SOUTH AFRICA: Stranger than Fiction

Professional stand up comedian and storyteller, Alan Drop, tells captivating stories about his home country. 

How does a country, at war with itself, with racism and other prejudices enforced by the law, run as a police state full of propaganda and cruelty, move peacefully towards a new future? 

This show uses true stories to bring the history and politics alive.  It focuses on the humans who lived through apartheid and beyond. 
 
Inter-cultural human interaction is a dominating theme.  There is a focus on the movement out of apartheid.  It explores how people with completely different ideological positions and political ideas managed to negotiate towards an agreement. The stories engage students both emotionally and intellectually.   

It includes the story of: 
-  the woman who helped a prisoner escape during the Mandela trial 
- how oppressive laws gave birth to township jazz 
- why Robben Island was called the University of the South 
- how the British created the system that led to apartheid 
- how a fishing trip gone wrong played a key role in moving towards democracy 

Alan Drop was born in Durban, which some claim is the most multicultural city in the world.  He was involved in the anti-apartheid movement and worked in SA as a journalist and teacher.  He believes that, “To get to the heart of a culture you have to go beyond facts and statistics, into the incredible stories of the people who live through it.” 

He takes a break from his main job as a stand-up comedian to share these fascinating, emotional, bizarre and sometimes uplifting stories. 
Alan Drop is a professional stand-up comedian, storyteller and public speaker. He has performed for over 19 years and taught for 18 years in Africa, South America, Norway, and other parts of Europe.
Alan has toured with DKS with 6 different productions. 

He has a master’s degree with a focus on South African literature.  This includes topics such as Black Life Stories, Women's Writing and Prison Memoirs. 

Alan is happy for audiences to get involved with questions and comments.