A new local sketch comedy show commissioned and funded by public broadcaster SABC is hoping to break the mould of South African comedy.
Sketch U Later, which airs on SABC3 in the Thursday 6.30pm time slot, is an edgy, six-episode sketch comedy show produced by Clive Morris Productions and directed by Genna Lewis and Gilli Apter.
The series draws inspiration from similar shows from around the world such as Monty Python, Little Britain and Catherine Tate.
Lewis explains that she and co-head writer Meren Reddy worked together on SABC1 sitcom City Ses’la. Last year SABC3 put out a brief for new local comedy. “We got together, pooled ideas, pitched it to the SABC and here we are,’ says Lewis.
She notes that they “cast the net wide’ with comprehensive auditions to find the right cast. “We were really surprised and pleased with the results. We found a group of actors who like to play, which, in comedy, is fantastic.’
The cast includes Reddy, Kaseran Pillay, Michelle Ayden, Thomas Gumede, Noluthando (Nolly) Meje, Terri Ann Eckstein, Jo Galloway, Danilo Antonelli and Bruce Little. Some of the characters that feature in recurring sketches include The Real Housewives of Eldorado Park, PC (politically correct) Woman, Bitter Expats and Public Service Lady.
Mythical characters
According to Lewis, her favourite characters are the Indian Builders, played by Reddy and Pillay. “They are two bickering builders who get calls from mythical characters or superheroes to do renovations – like renovating the bat-cave for Batman. They are extremely obnoxious and rude, but they always get the job done with extras added in at no additional charge,’ explains Lewis.
She adds that comedy is difficult to write because every person has a different idea of what is funny. “But it’s a good indication when you see how excited your team is about a project. When you’re on set watching something on the monitor and you look up to see your camera guys are trying hard not to laugh, that says something, and it has certainly been the case on our shoot so far.’
Ntokozo Mbuli, a member of the writing team, adds that the challenge was to take the concept of sketch comedy and make it appealing to a local audience. “We had to bear in mind how varied audiences in South Africa are, culturally and language wise and it also had to appeal specifically to SABC3’s audience.’
According to executive producer Clive Morris, the SABC3 audience finds comedy more in wording than in the action. “There is comedy in action as well, of course. But it’s not just The Three Stooges where a pie in the face is funny; it’s more about what you say before and after you put the pie in the face.’
Pushing boundaries
Morris notes that sketch comedy has the added challenge of not having 24 minutes a week to build character — as in sitcoms. “The challenge is to make each character burn in the viewers’ mind, without necessarily having enough time to build them up. They need to be instantly recognisable.’
Lewis says she hopes the series pushes boundaries. “We need to learn to laugh at ourselves more. That’s something that the UK, US and Australia do very well – taking the mickey out of themselves and really looking at the idiosyncrasies and what’s funny in their culture. We’re still getting to that point. I think we’re ready for it and it’s quite exciting to see how the show will be received.’
Morris notes that they want to break the mould of South African comedy. “It has generally been pretty conservative and safe, and this is not conservative. Well done to the SABC for being prepared to take a risk on a show that’s definitely going to get some flack. We bash everyone – Afrikaners, Jews, various church groups – we even bash the SABC,’ says Morris.
Sketch U Later was shot in studio and on a variety of Johannesburg locations including Delta Park, the Randburg Medi Clinic, Linden police station and office parks. “The Indian builders were shot on green screen at the Clive Morris studio. Our graphics person Letitia Lerm created a really fun 3D environment for the beginning of the sketch – they always start on a scaffold high up on the side of a building,’ explains Lewis.
She notes that they started shooting in June, alternating two weeks of shooting with two weeks of pre- and post-production. “I hop between being in pre-production, on set and in post-production. We edit as we go along at in-house facility The Digital Cut, so it’s all happening at the same time. It gives us a chance to see what we’ve got, what’s working and what might not be working which – for comedy – is invaluable.’
According to director of photography (DOP) Daniel Black they shot on Sony Z1s. “We felt that we could shoot a superior quality to what the SABC was expecting us to deliver, which allowed us more creativity for the edit. Going back to the tape format meant we could save on space and edit time, as well as archiving. As we needed three cameras most of the time, budget played a big role, but they’re very reliable, easy to shoot cameras.’
They are hoping that, if the show is successful, they will get a second, longer season. Adds Lewis: “And if I hear a stranger quoting just one of the gag lines from one of the characters, it will make my millennium.’
By Linda Loubser
Screen Africa magazine – July 2012
