IT’S been a while since Durban had a production featuring the best of South Africa’s comics, but it’s finally happening with the East Coast Radio Kings and Queens of Comedy show.
Presented by Blu Blood Entertainment, the show will feature 10 comedians on one stage and they start their national tour in Cape Town before moving to Durban, Port Elizabeth and Joburg.
Names on the line-up include Marc Lottering, Riaad Moosa, Darren Simpson, Darren Maule, Anele Mdoda, Celest Ntuli, Mark Banks, Trevor Gumbi, Tshepo Mogale, Muthu Murugan, Kurt Schoonrad, Stuart Taylor, Ndumiso Lindi, Tracey Lee Oliver, Mel Jones, Rob Van Vuuren, Donovan Goliath, Simmi Areff, Chester Missing and Conrad Koch, Jason Goliath, Deep Fried Man and many more.
Tonight caught up with Osman Ali Osman and Shaaista Khan from Blu Blood Entertain-ment to learn more about the show.
“We’ve brought a lot of big shows… to Durban and judging from the buy-in with these ‘smaller’ shows, we feel Durban is ready for show of this scale,” explains Osman. “Durban has been sidelined by other promoters… in the past, but they seem ready for more entertainment to come their way.”
Khan said that if all goes well with East Coast Radio Kings and Queens of Comedy they hoped to bring the brand back to the city at least twice a year.
“A lot of promoters will be watching this event to gauge if it’s viable. Blu Blood is taking the risk and we are asking the people to come out and support.”
And it might not take much convincing to get crowds flocking to the show on February 14 at the ICC. History shows that Durbanites love stand-up comedy with shows like Bafunny Bafunny selling out; and our local comedy clubs – like those at Amsterdam Bar and Corner Café – bursting at the seams.
Osman said they were happy to strike a good partnership with East Coast Radio (ECR) for the Durban run: “When we pitched to ECR they were like-minded and keen to promote a big comedy event in Durban.
“We looked at some of the biggest names in South African comedy and also wanted the show to be a platform for new talent. But we aimed to bring the country’s comedy heavyweights to town.”
Khan said that for the Durban run they also consulted some of their local contacts to get a feel for who the “favourites” are.
“Celeste Ntuli, for example, is from Durban and now based in Joburg and jumped at the opportunity to come and perform on this kind of a platform in her home town. We’ve got Muthu Murugan on the bill as well as Darren Maule and Simmi Areff.”
There were other local comedians who were approached, but where unavailable for that date.
“We know these guys as the kings and queens of comedy in South Africa and now it’s time for the rest of the country to share in it. We are positive this will be a great show which we will bring back to Durban,” she said.
• Kings and Queens of South African Comedy in Cape Town on February 8 at The Grand Arena, GrandWest, Durban, on February 14 at The ICC, Port Elizabeth, on May 24 at The ICC and Joburg on May 30 and 31 at Centre Court, Emperors Palace. From R160 at Computicket.