Sophie Joans Is A Real Comedian

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

She’s toured the world, making audiences laugh in SA and abroad. 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 a 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.

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, I^LE (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 AI¨O (dir. Aldo Brincat) and U¨U¨U¨ (dir. Rob Van Vuuren)

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.

Acclaims for Sophie Joans:

“This young woman is a giant in the making” - Robyn Sassen on I^LE

“Sophie’s fearlessness reminds me that some of my anxiety is actually doing me a favour” - Kate Pinchuck, Comedian, on AIO

“Horrifying. As usual” - Ntobeko Ximba, Comedian, on AIO “A fresh, shape-shifting tour de force.” Bruce Little on I^LE

Catch SOPHIE JOANS IS A REAL COMEDIAN

Produced by Brigitte Simpson and Directed by Phil De Lange

Where: Kaapstad Toneelhuis

2nd Floor, 61 Loop Street, Cape Town

When: 14 February 2026

20h00 (Doors open at 19h30)

Tickets: R120 early bird (valid till 1st Feb)

R150 general ticket

See you there !