A Cut Above The Rest
Off the Record
What is “Off The Record?”
“Off The Record” is a unique hybrid format of… a), a panel show and… b), a quiz show and… c), a game show.
Panel Show: The driving forces of the content are the persons who are selected to play. It is their wit, humor and daring commentary that forms the banter which anchors the show.
Quiz Show: Under the guise of General Knowledge, points are scored for trivia questions answered correctly. The interesting twist however, is that the facts or answers requested, are masked in some rather sharp framing based on the source material.
Game show: Outside of the show being a dinner table casual setting, we also get up and play some physical games. These are all invented based on the content, never preset to be played for every show- see: “Do The Taboo.”
“Off The Record,” essentially, is a challenge or task based Game Show, that uses Panel Banter, to explore a sharp take on Trivia Quizzing.
The tasks and challenges are the game. The ‘Sport’ of it all.
The quips of the panel’s banter are the gems. The ‘Magic ‘of it all.
The trivia in the quizzes is the unpredictable jewel. The ‘Wow’ of it all.
Xolani Tembu, Culture Review
"This showcase is unlike any other in the past decade of the Performing Arts...a much needed and subsequently well-deserved laugh as one is encouraged to lose their marbles and just be, all for a good time."
A little more...
Jefferson Bobs Tshabalala is the founder and owner of the Johannesburg based live arts production house, Kiri Pink Nob Arts (Pty) Ltd. This company produces straight plays, sketch comedy shows, poetry in performance productions and slams, stand-up comedy shows, and variety bill performance
events. Recently, he has started producing game shows for the stage and screen. Tshabalala creates works across varied fields, ranging from Orthodox Drama to Hip Hop Theatre, and
was nominated at the 2014 Naledi Theatre Awards for the Best Emerging Voice award, and in 2015 his production of “Secret Ballot” was nominated at the Naledi Awards for Best Ensemble production. In 2014, he also became a director in residency at the Market Theatre, to create a new play for the senior students at the Market Theatre Laboratory, for the Student Festival in Grahamstown, and for the Arts Alive festival in Johannesburg.
As an independent theatre producer, Tshabalala has etched a unique niche for himself as both a professional director, and an experimental creative, striking a fine balance in order to cater for both an emerging, and an established market. His dexterity has also seen him work in various capacities, as a writer, director and also as a performer. At Kiri Pink Nob, he works as the Managing and Artistic Director.