| What: Ms.B-haved Writer/performer: Sue Diepeveen Director/story editor: Natasha Sutherland Lighting design: Wicus Louw When: October 25 to November 1, 2025 Where: The Drama Factory, 10 Comprop Sq, Henry Vos Close, Asla Business Park, Strand, Western Cape Booking: With credit card www.thedramafactory.co.za or call 073 215 2290 Direct booking link: https://www.dramafactory.co.za/whatson#25Oct25 Parking: Yes โ secure on-site Tickets: R200/R180 for seniors and students Group discount: R170 a ticket for groups of four or more โ WhatsApp 0732152290 |
โThe extremes expected from educators, parents and learners in an ever-changing world and the reaches of cancel culture that have become the norm” is at the nub of Ms.B-haved, written, directed and produced by Sue Diepeveen. Intrigued? Read on for more about this much talked-about new comedy, which will be on at The Drama Factory from October 25 to November 1, 2025. It was staged at the 2025 National Arts Festival and received a enthusiastic response. Excited to see this new play:
Hilarious, incisive, poignant new comedy from Sue Diepeveen – Ms.B-haved is here!
Following her last hit, the hilarious one-woman show So You Want to Be a Trophy Wife, Sue Diepeveen presents another incisive comedy, fresh from its premiere at the National Arts Festival.
Written and performed by Diepeveen and directed by Natasha Sutherland, Ms.B-haved will run at The Drama Factory from October 25 to November 1, 2025.
Ms.B-haved is an insightful, funny and poignant look at the extremes expected from educators, parents and learners in an ever-changing world and the reaches of cancel culture that have become the norm.
Comments from its debut at the National Arts Festival included:
‘...great variation between humour and pathos and light ness and heaviness.’
‘…itโs a lovely piece of work-very important with a strong message.’
‘Those who are about to watch are in for a treat.’
‘Congratulations to all involved in this very moving production.’
Teacher Sally Burkett is in disgrace! Suspended from Littleman Junior School amidst a scandal unlike any other. Sally thought that her thirty years of teaching had given her immunity to scandal, but the โmuch lovedโ Ms Burkett rocked the small school and town, and now she awaits her fate.
She has worked hard to navigate changing policies, updated learning styles, and new age parentsโwhat could she possibly have done to send her into this purgatory, and can she recover? Laugh along with Sally as she ponders her fate and unpacks what brought her to the particular hell of Zoom teaching online!
Ms.B-haved is written and performed by Sue Diepeveen, with Natasha Sutherland as director and story editor. Lighting Design is by Wicus Louw.
โWhen creating Ms.B-haved, I wanted to make everyone smile but also explore the trepidation, nostalgia and tenacity that happens when inevitable change challenges our identity and worth,โ says Diepeveen.
โItโs in the laughter of marveling at it all that we can learn how to live, teach, work and parent together!โ
Ms.B-haved will be performed at the Drama Factory on:
October 25, 28, 29, 30 at 19h30
October 25, November 1 at 15h00
October 26 at 16h00
Tickets cost R200 / R180 for pensioners & students
GROUPS OF FOUR OR MORE R170 – WHATSAPP 0732152290
Bookings: https://www.dramafactory.co.za/whatson#25Oct25
Age restriction 10 +
Natasha Sutherland (Director, Story Editor)
Natasha has been in the storytelling business for over 30 years. Kicking her professional career off with two years at NAPACโs Loft repertory theatre company, she has been acting, writing, directing and producing ever since. Her body of work is diverse – from โtalking to a donkey for a livingโ as a presenter and writer in SABCโs iconic children’s TV series โKideoโ – to directing EMI commissioned live show DVDโs at Emperors Palace and Carnival City – to writing, directing, and co producing the GBV documentary โThatโs What she Said- a social Inquiryโ, streamed on MNet & Showmax, & showcased at Ford Foundationโs Film & Art Festival- amongst other accomplishments and adventures.
Natashaโs most recent creative projects include performing opposite Pamela Nomvete in โMeet Me at Dawnโ for The Market Theatre, adapting Tracy Goingโs memoir โBrutal Legacyโ into a stage play directed by Lesedi Job, performing in Willy Russellโs iconic one woman show โShirley Valentineโ for VR Theatrical with sold out runs across the country, portraying the complex Megan in Mnet/ Showmaxโs TV Drama โLioness โ, and writing a South African bestselling memoir โ Bittersweet- Confessions of a Freshly Singleโ.
Natasha is a Naledi nominated actress, has received two SAFTA awards, was voted โReaders Choice Finesse – Inspirasie Vrouโ for her monthly magazine column, and received the Mbokodo Award for her contribution to Theatre. But she claims her best triumphs are her sons Sebastian and Benjamin, who have grown up with her running lines whilst making dinner, speaking in different accents during school drop offs, writing furiously throughout the night, and in spite of all of this, they have never tried to trade her in for a โnormalโ mom.
Sue Diepeveen (Writer, Performer, Producer)
Sue is a Cape Town based film, television and theatre actress, writer, director and producer. Her camera work includes Honey 3, Killer Instinct, DPO Training, American Monster, Cultured, The Deprived, Signal High 2, Projek Dina and Dream Dinner. Sue is an accomplished voice actor who relishes the challenge of accent-based work. Her self-written solo show So You Want To Be A Trophy Wife? has toured nationally and has resonated strongly with audiences. Sueโs theatre performances include 2019โs Vday performance of The Vagina Monologues; Dario Foโs A Woman Alone directed by Margot Wood; as well Mike Van Graanโs Two To Tango, which had successful runs at the National Arts Festival and The Hilton Arts Festival. Sue is currently debuting a new show called Ms.B-haved which opens at The National Arts Festival 2025.
Sue directed Your Perfect Life for F Creations, which won two Standard Bank Ovation Awards at The National Arts Festival – for its live debut in 2019 and for its online presentation in 2021. In addition to directing Thirst for the Cape Town Fringe (2016) under the Sugar-Daddy Production house, she has directed the acclaimed Blueberry Toast (2018), which completed two successful Cape Town runs.
As a writer, she has written five plays for large casts for children. Sue has produced a series of puppet theatre plays for children called What Did The Fox Say? which has toured the Western Cape and is played in both English and Afrikaans. Sueโs latest childrenโs project is a new work for children called The Emperorโs New Clothes which toured nationally to the delight of audiences. The piece is written, directed and produced by Diepeveen. The Afrikaans version, Die Keiser Se Nuwe Klere has been nominated for a woordtrofee following a successful sold-out run at Woordfees 2024.
โ Featured image: Sue Diepeveen has written and performs in Ms.B-haved,. Direction is by Natasha Sutherland. Sponsored content. Images supplied.
