Collins up close, keeping it personal

The popular Robby Collins is back on home stages this week.

The popular Robby Collins is back on home stages this week.

Published May 26, 2015

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DURBAN’s Robby Collins has been buzzing on the entertainment front, juggling a host of national stand-up comedy gigs, including his recent tour with Trevor Noah’s NationWILD show.

When he’s not keeping his audiences rolling with laughter, you’ll find him on tv. More recently his character, the gangster Rocky, has returned to e.tv’s hit drama, Rhythm City.

This week, Collins will take some time out to tour a host of popular Durban comedy clubs. We touched base with him to play catch up.

Opening in the past for the likes of Marc Lottering, Eugene Khoza and Trevor Noah, has been a humbling experience.

“It’s crazy that while they are reaching their full potential, they still think of me. For example, for Trevor to open for Dave Chappelle, or to work with Chris Rock and still think of me when it comes to working with him here in South Africa, it’s really humbling.”

With seven years comedy experience in the bag, it’s been a learning experience for him: “I think it’s about getting more personal and learning to trust yourself a lot more. Also, learning to just voice my opinion more. I started when I was 21, I’m 28 now and the way I think about life is totally different. Like, there was this joke I had about how I don’t want kids and how I hate kids, but now a lot of my friends around me are having kids and I’m like, this isn’t so bad,” he laughed.

“My comedy stays personal and the more I grow, the more I see things differently and experience things differently and that effects how I tell my comedy.”

Collins has, over the years, acted on e.tv’s Scandal, written and performed for Laugh Out Loud and Late Nite News and you can catch him on Rhythm City – in a role which sometimes lands him in hot water with ardent fans.

“People take their tv programmes very seriously. I shot someone on Rhythm City last year and once ran into a lady who wouldn’t let me go. She was cross- questioning me about the shooting like it was a serious thing, not like it was on a TV show. It’s cool now because Trevor’s DVD (NationWILD) has come out, so it’s good for people to see the two sides of my career. But for some time last year people only knew me as the gangster from Rhythm City,” he chuckled.

Later this year, Collins will tour his debut one-man show, That Bushman’s Crazy, for the last time and record a DVD. In the meantime, he’ll be headlining some popular comedy clubs this week:

l Tonight: Mozambik Comedy Night (at Mozambik, Ballito): Collins, Jem Atkins and Ryan Whittal will keep the laughs rolling from Show starts at 8.30pm. R70. Call 032 946 0979 for more info or bookings.

l Tomorrow: Amsterdam Comedy Club (Amsterdam Bar, 143 Helen Joseph Rd, Glenwood, Durban): The show will be hosted by JAtkins and include Justice Khubeka and Ryan Whittal, with Collins headlining. Show starts at 8.30pm. Tickets are R40. Call 031 811 5449.

l Thursday: New York Comedy Club (New York Bar, 101 Innes Rd, Morningside). The show will be hosted by Liam Johns, and also include the hilarious Neil Green and Whittal, with Collins headlining. Show starts at 8.30pm. Tickets are R50. Call 031 312 9605.

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