#AMASOKOLARI COMEDY NIGHTS. At Malibongwe Restaurant, Lookout Hill in Khayelitsha on Saturday. TRACEY SAUNDERS previews.
THE international rise of local comedian Trevor Noah has thrown the spotlight on South African comic talent, of which there is an abundance. Many comedians are making the annual pilgrimage to the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, but audiences staying in Cape Town need not fear.
An evening of comedy to be hosted in Khayelitsha is set to warm up local audiences this Saturday.
Siya Seya is one of the comics who will be joining the line up which includes comedians who have appeared on Comedy Central and the Blacks Only Comedy Show.
Seya, born in Mdantsane in the Eastern Cape, moved to Cape Town in 2007. A chance encounter with Louw Venter piqued his interest and it wasn’t long before he joined the local comedy circuit. He is drawn by the honesty of comedy as a discipline as one “can never fake a laugh for a full hour”.
Being honest with himself is a step that he feels enables him to hone his comic skills and he considers his talent a gift and privilege.
Seya is no stranger to the stage and has performed at the Boardwalk in Port Elizabeth, The Playhouse in Durban, Ozone in Johannesburg and on the Parker’s Comedy Stage in Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth. He is inspired by Loyiso Gola and admires his dedication.
Gola’s particular attitude which Seya describes as being “less consumed by fame” is one of the attributes that the young comedian find particularly inspiring.
There is no shortage of local talent and the young comic believes that comedy has the potential to positively impact change in the country and while venues have historically been concentrated in the city centre and immediate surrounds, comedy venues in the townships are fast gaining popularity.
The new monthly event is an important addition to the Cape Town circuit and Seya says, “there is a lot of talent that nobody knows about yet and I just can’t wait to see it. On the other hand people from here can enjoy comedy and be introduced to live comedy, as most of them just see it on TV because these comedy events are normally in the CBD and it’s far from them.”
“Now they can be able to laugh at stories that they relate to and be able to laugh at themselves, which is even more important.” Theatre-maker and founder of Theatre 4 Change, Mandisi Sindo says of Seya’s recent performance at Kefu’s Place in Khayelitsha, “He has always been the most finest come-dian and true to himself. He knows what he does and the audience really love him because of his approach and unforgettable punchlines. He’s got his own way of doing it, he accommodates everyone with his jokes that you’ll never expect. He doesn’t laugh at all, his straight-face talk makes you believe every inch of what he just talked about. His comedy revolves around township lingo, lobola negotiations between coloured and black families and about his own experiences.”
Joining Seya will be heavyweight comedian, Kagiso Mokgadi, better known as “KG”. He is the son of a journalist-turned- sangoma father and a mother who was a nurse, both of whom have influenced his rather unique take on medical matters.
He made his stage debut at the 2011 Joburg Arts Alive Festival in the Comedy Nine-Nine showcase and has opened for David Kau and Nik Rabinowitz. His solo show Heavy has been performed at the National Arts Festival and was also well received at The Baxter Theatre.
The founder of Nathi Comedy Nights, Nkosinathi Maki (Nathi) is another comic who will be familiar to regular comedy audiences. He is passionate about creating exposure for new comics and has hosted comedy nights in Langa at Gugasthebe where he encourages young talent to find their unique comic voices.
The first #Amasokolari Comedy Nights event will be hosted at the Malibongwe Restaurant, Lookout Hill Tourism Centre on Saturday from 5.30 pm to 8pm. Khanyiso Kenqa, Phumlanyi Vokovi and Phila Mnyanda will also share the stage with the aforementioned performers. It may be an idea to watch them take to the stage in Cape Town before they, too, move to more lucrative pastures abroad.
The first 100 entrants to the venue will receive a free DVD. For mature audiences only –- all patrons must be 18 or older.
l Tickets: R60. Info: 078 276 1075. Book: Computicket 0861 915 8000, www.computicket.co.za