Dean Edwards, Ahmed Ahmed, Kira Soltanovich, Loyiso Gola and the host Angelo Tsarouchas are indeed top-class acts with some top-class humour.
The show, which launched on Sunday, 13 September, will run in the Mother City until 4 October 2009 at the Baxter Theatre, Rondebosch. It is definitely worth every cent. It's difficult to arrive from a foreign land and tickle the locals' funny bones, but they really hit the spot proving that comedy - like every other form of entertainment - is a universal source of pleasure.
BizLounge attended the show on Monday night, 14 September, and we laughed ourselves silly. Nando's was giving away T-shirts and vouchers in the foyer to those who shared a joke with the others. Some were mildly funny, some lemon and herb funny, but mine was very very peri-peri funny. I thought …
Q: On Noah's Arc, why did the worm go in an apple?
A: Because all the other animals went in “pairs”!
First on stage the audience was treated to some vocal beat-box house music courtesy of George Avakian. The sounds emitted from this guy's vocal tools are absolutely incredible. George makes every sound really sound so realistic, one actually doubts for a second that they're coming from him - but believe it, cos it's true! He drove the enthusiastic front row right out their seats as they were so impressed as they listened to him mouth out some familiar club hits. George Avakian is awesome - though how one makes a living out of this talent, which it is, is hard to fathom. All that excitement must have drained some of them out though, because Angelo spent a large portion of his time on stage trying to rouse one or two of them. Seriously, who falls asleep at a comedy festival? If it were a boring ballet, on the other hand, now that might be a bit more understandable.
Among all that international superstardom, though, were some South African diamonds in the rough - Loyiso Gola and Stuart Taylor who were more than able to hold their own. What's great about this festival is that each comedian tackles different issues and scenarios in daily living - marriage, music, pregnancy, Palestine, engagement rings, weight issues, sex etc. So there's pretty much something for everyone.
The best act of the evening though, in my opinion, was Loyiso - who I'd not seen prior to that night. He's a young Joburger who has been in the industry since he was 19 years old and, in 2007, he claimed the Best Breakthrough Comedy Act award at the South African Comedy Awards 2007. He's probably capable enough to headline such an event.
Among all the plebs was seated a celeb of note who's making his way to SA in December 2009 to play live at SuperSport Park, Centurion - Robert Van Winkle - known across the globe as Vanilla Ice - who made Ice Ice Baby an immortal track. Perhaps he's checking out the Cape Town scene, trying to get a feel of what the locals are like. Maybe planning a Cape Town show … perhaps. Fans here and there scored a handshake while others looked on in wonder.
Monday night's audience was treated to a guest appearance by that one and only hot guy with the jokes, Trevor Noah. As soon as his set was announced the crowd went wild. The front row, awake again, was on its feet and very nearly clambering onto the stage. He closed off the show nicely and, who knows, as he's in town maybe he'll make an appearance on more shows. There's only one way to find out and that's if you attend.
Laughter really is the best medicine!
For more info, go to www.comedyfestival.co.za/capetown.htm
PS. Thanks, Nandos, for the T-shirt!
