After a traumatic life-changing experience that cost Justin-Ray Stoffels his eye, the Cape Town comedian is back on the scene with his show called “Eye On The Prize”.
The Artscape Theatre will come alive as Stoffels hosts his first-ever stand-up comedy production.
Growing up in Greyton and then later moving to Mitchells Plain in Cape Town sparked curiosity for the then 29-year-old comic. He decided to branch out to Johannesburg in July 2018 in search of better comedy gigs and opportunities in the city.
He rented in Fourways with a fellow comedian who soon had to move out and this left Stoffels financially burdened. As such, he was forced to find a day job to help him make ends meet.
He ended up working in retail and while on his way home from work on May 15, Stoffels was attacked, which cost him the loss of his sight in one eye.
Stoffels said: “I went to find insight and instead I lost my eyesight. I’ve been in comedy since 2012.”
“I had a few paid gigs every week but it wasn’t enough. I then got a retail job in the area where I worked during the week.
“It was around 7.30pm, when I was walking home from work, I was brutally attacked.
“I looked back and saw two men walking behind me and because I’m from Mitchells Plain, I could immediately identify that they were up to something.
“So I packed away my earphones and phone, I placed the phone into my back pocket. I had my backpack on and only a lunch box in the bag.”
He said he walked further and was met by the men on a corner.
The 33-year-old comedian says he tried to signal for help in oncoming traffic but none was forthcoming.
One of the men caught up with him, stabbed him in the eye and grabbed his bag.
“Everything happened so fast. I felt the knife behind my right eye and the next moment my eye was hanging out,” explained Stoffels.
He was admitted to Helen Joseph Hospital, where doctors told him he had lost an eye.
In 2019, Stoffels was given the Artscape theatre platform, but that dream too was snuffed out by the Covid-19 pandemic.
After a three-year wait, Stoffels finally gets his big break as he performs on August 12 and 13 at the theatre.
“It’s finally my turn, I can hardly sleep because I’m so excited, I feel like a little boy on Christmas Eve.”
His show also features comics Mum-Z, Vision Masango and Estee Adams. Tickets are R100 at Computicket and the show starts at 7.30pm and, on the 13th, there are two shows, one at 3pm and 7.30pm.