By MIKE WEATHERFORD LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL March 2, 2017 - 10:01 am
South Africans bring two things to Las Vegas this weekend: rugby, and an anthropological look at the battle of the sexes. No overlap there, right?
Not so fast. Tim Plewman says South Africa’s international rugby team, the Springbok Sevens, has asked to attend his one-time performance of “Defending the Caveman” while in town for the USA Sevens tournament at Sam Boyd Stadium.
Plewman is making the long flight to celebrate 10 years of “Caveman” in Las Vegas. Producers plan a series of international versions of the one-man comic play, usually performed here by Kevin Burke. Plewman’s 6 p.m. Friday show at the D Las Vegas will be followed by a Mexican actor in May, a German in October and Cuban and British versions at some point.
Plewman has been doing “Caveman” since 1997. He was the first person outside the United States to perform Rob Becker’s work and the first to rewrite it to address cultural differences. Friday also marks the first time a Las Vegas version has run a full two hours; Burke trims it to 75 minutes or less.
Tim Plewman on … Why it translates: “Because it’s about people. It’s not about race, it’s not about religion, it’s about how people feel. Because it’s genetic. It’s the way we are … . These themes will come up and they will be similar, because people are similar no matter where you are. But to make it reach home, it has to touch your culture and where you live and the way you speak.”
A difference U.S. audiences will notice: “If you’re middle class and above (in South Africa), generally speaking, you would have domestic help … that’s a common thing in this country. Certainly for the theater-going audience, it’s absolutely common. To be realistic, we have to bring that into the show.
Talking about gender in a country where Americans hear more about race: “I have a black and white audience. There are cultural differences. And we have two kinds of black audiences, a traditional black audience which still follows a tribal kind of format (and more) urban guys.
“It’s incredible how we found it bridges all of those racial divides … It’s one thing the theater has always done in South Africa, going way back. The one place that refused to bow down to apartheid was the theater. We said no, it has to be multiracial. To find a piece like this that absolutely crosses all of those divides and is understood equally and is equally valid is incredible … and therein for me lies the absolute joy and strength of ‘Defending the Caveman.’ “
Defending the Caveman’ Celebrates 10 Years Running in Vegas
This year, “Defending the Caveman” will celebrate as Las Vegas’ longest-running Broadway show having debuted in southern Nevada on June 1, 2007. On Friday, March 3, the telltale show about the sexes currently at the D.
downtown starring Kevin Burke will host revered South African actor Tim Plewman at 6 p.m. for a special one-night-only performance of the one-man play. Plewman believes no matter what country you call home, the universal content of relationships transcends throughout. Tickets start at $29.95.
Plewman is a dancer, humorist, director, writer and producer. He adapted the script for Africa, where he performed Caveman for nearly 10 years and 1,544 performances. For the play, the longest-running and most successful solo comedy in South African theatre history, Plewman won the prestigious South African Vita Award for Best Actor in a comedy.
“Defending the Caveman” with its worldwide reach will continue the celebration throughout 2017 by hosting international performances of the show including the Mexican, German and Cuban versions. This Broadway hit has toured the United States and more than 40 countries with productions in nearly 30 languages.
The play originally opened in San Francisco in 1991, moved to Broadway in 1995, and played 702 performances at the Helen Hayes Theater over two-and-a half-years when it became the longest-running solo play in Broadway history.
Defending the Caveman promotes their show at the D
Las Vegas Show “Defending the Caveman” Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary
Las Vegas’ longest running Broadway show, “Defending the Caveman”, is celebrating 10 years of performances this year. The solo play about how men and women relate has announced it will host a special one-night performance with South African actor Tim Plewman on March 3 at 6 pm at the D Las Vegas.
“Defending the Caveman” will also continue the celebration throughout 2017 by hosting international performances of the show. Future dates to be announced include the Mexican, German and Cuban versions. The show has previously toured the United States and more than 40 countries with production in nearly 30 languages.
Tim Plewman's "Defending the Cavemen" has been updated to be relatable to today’s world of social media such as tweets, selfies and Facebook and is designed as an insightful comedy that explains why men and women see the world so differently.
Tim Plewman, a dancer, humorist, director, writer and producer, adapted the script for Southern Africa and has previously won the South African Vita Award for Best Actor in a comedy.
Performances are 8:40 pm nightly at the D showroom at the D Las Vegas. Regularly priced tickets are $34.95, general admission; $44.95, VIP admission and includes priority seating and a “Defending the Caveman” t-shirt; and $58.18, Platinum admission and includes first-tier seating, a commemorative photo, t-shirt and one well drink, domestic beer or house wine.
“Defending the Caveman” is produced by Theater Mogul, a global theatrical production company offices in New York City, Zurich and Reykjavik. The Las Vegas production of Defending the Caveman is in partnership with Las Vegas based Ivory Star Productions, a theatrical and special events production company.