Review: APPLE AND EVE at Pinelands Players Clubhouse

The future isn't coming. It's already here – and nobody read the instructions.

There is something rather fitting about seeing APPLE & EVE in the clubhouse at Pinelands Crossing. I had never been there before and was pleasantly surprised by the cosy, well-equipped venue and, just as importantly, the warm and friendly atmosphere. It proved to be an ideal setting for this fast-paced comedy, which takes a playful but pointed look at our increasingly AI-driven world.

Written by Luella Holland, with contributions from Philippa Van Ryneveld, Julian Fernandez, Anna Von Delft, Regina Malan and Rob Coutts, APPLE & EVE is described as a combination of lightning-fast sketches, original songs, outrageous characters and satire – a sort of Saturday Night Live meets musical theatre meets a TED Talk that has completely lost the plot. And that description is pretty accurate. 

The four performers – Luella Holland, Regina Malan, Rob Coutts and Anna Von Delft – are all excellent, bringing considerable energy and versatility to a show in which dozens of characters are created between them.

Luella stands out as a particularly controlled and expressive performer. Her facial expressions are delightful, and she creates a remarkable variety of characters, each with its own personality and physicality. She is also a very accomplished singer and moves confidently on stage.

Regina Malan is equally versatile, taking on several of the sketches and creating a wonderful range of diverse characters. She has a natural confidence on stage and possesses a particularly strong singing voice. Together, Luella and Regina bring an impressive musicality to the production.

Rob Coutts is a wonderfully gangly and highly expressive performer, with excellent comic timing. He seems completely at ease with physical comedy, and his ability to create laughs through movement and expression adds another dimension to the sketches. Anna Von Delft more than holds her own alongside her fellow performers, particularly in some of the show's more moving as well as funny moments.

One of the things that impressed me most was the pace. The show moves along at a remarkable speed, yet never feels chaotic or under-rehearsed. The incredibly quick costume changes are particularly impressive, allowing the performers to leap from one character to another with barely a pause. It is a testament to the preparation and rehearsal that has clearly gone into the production. And a wow for those pink boots and the adorable onesies!

At the heart of APPLE & EVE is the increasingly unavoidable subject of artificial intelligence. The show looks at the ways people are using AI – sometimes with questionable discretion and not necessarily to everyone's benefit. But rather than becoming preachy, it finds the humour in our fascination with technology and our sometimes ridiculous dependence on it. The theme is woven effectively through both the songs and sketches, allowing the audience to laugh at ourselves while also recognising some uncomfortable truths.

And that is perhaps the show's greatest strength: it entertains without losing sight of the bigger questions. The satire is sharp, but the performers never forget that this is, above all, a comedy.

APPLE & EVE is an energetic, inventive and very well-rehearsed production, with four extremely talented performers who clearly understand the demands of sketch comedy and musical theatre. I would love to see this show given the opportunity to perform in a larger theatre space, where its energy and visual comedy could reach an even wider audience.

For now, if you have the opportunity to catch it at Pinelands Crossing, do. You may not leave knowing exactly where AI is taking us – but you will certainly have had a very entertaining journey getting there.

Book tickets on Quicket: https://www.quicket.co.za/events/389255-apple-eve/#/

Dates: 21 – 29 August 2026

R130 – R160pp

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