Johannesburg - If you are South African, chances are you are well aware of the phrase “dala what you must”.
It’s a phrase comedian Jason Goliath admits has changed his life and something he fully grasped during the lockdown.
The popular South African phrase simply translates as “do what you have to do”, and Goliath loves it so much he has based his entire new one-man show on it.
“The realisation that nobody is going to bed worried about my debit orders, my lifestyle or my problems means I have to hold myself accountable and responsible,” says Goliath. “This also means the only way to achieve my dreams is to accept where and what I am, and to do what I have to do. Dala (do) what you must, because it is what it is.”
The comedian will debut his new show Dala What You Must in Johannesburg next month at the Theatre on the Square in Sandton City, from November 15 to 27.
It is a follow-up to his one-man motivational stand-up comedy Manstruation: Surviving a Wife, which took place in October 2019 and is currently available on Showmax.
Dala What You Must, It Is What It Is is inspired by the most important word Jason grasped during lockdown: “acceptance”. It will include unfiltered, never-before-heard anecdotes about his life, his journey, uncomfortable truths, and how he learnt to “dala” what he had to do to persevere.
Through his commanding stage presence, he hopes not only to entertain his audience, but also to share his experience of overcoming lockdown and offer tangible solutions to everyday stressors.
Fans can expect relatable comedy that is playful, high-energy and informative, diving deep into Goliath’s way of thinking, his experiences, and how he navigates difficult situations.
He plans on taking the show on tour across South Africa, visiting Cape Town, Durban, Gqeberha, and even more towns and cities.
We caught up with the comedian this week to chat about the show.
How much are you looking forward to performing your show in front of your Jozi fans ?
My fans give me life! I feed them funny, and they feed me with their laughter. I can’t wait to reconnect and share this show with my Jozi fans, and then tour it to as many places as possible in 2023. Thank goodness live entertainment is back. All comedians have been starved of live performances. So my fellow comedians and I are ravenous for the stage! I’m going ALL IN!
What is Dala What You Must, It Is What It Is all about?
This show is more than just a comedy for me. Yes, I want to make the audience laugh harder than ever before, but I also want to leave them with more than I ever have. I want to share my life story in a way I’ve never done before.
The show was inspired by the many, many lessons I learnt during the lockdown, including the importance of acceptance and realising that “it is what it is”. The fact that that no one was going to be worried about my debit orders, my lifestyle, my problems, my choices, because everyone has their own things to worry about, meant I had to hold myself accountable and responsible.
The only way to achieve my dreams was to accept where I was and do what I had to do to get where I’d rather be. Dala what you must, because it is what it is.
Finding the funny in things in life has always helped me deal with things that aren’t funny. If you need to find some funny in a time where it feels like nothing is funny, then this show is for you. Come laugh.
Why is ‘dala’ such an important word?
“Dala” means “to do”. “Dala what you must”, my favourite phrase of all time, simply means “do whatever you have to do”. After this pandemic, many people realised nobody was coming to save them, so they had to do what they needed to do to get what they wanted. You can’t wait for others to do it for you. You’ve got to dala what you must.
Why is it so important to dala what you must?
Nothing happens without doing. Before you start doing, I think it’s important to know what you want. But once you know what you want, then you have to dala what you must. Do what you need to do, keep your head in the game, believe in yourself, and stop waiting for other people to affirm who you are, what you believe in, and that you are enough. Just dala what you must! Every day I wake up, I dream, and then I dala. It’s as simple as that.
How long have you been using the word ‘dala’?
“Dala” and “Dala what you must” have been used in coloured culture for many years. They have always been part of my vocabulary. But they have also kept me going in life. These expressions capture my learnings and the message I want to impart to audiences.
You will be displaying a new style of comedy for your fans in your new show. Can you tell us a little bit about that?
My previous one-man show, Manstruation: Surviving a Wife, was more than just a stand-up comedy show. It was also an introduction to my new direction in comedy: “motivational comedy”. “Should I be a motivational speaker?” is a question I’ve often asked myself. The concept of motivational speaking may feel dated, but sharing your story to make an audience feel like they’re not alone in their struggle, and perhaps bring some optimism and a positive perspective to their lives, isn’t. I love comedy, and a wise man once said to me: “if you have an audience, say something.” So why not inspire people while making them laugh?
Rule number one is to be funny about my life, and rule number two is that I must leave the audience with something.
Then how do I curate these stories, so that they have relatable messaging, and messages that in some way, shape or form will impact someone? Will the whole show impact everybody – no. The objective is for one part of the show to impact a few, while others leave with something. But all will leave having had a good laugh! A good laugh is like a holiday from your life.
What have the last few months been like for Jason Goliath? And how thrilled are you to be on stage and touring the country?
The last few months have been amazing! Being back in front of live audiences and back on set shooting some of my favourite shows like Celebrity Game Night (E Entertainment) and Giving it Gears with Jason Goliath (Red Bull TV) has been food for my soul!
Durban, Cape Town or Johannesburg? Which city has the best fans? And which city do you think is the best?
My favourite city is South Africa! Lol! This question is a trap! I love them all!
Do you believe it's important to make South Africans laugh these days, especially since we are going through so much?
I think it’s never been more important! We need laugh therapy just for being South African! Now we have to be South African in the dark! Yoh! It’s too much! People are going to break if they don’t find an outlet.
What's worse for you: no water or no electricity?
No electricity means there’s no lekker home-cooked food! No PlayStation, no internet! Haai, I can buy water at the shop and go shower at my mother’s house!
How do you cope with load shedding and no water?
I don’t cope! It’s the most naar-ing thing! So I dala-ed what I had to and got myself an inverter! Touch wood I haven’t had a water problem in my area yet.
If you were the CEO of Eskom, what would be the first order of business?
Resigning! And after apologising to the nation for the darkness and mismanagement, I’d write an exposé on what's really going on at Eskom. Then I’d go live on a small island where none of the people I exposed can find me!