Online Reporter
Mbulelo Mpofu [email protected]
Bulawayo comedian Frank Chirisa’s recent Cape Town comedy tour became a career-defining experience after he met his self-proclaimed “funniest comedian” Trevor Noah.
Chirisa travelled to South Africa for his “Cape Town Comedy Clubs Tour”, performing at nine venues while reconnecting with the city where his stand-up journey began.
The highlight was meeting Noah, the internationally acclaimed Mzansi comedian and former host of The Daily Show, whose appearance formed part of the Festival of Comedy.
The festival featured some of the region’s notable comedy acts, including Eugene Khoza, Thabiso Mhlongo, Mbali Gudazi and Zimbabwean international Learnmore Jonasi.
For Chirisa, meeting Noah reinforced his belief in the possibilities for African comedians on the global stage.
“My spirits are still high from meeting Trevor Noah. He’s the funniest person I have met now, like he’s number one. Personally and even on stage. He’s the best,” Chirisa said.
Noah also encouraged him to keep working towards his goals.
“He told me to keep pushing and working towards greater heights,” he said.
Chirisa first performed stand-up comedy in Cape Town in 2020 at an open mic in Strand. The experience inspired him to take comedy seriously.
“The first time I did stand-up comedy was in Cape Town in 2020 at an open mic in Strand. It raised curiosity in me and I went on to chase this comedy dream and years later, I found myself headlining shows and killing it in Cape Town.
“It’s been an amazing week of stand-up comedy. I fell in love with Cape Town upon arrival, I even want to relocate here. The comedians were so kind, the audience was the best ever and the place is beautiful. I have a lot of new friends as well now,” he said.
The tour also gave Chirisa an opportunity to spend time with Jonasi, who he said mentored him and broadened his understanding of what was possible in comedy.
“During my comedic tour, I got to spend a lot of time with Learnmore Jonasi who mentored me and just showed me how far this comedy thing could take me. We did a couple of shows together and it was just amazing,” he said
Jonasi also took Chirisa to BaFunny BaFunny, where he was opening for Noah.
“He even took me to BaFunny BaFunny where he was opening for Trevor Noah and I had backstage access. We were in the same room with Trevor for hours. I got to talk to him, take a picture with him. It was a full-circle moment,” Chirisa said.
Chirisa described the meeting as part of a chain of inspiration among African comedians.
“Trevor made Learnmore believe an African could make it in America and Learnmore made me believe that a Zimbabwean comedian could make it anywhere else in the world and the three of us took a picture afterwards,” he said.
He was also impressed by the organisation behind Noah’s show, saying it gave him a new appreciation of comedy as an industry.
“The show itself was flawless, the greatest show I have ever watched. There were producers, stage managers, a lot of people working behind the scenes,” he said.
Chirisa admitted he was nervous when Jonasi took the stage in front of Noah.
“I was so nervous for Learnmore when he went up. It felt like I was watching the Warriors playing at the World Cup but wow, that man is built for the biggest stages. He’s a superstar and my Goat in Zimbabwe,” he said.
Chirisa remains in Cape Town, where he also attended a Rotaract Camp in his capacity as president-elect of the Rotaract Club of Matopos.
He returns to Bulawayo with new professional relationships, lessons from the industry and encouragement from two comedians who have taken African comedy to international audiences.
His journey from an open mic in Strand to performing across nine venues and sharing a room with Noah marks a significant chapter in his growing comedy career.
— @MbuleloMpofu
