Show with difference from Captain Lottering

COMEDIAN Marc Lottering is promising something different to his most recent shows when he performs tomorrow in Port Elizabeth – the return of his beloved characters.

Lottering is doing two of his This is Captain Lottering Speaking shows at the Opera House in Port Elizabeth. He is performing at The Venue in Hemingways Mall in East London tonight.

"These shows will be different to previous ones, as I am bringing the characters back. Before my focus was just on my standalone performance.

"For these shows the audience will see the return of all six characters. It is a terrifying experience for me because it's new material but I am looking forward to it," Lottering said yesterday.

The characters are housewife Auntie Merle, of Belgravia Road in Athlone, taxi gaartjie Smiley, Galatia Geduldt – who is determined to be the next Mariah Carey – Pastor Brandon, cashier Colleen and uber cool Travis. They all find themselves at the airport travelling for various reasons – including a church scandal and a possible career-making deal.

The shows have a no under-16s age restriction.

"We have to think about the language because I don't want people feeling awkward. Some people do not like laughing when they are sitting next to a 14- year-old," he said.

"I don't want my PE audience to feel like that, because I always get a lovely audience when I am in Nelson Mandela Bay."

Lottering, who once worked as an usher in a Cape Town theatre to pay his University of Cape Town law fees, said he appreciated that his shows were always sold out.

"Every one of us has to start somewhere. It feels very good to have my shows sold out. It is not easy to sell a show. Because of the economy people think twice before buying tickets. I know how it feels to have a show that is not selling tickets," he said.

The show goes to London and Austria in the next two weeks.

"Performing for the international audience is a little tricky because, once you use four Afrikaans sentences, after the show they will tell you that you are good but they did not understand a word you were saying – and they also didn't want to leave," he said.

"Every time I perform for them I have to take out the Cape Flats lingo and stick to English just to keep everyone happy."

Tickets for an 8pm show at the Opera House are sold out, but there are still tickets available for the 5pm show tomorrow.

Tickets at R95 are available at Computicket. - Yoliswa Sobuwa