Sophie Joans is a Real Comedian

She’s done many things. But now she’s doing stand up.

Sophie Joans is back and funnier than ever! She’s toured the world with her one woman show ÎLE. She’s no stranger to making audiences laugh. She’s been nominated for some big, big prizes (Like Savannah Comic’s Choice Award for: Sauce of the Year and the Philipa Braganca Prize for: Best Solo Female Performer at the Edinburgh Fringe), and she’s won some big prizes too (Best Script at Bitesize Fest, London and the Standard Bank Gold Ovation Award at NAF).
But Sophie Joans has a confession: she’s never written a real joke.
She’s got ‘comic’ in her bio, but she’s never really done classic set-up and punchline jokes into a mic.
She’s been touring the stand-up circuit since she was 19, and she’s performed all over the South Africa, Mauritius and Europe: London, Paris, Berlin, Pertoria… But all her material is either parody songs, impressions, or really weird clown sh*t…

After several scandalous outcries from some of the top (and mid-level. And sometimes low-level. Mostly low-level) comedians in South Africa, saying things like “She’s not even a real comedian”, or “That cat bit is just her meowing for 5 minutes”, or “Flashing a tit on stage isn’t a punchline”, Sophie Joans has decided it’s time to face the music. With her first ever real stand-up comedy show. Real jokes only. Don’t think Chaplin, think Carlin.

• • Writer and Performer – Sophie Joans
    • Sophie Joans started comedy when she was 19 singing parody songs on her ukulele. In 2019, she took on the challenge of performing 100 gigs in 5 months, and completed it. She’s toured the country, opened for big names, and headlined for medium gigs, and runs tons of small gigs!
      Her debut comedy play, ÎLE (dir. Rob Van Vuuren) was an international hit, touring South Africa and the world and raking up numerous prestigious awards and nominations, most notably the Gold National Arts Fest Standard Bank Ovation Award 2022 and a nomination for the Filipa Braganca Award for Best Solo Female Performer at EdFringe 2023. After seeing the innovation at The Fringe, Sophie returned to South Africa with fresh, bold ideas on comedy and took the scene by storm (and sometimes hurricane)…
      Other award-winning comedy shows by Sophie include: The Flower Hunters (Sketch show, won National Arts Fest Standard Bank Ovation 2020), Clowns shows AÏO (dir. Aldo Brincat) and ÜÜÜ (dir. Rob Van Vuuren), and NETPHLIX (Satire of online streaming conglomerates, won National Arts Fest Standard Bank Ovation Award 2025).
      Sophie is one of the boldest new voices on the comedy scene – not afraid to try outlandish ways of evoking laughter.

• • Director – Phil de Lange
    • With just over 10 years in the comedy game, Phil has found his corner in entertainment with his unique blend of wit and musical comedy. He has received multiple South African Comics Choice Award nominations and also won the Next Level category in 2018. Having performed different solo shows at festivals around the country, Phil eventually took his show The Phil Monty to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2025 to rave reviews.