Satirical hilarity from Stephen Francis and Rico makes searing comment
on contemporary issues. (Review by Caroline Smart)
Forming a hilarious new Madam & Eve Collection, Stephen Francis and
Rico have come up with their inimitable searing comment on contemporary South
Africa issues with Keep Calm and Take
Another Tea Break.
This represents the 21st Madam & Eve, featuring the regular
characters Madam, Eve, Thandi and Mother Anderson (Edith).
The cover says it all. Madam and Edith are surrounded by newspapers
while Eve lies supine on the ironing board, a coffee mug balancing on her
stomach. The headlines scream: Oscar
Pistorius; Nkandlagate! Malema!; Spear Painting; Everything is Just Fine (The
New Age); Cover Up! News: Limpopo Textbook Scandal; Guptagate!, and e-Toll Shock!
Now you know what to expect as you bounce through 133 pages of
satirical cartoon fun.
The first page is titled “Something
Fishy” and sees Madame, Edith, Eve and Thandi gazing into an aquarium which
displays personalities and controversial issues into fish form. There’s
Mackerel Maharaj, Helen Squille, Tokyo Sexwhale, huge moustachioed creatures
named the Giant Guptas; Clown Fish (Julius Malema), and Cyril Clamaphosa.
Then there’s the Limpopo School of Fish (looking for their text books!)
and the Eskom Electric Eel all a-fizzle.
The final page introduces the Madam & Eve Book Club where the
reader is invited to choose from “these incredible page-turning South African
autobiographies written by the men and women who lives them”. These include:
Lord of the Lies by Mac Maharaj; One Flew Over the Wedding Guests by The
Gupta Brothers; The Great Fatsby by Kulubuse Zuma; Short Walk to Fifedom by Robert Mugabe; A Farewell to Arms Deal by Judge Willie Seriti; Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by Shaik
Brothers... and more!
Other titles visited earlier in the book include Buy the Beloved Country by the Gupta Brothers; The DA Vinci Code by Helen Zille and Brideshead Revisited by Jacob Zuma.
The book focuses on songs that swept the country during the year such
as Gangnam Style; Edith’s permanent
war against the Mielllies lady; a new television competition called Pope Idols; an amusing take on the Keep Calm and
Carry On motivational posters and a fun one-image cartoon sees the three
wise men halting next to a “Welcome to Mangaung” sign with the GPS claiming
“Recalculating...”
On a more alarming note, the rainbow of the Rainbow Nation is being
shot to ribbons and there’s an increase on bribery and corruption. A sad image
sees Jacob Zuma visiting the ailing Nelson Mandela in what was a travesty of a
publicity shoot .
Published by Jacana Media (Pty) Ltd Keep
Calm and Take Another Tea Break EAN: 9781431408436 Recommended retail price
R138.00 - Caroline Smart
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