Lavender Hill comedian Arlene Petersen is brimming with excitement as she is set to host her debut solo show at the Baxter Theatre this month.
With six years in the comedy industry, Arlene says this marks one of her biggest achievements in her career.
In collaboration with Purple Ostrich Media and Kreative Beings, she will showcase her comedy skills in “Plain Jane” from July 18-20 at the Baxter.
The 35-year-old comic describes the show as a “testament to the power of creativity and collaboration in the arts”.
Founder of Kreative Beings, Kaylin Khan, is the show’s producer, and says: “Arlene’s humour and warmth are sure to delight audiences, and we are proud to support her in this exciting venture.”
For Arlene, the journey to the limelight was not easy, and she has been dealt heavy blows, including losing her twin brother, being bullied by fellow comedians, financial difficulties, abuse, and of course, the Covid pandemic, which robbed her of an income for a couple of years.
But she was determined to make it in the cut-throat industry, and came out triumphant, even being awarded the Baxter Artes Award for using her voice to uplift her community through comedy in 2023.
Arlene says: “Making my solo debut at the Baxter makes me feel like anything else is possible.
“I’m nervous and excited at the same time, but I’m more than ready for this opportunity. I have set this goal out for myself many years ago and now it’s finally happening.”
“This year, I celebrate six years as a professional stand-up comedienne and the growth is evident - internally and externally.
“When I started comedy I thought I was so kwaai on stage but looking at old videos now makes me cringe.
“I’ve learnt that when I’m on stage I have the audience attention so don't waste it. Make a difference by letting someone in the audience go home feeling good about themselves.”
Petersen is also currently playing in the comedy Showmax series “Mince Jou Hare”, where she made her acting TV debut.
She adds: “My message to the youth is ‘don’t give up on yourself’.
“So many time we are faced with situations where people count us out due to our socio-economic status and that’s okay. As long as we don’t count ourselves out, keep on.”
Tickets for “Plain Jane” are available on Webtickets at R100.