| Who: Please, don’t call me moffie Writer/director: Zubayr Charles Where: Artscape Arena Theatre When: June 2-6, 2026 (seven performances) Age restriction: No under 16s Content warning: Language, violence, and nudity Duration: 50 minutes, no interval Performance dates and times: Tuesday, June 2, 2026 — 19:00 Wednesday, June 3, 2026 — 19:00 Thursday, June 4, 2026 — 19:00 Friday June 2026 5 — 15:00 and 19:00 Saturday, June 2026, 6 — 14:00 and 18:00 |
Actor and musical theatre star, Anzio September is performing in the acclaimed solo play, Please, don’t call me moffie, written and directed by Zubayr Charles in the Artscape Arena, from June 2-6, 2026. In the last two years, Charles and September have collaborated on taking three plays from page to stage. September talks about Please, don’t call me moffie and their exciting creative partnership as “two peas in a pod”:
TheCapeRobyn: Were you surprised to receive a 2026 Cape Town Theatre Award nomination for Best Performance by a Supporting Actor for this bra’s a psycho? Zubayr Charles says he was surprised by his nomination.
Anzio September: I absolutely was surprised too! A lovely reminder to just keep pushing. I don’t do my work for any type of award; I do my work to educate people and to move them, Robyn. The recognition is heart-warming and a reminder to myself to always be truthful in the writer’s word and always bring pure heart and soul to the stage. Again, thank you, Cape Town Theatre Awards, for the nomination
TCR: Can you give insights into the challenges of playing five different characters in Please, don’t call me moffie – a one-person show?
AS: I can tell you that the most challenging part of this project is revisiting dark places that I’ve buried in the subconscious and having to unpack them through these characters and on stage. It’s painful. Hurtful. Scary. But I guess that is where the art land truth lies. Every time I have to catch myself emotionally on stage, because the trauma of the past gushes over me like a huge wave. But you know, Robyn, it is therapeutic in a sense. This entire show is an emotional challenge for me I would say, because I’m revealing my trauma of the past to the world, even though it’s Zubayr’s words.
TCR: What have you learned about yourself in in each new iteration of Please, don’t call me moffie? Has it helped you to work through your own personal “stuff”? How has your family responded to your work?
AS: I feel like this show is my therapy. I’ve never actually spoken about all the abuse and bullying I’ve lived through growing up. It really was not easy, Robyn. Growing up, I leaned more towards my feminine self, and was always surrounded by girls and their feminine energy, which is why I was teased and bullied so much, for being different, I guess. As I grew older, I started lifting weights, transforming my body and transforming the way the world sees me to be “more acceptable”, to be “more neutral” – a protective mechanism, I guess. I’m always the smiley, loving guy with the good vibes. My parents had their own journey of accepting me. My dad accepted me first, as he has a gay sister, however, my mom battled. Today, they both love me and accept me. I come from a generally cool and colourful family, I would say. I think me being gay and considering how the world is evolving is refreshing for all my family, who are sort of old-school and who never had gay friends. I get to sort of educate them and truly be that colourful sheep. Please, don’t call me moffie, has made me realise my worth and that I have a beautiful place in this world, also to continue being kind and respectful towards others, because you never know what the next person is dealing with.
RYC: Why did you feel that Please, don’t call me moffie needed to be a one-hander – from a dramatic point of view? It was not a one-hander at the start but you urged Zubayr to rework the script?
AS: So, first and foremost – BUDGET! To get funding for such a big cast was going to be very tricky and in the current economic times, artists needs to be paid. I literally had a lightbulb moment during a meeting with Zubayr and I told him, “Bra, let’s scrap this seven-hander for now.” Doing a one-man show would make the story more intimate, raw and powerful, allowing the heart of the story to take centre stage. At first, Zubayr was hesitant, but very soon agreed. He is such a talented writer with heart and soul. I’m so flippen happy that the world gets to experience his beautiful work! Zubayr and I work so well together and we literally are, “Two peas in one stunning pod,” as I always tell him. In saying that, transforming Please, don’t call me moffie into a one-hander allows audiences to fully immerse themselves emotionally with each character and go on the journey with each of them.
RYC: How and where did you and Zubayr connect? I realise that I don’t know how you connected and decided to work together, on your first collaboration – Please, don’t call me moffie at the 2023 Teksmark? He comes from a creative writing and literature background. He did not study performance as part of his degree. You have a degree from UCT in Theatre and Performance. What brought you together?
AS: Zubayr, explains how he had actually seen me at the high school he taught at, years ago, when I visited for a university roadshow, but he was too scared to come say hi, because he didn’t want me to think he was weird. We then connected via Instagram, and then WhatsApp and the rest is history. We formed one solid, genuine and close friendship. Of course, we butt heads a lot and work on one another’s nerves – I can be such an over-thinker, perfectionist and an anxious guy, whereas Zubayr is the cool, calm and collected person. This balance creates the best working space and we gel so well together. I’m so grateful to calm him a friend and a working partner. I look forward to all the work we will create together, because I’m so glad that more of our brown stories are being portrayed on stage.
RYC: Can you speak about that creative partnership from your perspective as an actor? You have humorously described the dynamic as being “like two peas in a stunning pod.” Zubayr is the writer and director, while you bring the text to life as the performer.
AS: Creatively we are always learning from one another. Zubayr always tells me that he learns so much from me as an actor and the manner in which I approach certain things and view certain things too. Zubayr being a writer and director, I get to experience how to put pen to paper and how to grip audiences with words. Eventually, I would like to write my own stories and Zubayr will guide me to get the “rawness” into the writing. Honestly it’s truly a win-win situation. It creates such an exciting playground for when we create work.
RYC: Insights into Zubayr’s new script Brasse, Tot Laat Toe? There are now three plays that you have both worked on, in the space of two years? Please, don’t call me moffie was initially pitched at the 2023 Teksmark and debuted at Suidoosterfees 2025. this bra’s a psycho was initially pitched at the 2024 New Voices Programme at Artscape and then first staged July 2025. Zubayr’s new script, Brasse, Tot Laat Toe, directed by Carlo Daniels, was first staged at the 2026 Suidoosterfees and will be on at the Baxter in August 2026.
AS: Brasse, Tot Laat Toe is such a different project, because we’ve incorporated physical theatre. Versatility is key in this industry and this show is a true reflection thereof. With didn’t want to lean into another queer story, but more a real story about friendship and family. Carlo is such a wonderful director, and because he is an actor too, we get a different perspective on and get to an interesting “heart of the actor” during the rehearsal process – of course, a different way to bring the text to life truthfully. Zubayr really has one brilliant mind, and I’m so glad audiences gets to see it. Abdullatief is so lovely to work with. The four of us are really a great team and I’m so grateful that we get to do this show again for a full run.
TCR: In addition to performing in Zubayr’s plays, you have done musical theatre with Marc Lottering and you also have extensive screen experience. That is a lot – from drama to musical theatre – to the screen? It must be wonderful to be able to work with Zubayr on “theatre”, in addition to the musicals and film?
AS: Theatre and musical theatre will always be my first love, because you get to be big, bold and live in front of an audience. You get to connect with the audience through the work and go on a beautiful journey with them. You get to build the character through the rehearsal process too. Film and TV is more internal and subtle. Working in front of the camera is always such a lovely experience, because you get to watch yourself, even though I cringe most times and struggle to watch myself as I’m always quite hard on myself. With both theatre and film/TV I always bring my own reality into the text, because that’s where the art and truth lies. I hope to continue working in both theatre and film/TV, going forth in this cut-throat industry
✳ Featured image: Anzio September as Mushfeeq, the central character in Please, don’t call me moffie by Zubayr Charles. Pic: Jeremeo le Cordeur.
