The Happy Clapper - he’s saved, are you?

Durban actor Aaron McIlroy’s latest show, The Happy Clapper, speaks to those who follow other beliefs as well as to members of the Christian faith.

What are people’s perceptions of Biblical characters? Are they Charlton Heston, coming down a mountain in a dodgy outfit? The intervention of the media has long played a role in skewing people’s perceptions of Christianity, says Durban actor Aaron McIlroy, who cites movies such as Steven Spielberg’s The Prince of Egypt, and a host of others, as creating a glossy but fictitious perception of the people who populate the Bible.

“The Bible is full of many of the greatest stories ever told. Often enough they have been told badly, so I thought: why don’t I have a shot at telling them badly too?” quips the popular entertainer.

McIlroy’s latest show, benignly entitled The Happy Clapper, speaks alike to those who follow other beliefs, as it does to members of the Christian faith, offering a broad scope of perspectives that aim to enlighten and entertain while treating religious matters in a robust if sometimes tongue-in-cheek light.

“We need to lighten up, and not be so judgemental in dealing with our fellow humans,” says McIlroy. “We can do this by bringing a sense of integrity to our dealings with each other, while at the same time looking at the subject matter that preoccupies us in our worship.”

“We think we are ‘in the know’, while often we are actually clueless.. There is so much more than we think there is to gaining a true depth of knowledge. Seen from the outside, there is a stigma attached to being a so-called ‘Reborn Christian’. But how weird is it, actually?”

The Happy Clapper sets out to defuse the myths surrounding charismatic Christians. The first half of the show opens with a run through the Old Testament, courtesy of Mr McIlroy donning the persona of a well-honed Rabbi who is on home turf, sharing elements of his own personal history, so to speak. Following this, the actor morphs into Bluff inhabitant, Gary van Vuuren, who’s comfortable he’s a fundi at unlocking all matters pertaining to the New Testament. Trying to put across a complex concept such as The Trinity, he assures us ‘it’s more than just a girl’s name’.

“Gary’s the perfect example of fools rushing in where angels fear to tread,” says McIlroy. “Only, he cracks it more often than he knows.. Just when you think he’s heading for the rocks, he nails it right in the centre.”

After interval, McIlroy’s ubiquitous alter ego, the ever-popular Veejay, surfaces to offer a guiding hand on how to negotiate your way around the potential hazards of traversing the evangelical Christian world. In his inimitable fashion, Veejay deals with the application of Christianity. As ever, he keeps things really grounded, commenting on those critical taboos that preoccupy charismatic Christians: Sex, Booze and Money.

In a nutshell, The Happy Clapper aims to share with the broader theatre-going community what Christians believe and why, through invigorating doses of comedy. “We’re not saying it is simple, but rather is it real, is it worth considering?” says McIlroy.

Co-written and directed by Patrick Kenny, Aaron McIlroy’s The Happy Clapper previews at Durban’s Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre on 9 and 10 November 2010, and runs from 11 to 28 November. Performances are at 19h30 (Tuesdays to Saturdays) and 15h00 (Sundays). Tickets at R85 per person can be booked through Computicket on 083 915 8000. Block booking discounts are available.

UNPLUCKED AT THE HERITAGE THEATRE

Aaron McIlroy is back at the Heritage with his sell-out compilation offering entitled “Unplucked”, and it promises a dose of extreme theatre as never before. Prepare to be ambushed, as the man packs out the laughter lines, unleashing his inimitable gallery of characters in a festival of comedy that harks back over 15 years on the live entertainment beat.


Synopsis:
Remember Sex, Bugs and Rock 'n Roll; The Revenge of the Pink Panties; Abbamaniacs; My Cousin Brother; The Loser; Defending the Planet; The Stand-up; DOF; The Golfer? McIlroy’s trademark creations from these productions and others will make invited (or uninvited) guest appearances as his new show ricochets nightly from the certifiable to the criminally insane.

The whacky and wonderful cavalcade will take to the stage at random, offering fans a different experience of the McIlroy magic from one performance to the next. So stand by for close-up encounters or unforgettable reunions with the likes of Bruce Syringenson, Truscott Price, Joel Liebenburg, Nigel Bjorn van Rensburg, Veejay Moodley, Lavern Levine, Pepe Gonzales and a burst of other loons, as McIlroy unleashes his ever-changing jamboree of madness and mayhem on his audiences.


Adding his own distinctive spin to each performance, Nathan Redpath, alias DJ King B, will re-mix McIlroy’s musical concoctions live onstage, keeping the man himself on his toes in more ways than one...



19 October - 7 November
You can book by CLICKING HERE or call 031-7654197

THE BEST OF AARON MCILROY

THE BEST OF AARON MCILROY is coming to SUBURBAN PLAY!!! 


R1000 for a table of 8 ppl. 
Bring your own snacks. 
Full bar facilities available. 


The show is 1 and 1/2 hours.
Dance floor and DJ afterwards. 


If you would like to book a table please contact Kristy on 0826400109 or suburbanplay@gmail.com BOOK NOW AS TABLES ARE SELLING FAST!












The official FaceBook Page can be found here.

Reality Bites -

Saturday, July 24, 2010 8:41 AM Posted by Aaron McIlroy 0 comments
Listen to the experts, as they lift the veil on how to become a superstar overnight..

Reality TV will never be the same again. Aaron McIlroy and Lisa Bobbert, the irrepressible husband-and-wife comedy duo, are set to unleash waves of hilarity over their fans with their hot-property show, Reality Bites. This can be seen in The Theatre at The Witness Hilton Arts Festival on Sunday 19 September at 18h30. Tickets cost R110.00.

Reality Bites spotlights the inimitable show biz couple as they probe the global obsession with instant celebrities spawned by that media malaise of our age, the reality television show. Aided and abetted by DJ KingB, alias Nathan Redpath,  McIlroy and Bobbert, in the guise of their vacuous stage alter egos, Bruce and Charmaine Siringinson, promise to demolish any misconceptions we may cling to about what it takes to become an overnight sensation.

Rule of thumb for quick-fix super-stardom?  It’s simply a case or ‘Less Is More’. The less you have to offer, the greater your chance of hitting the jackpot – and becoming an overnight celebrity, say our experts. Think Paris Hilton on a shopping spree for designer pet food. Think Tiger Woods, emerging from rehab to set up shop as a marriage guidance councilor..

More specifically, picture our own, upwardly-mobile Charmaine, dragging that ultimate loser of a hubbie of hers, the hapless Bruce, mercilessly along in her wake, as she gate-crashes the tantalizing world of botoxed silver-screen sirens, nipped-and-tucked personal trainers, know-it-all lifestyle experts, ruthlessly outspoken fashion-stylists, and the rest.

Presented by MacBob Productions, Reality Bites promises a fast-paced evening of satire and mirth. The show is liberally laced with up-beat musical interludes and in-your-face multi-media inserts, featuring ‘celebrity guests’ who are drawn from McIlroy’s and Bobbert’s inexhaustible gallery of stage characters – all quick to offer their own advice on how to upgrade your personal branding, and attain instant material success. 

Aaron and Lisa in East London!

Wednesday, July 7, 2010 8:14 AM Posted by Aaron McIlroy 0 comments

Aaron McIlroy and Lisa Bobbert will be bringing their 2 hit shows – Unplucked and Reality Bites to the Alexander Playhouse in East London both featuring Nathan Redpath a.k.a KingB.

Reality Bites runs from the 12th to the 18th of July
Unplucked from the 19th to the 25 of July

For more info and tickets call Lee Gold Music on 043-735-1586

Read more from the Daily Dispatch >> Click here.

Visit the FaceBook Event Page for these shows

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