The Market Theatre announces the return of Andrew Buckland’s masterpiece of comic physical performance, the acclaimed one-man show, The Ugly Noo Noo. The extraordinary text, which arguably changed the face of South African theatre for many thousands of practitioners and audience members alike, was first presented 36 years ago at the Market Theatre.
The Ugly Noo Noo tells the story of a man’s encounter with an insect. Not just any insect but the notorious Parktown Prawn which inhabited the suburbs of Johannesburg particularly during the 80’s and 90’s. Using sharp satirical commentary, an explosive performance style and Buckland’s unique stage presence, this play takes the audience on an unforgettable journey through the compost heaps and dark underbelly of suburban life in the big city.
It examines in splitting comic detail the relationship between fear and power in our everyday lives. Respected arts critique of the day, Barry Ronge, praised the play for making audiences “howl with laughter at the sheer sensual pleasure of theatrical performance.”
Directed by Janet Buckland, this groundbreaking play has garnered 17 national and international awards, including a Fringe First and a Perrier Pick of the Fringe shortlisting at the Edinburgh Festival.