Dillan Chiota returns to HICC to “Kill Boredom”

HAVING sold out the Harare International Conference Centre (HICC) in July, Zimbabwean comedian Dillan Chiota is returning to the venue with another instalment of his UNBOTHERED comedy special series, dubbed Killing Boredom, on October 23.

The upcoming show will see Chiota share the stage with fellow comedians Ckanyiso Dat Guy, Joshua and Tino Lebohang, with two-time National Arts Merit Awards (Nama) nominee Mbongeni Ignatious taking on hosting duties.

The October show follows Chiota’s sold-out UNBOTHERED comedy special held at the HICC on July 12, which marked a significant milestone for the Harare-based comedian and his growing comedy platform, DillanChiotaLive.

Explaining his choice of performers for the upcoming edition, Chiota said the line-up was deliberately put together to showcase a range of comedic styles.
“Killing Boredom is the next chapter within the DillanChiotaLive UNBOTHERED series, following our sold-out show at HICC on the 12th of July. The show will feature regular DillanChiotaLive performers Ckanyiso Dat Guy, Joshua and Tino Lebohang, and we’ll be hosted by Bulawayo’s very own two-time Nama nominee Mbongeni Ignatious.
“It’s a line-up that represents different comedic styles, from storytelling, observational, crowd work and social commentary, bringing in variety and exposure in one show,” said Chiota.

Rather than relying solely on the traditional route of waiting for gigs and opportunities from event organisers, Chiota has carved out his own space in the industry through DillanChiotaLive, a platform that allows him to create and produce his own shows.

He said what began as a necessity had gradually evolved into a deliberate approach to building a sustainable career in comedy.
“I think it comes from necessity initially, but eventually it became a mindset. I’ve always wanted to see what I could create if I wasn’t waiting for someone else to give me an opportunity.
“Building DillanChiotaLive gave me the ability to create my own stage, produce my own shows and develop my own body of work.
“I’m very interested in the business and creative side of comedy, so I’ve always looked at it beyond just performing. I want to build an ecosystem around the work, the shows, the performers, the audience and the opportunities that come with that.
“So becoming independent wasn’t really about trying to do everything myself. It was about taking ownership of the things I could control and creating opportunities where I didn’t see them,” he said.

Following the success of his July show, expectations are high for Chiota to deliver another memorable night and potentially fill the HICC once again.

However, the comedian said he was not approaching Killing Boredom with the intention of simply replicating the success of the previous show.
“I think the expectation is definitely there, but I’m not approaching Killing Boredom by trying to recreate what happened with UNBOTHERED. Despite how close together my shows are, they are all built around new material and new jokes.
“Killing Boredom is a new chapter within the UNBOTHERED series, and it’s built around my pursuit of contention as I navigate the Zimbabwean stand-up comedy industry.
“Ironically, while the name suggests ‘Killing Boredom’, I’m probably the most bothered person in the industry because I’m constantly creating conflict, challenging things and finding something to say.
“That’s really what this chapter is about — continuing to explore that side of my personality and my experiences through comedy.
“The 12th of July show gave us a great foundation because we sold out the HICC, but I think the challenge now is to take that momentum and create something different rather than simply trying to repeat the same success.
“So yes, I want Killing Boredom to be successful, but more importantly, I want it to feel like the next step in the DillanChiotaLive body of work,” he said.