writer, director and performer, J.Bobs Tshabalala the two game shows presented are “OFF THE RECORD” and “Location | Lekeyshini | Lokasie”. Together they have audiences banging down the door to attend, participate and let their inner competitor revel in a mash up of theatre, improv, sketch and game show all very cleverly compiled by the show’s writers to offer insight into uniquely South African realities. 

FIRST 10 TICKETS ARE R 50

The Game Show Double Bill concept has been refined during a long national tour to several spaces around the country and will continue to perform in spaces to entertain, educate and grow it’s audiences. POPArt hosted J.Bobs and the Kiri Pink Knob team for the first time in May this year, and it was unanimously decided that a long term collaboration is in order. “OFF THE RECORD”  is a panel, game and quiz show hybrid that features two celebrity competitors representing their teams in the audience. A show that banters about with humour and controversy, much like a QI, task master J.Bobs is looking for the answers that ain’t obviaas. “Location | Lekeyshini | Lokasie” features team captains, points, drama, suspense and some amazing physical challenges from the special guests. It’s a sketch and skit show with a variety of vignettes that examine, celebrate, critique and reflect poignantly on the vast lived experiences of many in the South African Townships: a show that looks like, sounds like and operates like the lokishi. All in all, an evening of excellent entertainment. 

“Here, the overt flamboyance of the township, meets the subdued vileness of suburbia, and the blend is as beautiful as it is intriguing. A romantic blend of palates that are very seldom paired emerges. The taste makes for quite the evening of riotous entertainment”, says creator and host J.Bobs Tshabalala. “One is the quintessential township jousting tournament, a battle of urban suave and kasi finesse (LLL).  The other locates its crux in the holds of reserved suburbia being unleashed, a battle of quant decorum and sharp wits (OTR). Combined, these shows give to the audience a fuller experiential scope of the larger South African narrative”. 

This is what makes the show a perfect fit at POPArt. “With a constant focus on. developing a broad audience base, as well using arts and culture as a vehicle for sharing South African experiences, this double bill is something that fits perfectly within the frame  artistic direction, as well as appeals to our existing and desired audience”, says Hayleigh Evans of The POPArt Theatre. “ We believe that playing on a regular basis will grow the audience and maximize additional opportunities for the format. All in all, a perfect long term collaboration” 

About Jefferson Bobs Tshabalala

Jefferson Bobs Tshabalala is the founder and owner of the Johannesburg based live arts production house, Kiri Pink Nob Arts (Pty) Ltd. This company produces straight plays, sketch comedy shows, poetry in performance productions and slams, stand-up comedy shows, and variety bill performance events.  Recently, he has started producing game shows for the stage and screen. 

Tshabalala creates works across varied fields, ranging from Orthodox Drama to Hip Hop Theatre. He was nominated at the 2014 Naledi Theatre Awards for the Best Emerging Voice award, and in 2015 his production of Secret Ballot was nominated at the Naledi Awards for Best Ensemble production. In 2014, he also became a director in residency at the Market Theatre, to create a new play for the senior students at the Market Theatre Laboratory, for the Student Festival in Grahamstown, and for the Arts Alive festival in Johannesburg.  

As an independent theatre producer, Tshabalala has etched a unique niche for himself as both a professional director, and an experimental creative, striking a fine balance in order to cater for both an emerging, and an established market. His dexterity has also seen him work in various capacities, as a writer, director and also a performer. At Kiri Pink Nob, he is the Managing and Artistic Director. 

Audience Responses

Such a great show! I really enjoyed it.

A great vibe, and informative too! Hope the show starts to gain momentum.