Tonight, comedians Jason Goliath and Nicholas Goliath kicked off “The Happiness Economy Comedy Tour” at the Theatre on the Square.
In a recent chat with Jason, he shed light on what inspired the title and the show.
He explained: “Nicholas and I were sitting for hours and hours and hours during Covid, with nothing to do. We were, literally, discussing what happiness means, why are we so obsessed with it, what does it mean to be happy and what does it mean to live the happiest possible life.
“We realised it is normal to talk about your financial economy but somehow not normal to talk about your emotional economy. People are more obsessed about their debit orders and their balance sheets than they are about their happiness for example.
“That is what it is, checking in and making your happiness economy as important as your financial economy because I feel like, at the end of life, what would you really have worried about. What would have really mattered?”
As for what audiences can expect, Jason shared: “I think we are both storytellers from a personal observation perspective. I just feel like our styles are different.
“Me personally, I think I am a bit of a comedic bully. I love bullying audiences into laughing because my favourite thing is making somebody laugh at something they wouldn’t ordinarily laugh at.
“I like to make people laugh before their minds work out if they are morally comfortable with what I’ve just said, and that is the purest form of comedy for me.”
He continued: “Essentially, expect what you know. Expect Jason as you know him. Expect Nicholas as you know him. It’s hard-hitting. Big punchlines. Big laughs. Massive energy.”
“Instead of sitting through a motivational speech or some self-help talk, essentially, we are trying to create a very similar narrative using stand-up comedy as a vehicle to deliver what we believe is the happiness economy, which is essentially a bunch of conversations and a series of podcasts, where we’ve spoken to so many people about what makes them happy and how did they achieve that happiness?
“And we’ve been able to unpack so much messaging through a number of personal stories…”
Jason added: “For the first time, at the end of the show, we both come out and talk you through it and ask the audience to share some of their happiness stories.”
He revealed that they were deliberate in their choice of venue for this as well as their upcoming shows.
"My favourite thing about theatre is that every audience member feels like they are sitting in the front row.
“It presents as traditional theatre, which I don’t think we have enough of and it is one of my fears that young kids will never adopt a theatre culture because we don’t have enough spaces like that.
“So yes, (Theatre on the Square) is very, very intentional. It’s nice and central and safe. Intimacy is a big thing. It’s something we have done for the balance of the tour as well.”
The show will be touring nationwide with Cape Town’s Protea Hotel Fire and Ice by Marriott next on the schedule from July 26 to 27 followed by Gqeberha’s One Room on August 29 and 30.
Durban, Nelspruit and the West Rand are also included with additional shows in the Eastern Cape, Bloemfontein and Kimberly.
Where: Theatre on the Square.
When: Runs until June 22.
Cost: R200 from Webtickets.
Disney’s Winnie The Pooh
Now if you are stressing about how to keep the kids entertained over the school holidays, worry not.
This Youth Month, the Peoples Theatre is staging its second musical, “Disney’s Winnie The Pooh”.
In this production, Pooh, Christopher Robin, Piglet, Owl, Kanga, Roo and, last but not least, Eeyore are concerned entirely with what children are most interested in: friends, food, birthdays, tree houses and grand expeditions.
In this interactive stage production, Luciano Zuppa plays Winnie the Pooh, Lesedi Mpshe plays Tigger and Owl, Jermain Johnson is cast as Eeyore, Nomakhosi Mkhonza slips into the skin of Piglet, Palesa Makhalima hops into the role of Rabbit and Jamie Nell plays Kanga.
The roles of Christopher Robin will be alternated between Caiden Distiller, Stella Rutstein, Vivian Radebe-Llewellyn, and the same will apply for Roo, which will be shared between Peo-entle Pitso, Phelang Lepati and Zia Kani.
Where: Peoples Theatre at Joburg Theatre.
When: Runs until July 28. Show times for schools are Tuesday to Friday at 9am and 11am and for the public at 10am and 2.30pm on weekends and school holidays.
Cost: Tickets cost R165 and can be purchased through Webtickets.
Jozi Youth Dance Company presents Giselle
For ballet lovers, this is a must-see production.
The ill-fated love story plays out in two acts. It centres on Giselle, a striking beauty from the village who catches the attention of Duke Albrecht.
Despite being engaged, he disguises himself to get to know her better and the two fall in love. But a series of subsequent events exposes the truth and the love story takes an unfortunate turn.
Where: Main Theatre at Roodepoort Theatre.
When: June 21 to 23, 7pm and 3pm, depending on the day.
Cost: R180 from Webtickets.