Geraldine Naidoo’s multi-award winning play, HOOT, is the hysterical and colourful journey of a rich white man who loses everything and ends up becoming a minibus taxi driver. Performed by Matthew Ribnick, the play has enjoyed a long and successful life since its premiere in 2005. 

Over the past 14 years, the play has constantly been adapted and updated in order to remain relevant and engaging in the rapidly changing world we are living in. The powerful story and important themes remain universal and timeless.

Set in contemporary South Africa, HOOT traces the life of Harold Potgieter - a wealthy white businessman who faces financial ruin when his business goes under and the bank repossesses his home and his luxury cars. His ‘trophy’ wife abandons him and he is left with nothing but the clothes on his back as he is forced to find a means to survive.

The play is a cross-cultural comedy of epic proportions, focusing on a desperate man in an unfamiliar world. Through snappy dialogue, split-second character changes and strong physical acting as well as a number of other skills, Ribnick brings a cast of over twenty hilarious and familiar local characters to life. 

Winner of the 2005 Naledi Award for Best Comedy Performance, the play was also the top-selling show of the 2005, 2006 and 2007 National Arts Festival Fringe in Grahamstown. In 2006, HOOT enjoyed a run in the Netherlands, where it received standing ovations.  HOOT also won 2 prestigious Fleur Du Cap awards in Cape Town in 2006.

What the media had to say about Hoot

"Don't miss this outstanding show!"

Billy Suter, the Mercury

"one of the greatest theatrical pleasures of the last few years … nothing short of astonishing"

Peter Tromp, Cape times

"With Hoot, Matthew Ribnick has achieved something quite astounding … Seldom do intelligence, emotional truth and pure entertainment intersect with such precision and so little pretension."

Peter Machen, Weekend Witness

"Ribnick is a sterling storyteller, working with a well-researched script.  He changes accents and characters quicker than fast food is gobbled, and his take on post-democratic South Africa is spot-on"

Yazeed Kamaldien, Cape Argus

"Quite simply, in it's conception, writing, direction and performance, Hoot is a glorious defining moment in post-democratic South African theatre."

Adrienne Sichel, The Star

“HOOT is excellent entertainment”

Scott Burnett, Sunday Times

"A masterful Performance"

                        Marianne Thamm, www.fdcawards.co.za

"Quite simply, the show is hilarious.  Ribnick's intelligent and intense performance is guaranteed to keep South African's in stitches for some time to come."

Twanji Kalula, Varsity

“One of the finest one-man shows of this or any other year”

Billy Suter, the Mercury

Audience Responses

Fantastic!

It was really entertaining at the same time captured the different cultures and lives of daily South Africans. The Actor was brilliant, impressions were on point and his energy was phenomenal. This is a show to watch

Excellent we loved it

Absolutely amazing! I smiled all the way through. Great script, incredible acting. I really loved it. Would be great to see The Chilli Boy, one of his other works at the theatre in the future.