Marc Lottering Biography
Marc Lottering was born on 4th December 1967 Cape Town, South Africa. He is a South African stand up comedian who has been in the limelight since 1997.
Career
He rose to fame after the debut of his self-titled one man show in 1997.He blends his uniquely South African stand-up humour with instantly recognisable characters: From Aunty Merle to Pastor Brandon, Marc caricatures some of our most prominent stereotypes in the funniest way possible, yet with insight and pathos.
Awards
- Best Performance in a Revue or Cabaret for Say Cheese, Fleur du Cap
- Best Actor in a Comedy, Vita Award
Spouse
- He married his husband Anwar McKay in 2010
Interview
Interviewer: How do your fans react to the news of your being gay?
Marc Lottering: It seems to be a non-event to most people. I dress well. I smell great. COME ON… [Laughs]
Interviewer: When did you first come out and who was it to?
Marc Lottering: I came out in 2000. All year. To anyone who was within earshot… after two glasses of wine.
Interviewer: Your late father was a Pentecostal Pastor; did you ever discuss your sexuality with him?
Marc Lottering: Never one-on-one. He was elderly and sickly, and we adored each other. He knew, but we never spoke about it at length. It wasn’t necessary.
Interviewer: Has being gay influenced your comedy routine in any way?
Marc Lottering: Well I dress a lot snappier that most of the male comics around! [Laughs] My material is influenced by me, and by the way I see life. So I guess I cannot separate the material from being gay. At the same time, I don’t step on stage with a pink microphone and a way-too-tight white vest. I just go out there and tell my stories, the way I see it.
Interviewer: What’s the funniest thing about being gay?
Marc Lottering: Introducing someone as your boyfriend at a dinner party, after some presumptious straight person has just had a very butch homophobic conversation with you.
Interviewer: Speaking of boyfriends, are you involved with anyone at the moment?
Marc Lottering: I’ve been with Anwar McKay for 12 years. He photographs damn well.
Interviewer: Is there a line between being funny and being offensive? If so, how do you navigate it?
Marc Lottering: There is a line for sure. You’ll be guided by your conscience – and by the unsettling reaction from the audience – once you’re up on that stage. There’s no text-book approach, but you’ll know…
Interviewer: What made you abandon your studies to become a lawyer and instead pursue a life in entertainment?
Marc Lottering: At varsity, I was failing on a spectacular level. There are only so many times you can ask to rewrite an exam “on compassionate grounds”.
Interviewer: Were you a naturally born comedian or did you have to work at it?
Marc Lottering: I’ve always enjoyed the idea of people laughing around me. So there’s a natural side to it I guess. But in terms of stage-craft and technique, for any performer, that comes with experience. You hopefully get better and better with every gig.
Interviewer: What made you decide to perform at the Pink Jacaranda Music Affair?
Marc Lottering: I had way too much wine when some good-looking man pitched the idea to me at a club in Pretoria. I saw the emails of confirmation the next week and thought: “Oh shit…”
Interviewer: What can people expect from your performance?
Marc Lottering: It’s a fun entertaining event, and I hope to keep people laughing everytime I open my mouth.
Interviewer: Have all the characters that you’ve created been inspired by certain people in your life?
Marc Lottering: Yes and no. Some people I’ve met, and others I see on the street around me on a daily basis.
Interviewer: Do you consider characters like Auntie Merle a kind of drag?
Marc Lottering: No. She’s very real and so not outrageous.
Interviewer: How much of your show is usually straight stand-up and how much character sketches?
Marc Lottering: Seventy five percent straight and the rest characters…
Interviewer: Your comedy is so uniquely South African. How do international audiences react?
Marc Lottering: I perform for ex-pats when I’m overseas, so they shriek with laughter and become quite sad with nostalgia. I also try to read the papers when I get to their countries, so that I incorporate their headlines into my gig. I’ve just returned from an Australian tour wihich was helluva fantastic.
Interviewer: What projects are you working on at the moment?
Marc Lottering: A return season of my one-man show Naughty Forty runs at the Market Theatre in September. The show has been performed across the country and overseas, to packed houses. If I have to say so myself, the show rocks! I’m also currently in rehearsal for a show called Three Wiser Men, with Nik Rabinowitz and Riaad Moosa, directed by David Kramer, which opens at the Baxter Theatre in Cape Town in November.
Interviewer: Have you ever considered venturing into film?
Marc Lottering: Yes. But I don’t think I’m good on film. We’ll see. My life has been full of surprises.
Interviewer: What’s the most embarrassing thing that’s happened to you on stage?
Marc Lottering: I slipped and fell while singing. I did the second verse on the floor.
Source: www.mambaonline.com
Photo
Marc Lottering