The Sunday Mail
WILL the “Queen of African Comedy”, Ugandan Anne Kansiime conquer Harare this Saturday? While Zimbabweans are always quick to show their humorous side in any situation, comedy itself is not very big in the country.
The choice of venue for Kansiime’s show, the 800-seater 7 Arts Theatre in Avondale shows just how little Zimbabweans think of comedy.
This is despite the fact that two of the country’s crème de la crème will also be performing that night.
The Ugandan comedian who is notorious for leaving her audience in stitches with her wit will be sharing the stage with Carl Joshua Ncube and Doc Vikela who are regarded as some of the top comics in the country. These two acts have been known to pull off exceptional performances both on the local and international stages.
Kansiime, whose skits on YouTube have been watched by millions of people has performed for tens of thousands of people since her world tour began in March this year.
She touches down at the Harare International Airport this Thursday and will bring her bag of antics.
The once-off show in Harare is part of her world tour which kicked off in Australia where she performed in Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne earlier this year and left fans clamouring for more.
Last weekend, she performed at a sold out gig at Boipuso Hall in Botswana’s capital Gaborone in front of around 3 000 people and she is also scheduled to perform in the USA later on during this month.
The “Ninja Girl” as she is fondly known, has made a mark on the international comedy scene with hilarious clips that have flooded social media. She might as well be the biggest comedian on the continent at the moment, having shrugged off competition from two other top comedians Trevor Noah and Basket Mouth to clinch an African Entertainment Award USA for Best Comedian at a ceremony held at the Mary B. Butch Theatre in New Jersey last weekend.
She has won numerous other awards that include an African Oscar Award for Favourite Comedian, a Rising Star Award for Comedian of the Year 2015, a Nollywood and African People’s Choice Award for Favourite Comedian 2015, YouTube Silver Play Button 2015, an AIRTEL Women of Substance Award 2014, a BEFFTA 2013 for Best Comedian and Best Actress at the Lagos International Festival in 2013, just to mention a few.
Organisers of the show, Extratime Entertainment say preparations for the show are on course. The company’s spokesperson Tonderai Mwaita said comedy lovers should brace for an extraordinary show which will be different from any other comedy show that has been hosted in the country.
“This show is going to be bigger than any other comedy show that has been held in the country.
“We are going to make this event as classy as possible and if all goes according to plan, this is going to be a show to remember,” said Mwaita.
He said that there have been a massive response from people who are scrambling to buy the advance tickets.
“We have already sold about 80 percent of the tickets so we are encouraging people to go and buy before they are sold out in order to avoid disappointment on the day.”
One of the local supporting acts, Doc Vikela, has promised to bring his best on the day.
“We are entertainers and on the 14th there are going to be fireworks,” said Vikela.
He admitted that he was overwhelmed to be on the same stage with such a big star but also said he would rise to the occasion.
“I know this is a tall order baba. All her fans will come with high expectations of her comedy but it is my duty to make them accept my comedy and laugh before she comes on stage. I have fear, but it is the fear of being powerful beyond expectations of the audience,” Vikela.
Although Kansiime could not be reached for comment, she sent an exclusive video clip to The Sunday Mail Leisure.
“If you are so happy for me to come to Zimbabwe, how do you think I am feeling? I can’t wait for the 14th of November to come to Zimbabwe, Harare to make all of you wonder and laugh,” she said in the clip.
Kansiime started participating in drama skits acted by the theatre group “Theatre Factory” while she was still an undergraduate at Makerere University and when it disintegrated she joined “Theatre Fun”, a replacement of the former.
The best skits were broadcast on NTV Uganda in the “Barbed Wire TV Show” that later became “U-Turn”.
She partnered with Brian Mulondo as a taxi interview conductor in the MiniBuzz series and provided comic video dramatisations of topical issues that random passengers would discuss.
In 2014, Anne began posting some of her sketch comedy skits on YouTube and the positive feedback she received encouraged her to post more videos. As a result, she has amassed millions of views.
Her screen breakthrough came when Citizen TV from neighbouring Kenya offered her a slot to produce, star and present a comedy show once a week and that is how she came up with the “Don’t Mess with Kansiime” comedy show.
