The Sunday Mail
Andrew Moyo
Leisure Reporter
LOCAL stand-up comedy has experienced a steady rise over the years, but the industry is yet to find a solid footing.
The talent is vast, with some of the acts even gaining recognition on various international platforms but their impact back home has been minimal.
Despite their rib-cracking antics, local stand-up comedians have been failing to capture the attention of comedy lovers in the country.
Carl Joshua Ncube
It seemed as if the country was humourless but that notion was swept aside last weekend when the “Queen of African Comedy”, Anne Kansiime alongside Long John, Doc Vikela and Carl Joshua Ncube turned the 7 Arts Theatre upside down with their wit.
Kansiime’s magnetism managed to woe sold out crowds both on Saturday and Sunday last weekend, which was proof enough that many Zimbabweans are actually hungry for stand-up comedy.
She had been scheduled to perform only on Saturday but the demand for the show’s tickets was overwhelming and the organisers had to make provision for a second show.
Most comedy acts on the local scene are used to performing at small venues in front of paltry crowds but last week’s shows provided an opportunity for a broader fan base.
Ncube, Long John and Vikela did not let the opportunity fly by, but grabbed it with both hands as the latter stole the show on the first night with his wide range of satirical fireballs.
Having been tasked with warming up the stage for the Ugandan, Vikela ended up burning it up instead.
The doc was relentless while he unleashed wave after wave of laughing gas, with his jokes being accompanied by rapturous laughter from the crowd.
With Ncube having previously visited Uganda, when the main act came on stage she mentioned that he had managed to thrill in her country. She also highlighted that she had been impressed by Vikela’s performance on the night.
The reception that local comics got from the crowd leaves one wondering why their own shows are not well attended, despite their performances being at par with international acts.
Besides appearing in news articles and posters, most comics have not been doing much to market their brands in order to improve their visibility.
On the global stage, many entertainers have taken advantage of the social media revolution to further enhance their brands.
Kansiime is one example of a comedian who has used social media to her advantage, flooding various platforms with her skits that have established her as an international brand.
Kansiime shares a joke with local comedian Doc Vikela on stage at the 7 Arts Theatre last weekend
Most comics have a presence on various social media platforms but they have not taken advantage of the fact that many Zimbabweans are constantly on the lookout for funny clips on such platforms. In the entertainment industry, if people have not seen your capabilities, they will not part with their money to attend your show. This is the sad story on the local comedy scene as most comics are next to invisible.
During interviews with The Sunday Mail Leisure, the comedians that performed at Kansiime’s show said the platform had provided an opportunity for them to showcase what they can do on stage. Doc Vikela admitted that many people did not know him before last week but his performance during the two shows had put him on the map.
“To tell you the truth, I now have more fans than I had before that show because people have been sending me messages on Facebook telling me that they didn’t know we had such talent in the country.
“People are asking me about my next show and where they can buy the tickets, which shows that they now appreciate comedy,” said Vikela.
He also highlighted that local entertainment promoters lacked faith in local comedy and this was to blame for the slow growth of the industry.
“We are promoting shows on our own and most of us are not capable of putting together big shows because of financial constraints. Most of us cannot afford to host shows at big venues like the 7 Arts so at the end of the day we end up using smaller venues that are less popular.
“I think promoters should start believing in us because they are actually missing out on a big opportunity to cash in on this huge gap in the entertainment sector.”
Long John also said he was elated by being part of the two shows as they had been good marketing platforms for his work.
“This was the biggest stand-up comedy that has been staged in Zimbabwe and for me it was an amazing experience because I got to showcase my talent in front of so many people.
“I am doing a one man show on December 17 at Alliance Francaise and tickets have been selling fast because people are now interested in my work,” said Long John.
He said as much as he would have also liked to do skits and put them on social media, finances do not allow him to do so.
“Skits can actually work to our advantage but as much as I would want to make mine, I do not have the resources like cameras, editing equipment and money to pay the people who will be behind the scenes.”
