Audiences in stitches as they witness Benno become
Fresh off its award-winning run in Australia, Ben Voss’s Becoming Benno lit up Theatre on the Square on September 17 with a hilarious and moving performance about identity, immigration, and what it truly means to call a place home.
September 17 was a night to remember at the Theatre on the Square, as audiences were treated to the South African homecoming of Becoming Benno, the internationally celebrated one-man show performed by Ben Voss.
Backed by a packed house and the palpable buzz of expectation, Voss delivered an unforgettable performance that blended sharp satire, raw honesty, and side-splitting humour.
Following phenomenal success at the Adelaide International Festival in Australia, where the show scooped both the prestigious Fleur du Cap and Best of the Adelaide Fest awards, Becoming Benno returned to its roots, giving local audiences a taste of why international critics have been raving.
At its core, Becoming Benno is a heartfelt comedy rooted in a deeply personal and relatable premise, being detained at Sydney Airport due to an issue with a permanent residency visa.
What unfolds is a one man tour de force that explores the often hilarious, sometimes painful, and always thought-provoking realities of identity, migration, and belonging.
Voss, a master of character work, seamlessly transitions between a host of vivid personalities, from smug border officials and clueless bystanders, to versions of himself riddled with doubt and defiance. With just a chair, table, and a back pack on stage, he transports the audience across continents, through bureaucratic absurdities, and into the very heart of what it means to straddle two worlds.
Directed with precision and emotional clarity by South African theatre legend Michael Richard, and guided by the dramaturgical genius of Spud author John van de Ruit, the production strikes a perfect balance between comedy and poignancy.
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