Theatre: Pharanoid
16 October at 20:30
HMS Bloemhof Skoolsaal
Ntobeko Ximba’s debut one-man show Pharanoid arrived at Woordfees with a playful promise: To rework language and identity around a single loaded syllable. The “phara” in Ximba’s world is not something glamorous. In a local context, it refers to a drug addict who terrorises neighbourhoods with petty crime and swagger.
Ximba flips that menace narrative into a running gag, turning the word into a splendour for puns. From ‘pharameters’ to ‘pharaffin’, the show leans on the joke so often it becomes its own character.
Directed by Andi Colombo, the production is tightly staged and moves at a relatively fast pace. Ximba is a warm performer who loves to engage. He talks directly with the audience and pulls them into quick exchanges, making the room feel like a living part of the act. Those moments of interaction are where Pharanoid works best – you can feel the audience respond to the storyteller in the room the way you respond to a friend telling you something outrageous over drinks.
Much of the material is rooted in Ximba’s personal life. He shares his journey from a less privileged childhood to an adult life with more financial comfort without shedding the clothes of the place he comes from. His reflections on culture, race, and class are honest and often observant. It is clear he has lived these moments and that gives the material weight.
But the show is uneven. The energy and stagecraft are high, but the jokes do not always hit. A number of punchlines land as cliché references rather than surprising revelations. The “phara” wordplay is clever, but it begins to feel repetitive rather than cumulative. There were long stretches where I smiled more at Ximba’s presence than at the material.
Pharanoid feels like a performer still sharpening his kit. Ximba is charismatic and committed. His movement between topics is effortless and his voice feels distinct. The show lacks a handful of sharper dialogue and riskier surprises that would elevate it from promising to essential. Still, there is warmth and a clear voice that matters.
For anyone interested in a lively evening of storytelling with comedic roots, Pharanoid is worth a look. However, if you want relentless belly laughs, you might leave wanting more. Either way, Ntobeko Ximba is a name to watch.
Ntobeko Ximba brought his stand-up comedy show Pharanoid to the Woordfees arts festival in Stellenbosch, scoring some laughs among the Stellenbosch community at the HMS Bloemhof Skoolsaal on 16 October. PHOTO: Supplied/Woordfees