Award-winning show explores ‘normal’ with humour, outlandish characters

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SA’s favourite comedy couple, Aaron McIlroy and Lisa Bobbert, are bringing their Standard Bank Ovation Award-winning show Mr & Mrs Normal to Gqeberha on Thursday and Friday.

The husband-and-wife duo, who are based in Durban, have been performing together for more than 30 years.

Their character-driven comedy, often drawn from their own experiences as a married couple, has earned them a devoted following across the country.

Mr & Mrs Normal is a riotous exploration of what it means to be “normal” in today’s world.

The show features a parade of outlandish characters — from lycra-clad gym bunnies Charmaine and Siobhan, to the baffled elderly couple Dot and Max, to the unforgettable Dr Veegay Naidoo — brought to life through rapid-fire costume changes, wigs, accents, singing and dance.

The music comedy is directed and choreographed by Daisy Spencer.

The take-home message? There is no such thing as ‘normal’ — and audiences should celebrate their quirks

McIlroy is one of SA’s most recognised entertainers, celebrated for blockbuster stage comedies including The Loser, The Golfer and Unplucked. He is widely known for his role as the lunatic father, Mr Milton, in the Spud film trilogy. With over 35 years’ experience, McIlroy also works extensively as a corporate MC, speaker and host of the Global Leadership Summit.

Meanwhile, Bobbert is an award-winning actress and singer who has starred in a string of hit musical theatre productions for KickstArt, including Cabaret, Annie, Into The Woods, Little Shop of Horrors and My Fair Lady. She is also a theatre coach and inspirational speaker, and in 2024 co-founded the International School of Performing Arts (ISPA) in Durban, a tertiary musical theatre academy.

Together, under their McBob Productions banner, the pair have created a catalogue of hit shows including Abbamaniacs, Defending the Planet, Marriage for Dummies, Bulletproof, Family Therapy and Date Night.

Mr & Mrs Normal first premiered in December 2022 and went on to win an Ovation Award at the 2023 National Arts Festival in Makhanda.

A review of the show praised it as “a fabulously uplifting, entertaining and laugh-out-loud show” in which “the audience was dancing in the aisles”.

The take-home message? There is no such thing as “normal” — and audiences should celebrate their quirks. Expect a high-energy evening of side-splitting laughter, outrageous characters and a feel-good “local is lekker” finale.

The show will take place at Centrestage at Baywest on Thursday and Friday at 7.30pm.

Bookings can be made via Quicket or Wendy on 083-225-5401. Tickets cost R200 for the Thursday show and R240 for the Friday performance. Doors open at 6pm.