Irreverent and irrepressible is Durban actor and comedian Aaron McIlroy who, in his new show The Happy Clapper, slices through the dogmatic hoopla and bogus righteousness of religion like a hot knife through butter.
With his stage persona entirely unhinged and wielding a scalpel of cutting wit, watching McIlroy perform is in equal parts thrilling and terrifying but never, ever boring. ‘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?” says McIlroy of the show. The Happy Clapper sets out to defuse the myths surrounding charismatic Christians. The first half of the show is a run through the Old Testament courtesy of McIlroy in rabbi mode
whereafter the actor morphs into Bluff inhabitant Gary van Vuuren who considers himself quite the guru of the New Testament who explains the concept of The Trinity by way of saying ‘it’s more than just a girl’s name”. McIlroy also resurrects his notorious alter-ego Veejay who has reinvented himself as a charismatic evangelist whose favourite topics are those demons of
religions the world over: sex, booze and money.
Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre, UKZN, March 1 to 13. Performances are at 7.30pm Tuesdays to Saturdays and 3pm on Sundays with tickets R95 through Computicket on 083 915 8000.