PRESS: Stage adaptation of MOFFIE comes home to SA

Christine Skinner

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Following its critically acclaimed London run, the compelling drama and hit one-man show MOFFIE returns home for its South African premiere at The Baxter.

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The Common Humanity Arts Trust in association with The Baxter is proud to present MOFFIE which will run for a limited season from 2 to 27 September 2025 at The Baxter Flipside.

Based on the novel by André Carl van der Merwe, the stage adaptation has been brought to life by a stellar South African team, in a powerful, poignant sharing of this story about love, survival, and identity under apartheid.

The production’s unflinching storytelling and theatrical bravura left London audiences and critics transfixed. It was nominated for four Off West End Awards, with comments about its triumphant London debut including:

“…a gripping one-man show that evokes a gay soldier’s torment… Karvellas’s production strips everything away except the pain and beauty of one young man’s survival. It’s theatrical storytelling at its most essential… FIVE STARS” - The Guardian

“a searing, brutal, exposing and highly personal account… simply stunning… first class… FIVE STARS” - The Stage

Directed and produced by Greg Karvellas (Dear Evan Hansen; former Artistic Director of The Fugard Theatre), the book has been reimagined for the stage by award-winningz playwright Philip Rademeyer (Stinkhout; Niggies).

Esteemed, award-winning actor David Viviers (The Tempest; Binnelanders) performs the role of Nicholas van der Swart, the closeted conscript whose harrowing journey lies at the heart of this tale. “These men trying to mould us into something we're not… They must not be able to touch us...”

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Set, Costume and Lighting Design is by Niall Griffin with Sound Design by Charl-Johan Lingenfelder.

“Audiences can expect an intensely immersive theatrical experience. Staged as a gripping solo performance, MOFFIE places Nicholas alone in a stark, stripped-down set—a mound of military kit bags symbolizing the baggage of war and identity he carries. Every moment is charged with emotion, drawing spectators into a soldier’s internal battle in a way that only live theatre can achieve.” says Director Greg Karvellas.

“MOFFIE traces Nicholas's struggle against societal expectations and his internal battle in discovering his own identity amidst the violence of South Africa's border war.”

Lara Foot, CEO and Artistic Director of The Baxter, expressed enthusiasm about hosting this important production: "We are delighted and honoured to present MOFFIE at The Baxter. It’s a powerful, deeply affecting piece that speaks to our shared history and resonates profoundly with contemporary audiences. This is exactly the kind of bold, impactful theatre we strive to support and share with our community."

In 2019, Van der Merwe’s novel was also adapted into a critically acclaimed feature film, though the stage production is based solely on the original literary work.

MOFFIE is set in 1979 against the backdrop of apartheid South Africa, when the South African government's main concern is keeping Southern Africa free of communism, to protect the Afrikaner people, Christianity, and the free world. To do this, they need bodies, and seventeen-year-old Nicholas van der Swart is conscripted into the South African Defence Force. He finds himself in the dark heart of a regime that demands absolute conformity, brute masculinity, racism, and bigotry.

Facing the dread of being labelled a 'moffie'—and the ever-present fear of exposure— MOFFIE is an exploration of toxic masculinity and trauma, highlighting how, 30 years into South Africa's democracy, the emotional wounds inflicted during those turbulent times persist, offering a reflection on the lingering scars of the past and their influence on the present and future.

Viviers, a Fleur du Cap Theatre Award-winning actor, says, “It is a huge honour and responsibility to bring Nicholas’ journey to the South African stage. I remember coming across van der Mewe’s book as a schoolboy and being deeply affected by it. I realised then that there was a lot I didn’t know about our country’s past. There were things that weren’t spoken about because it was easier not to. MOFFIE holds up a mirror to our past in a way that is honest, relentless and also beautifully fragile. I am really excited to share this story with audiences.”

This critically acclaimed, culture-shaking production invites South Africans to witness an extraordinary theatrical event that is as entertaining as it is enlightening— a homecoming for a story that, for too long, remained in the shadows.

MOFFIE runs at The Baxter Flipside from 2 until 27 September 2025. Bookings can be made at Webtickets online or at Pick n Pay stores. Prices range from R150 to R240, including special discounts available for seniors and students.

The rating is PG 16 for mature themes including bigotry, violence, sexual assault, child abuse, and suicide. It has a run time of 85 minutes (no interval).

Performances are at 19:30, with a matinee on Saturdays at 15h30 and a special discounted matinee performance every Wednesday at 15h00 from 10 September.