adminMadzikatire, and Phillip Gadzikwa Mushangwe, better known as “Paraffin” are remembered for their fascinating antics that left people in stitches.
Then came the era of Kapfupi (Freddy Manjalima), Kabhasikoro (Paul Mkwashira) and MaRubber who were famed for acting in the street.
There is a new breed of comedians who have taken the entertainment scene by storm.
The comedians are known for bringing real-life experiences to the stage in a big way.
Stand-up comics, as they have come to be known use a different style whereby they perform in front of a live audience.
Clubs, theatres or the stage have come to be their home.
This kind of entertainment is not only cheaper but convenient for both parties (performer and audience) involved.
Whether one is a diehard fan or a newbie to the phenomenon, there is no doubt that the trend is growing in Zimbabwe.
While the Chris Rocks of this world have gained international recognition for their wit in laughter, the bug has trickled down to the local scene making stand-up comedy the next best thing.
A handful of comedians have struck gold with comedy and are living off it as we speak.
One such person is Carl Joshua Ncube, who has made strides in the local comedy arena.
“The world we live in is filled with problems that range from financial, social and even political. Comedy in turn can be used as a therapeutic tool that makes it a better place,” he said.
Being the hilarious person that he is, Ncube could not help but give a hilarious explanation as to how comedy helps people to deal with difficult aspects in their lives.
“Most of my jokes are derived from personal experiences. There are sensitive things I have gone through and at one time, I attempted suicide. The ridiculous part was I took paracetamol thinking it was something dangerous and ended up not dying. How I deal with that phase is through making jokes about it,” he said.
Ncube even uses comedy as a way to escape difficult circumstances that one cannot face with a sober mind. One really sensitive issue is that of the death of his father.
“The passing of my father hurt me but as a way of dealing with it, I have created jokes about how I have stolen his jokes. It also helps me to openly talk about it in a way offering those who will be going through the same situation an alternative of how to react to the same situation” he said.
The cardinal rule of comedy is anything and anyone can be made fun of by comedians, if scenes from different comedy shows around the country are anything to go by.
Drawing a somewhat faint line that cannot be crossed Simuka Comedy Nights co-founder, Victor “Doc Vikela” Mpofu shared his views.
“No one is safe from comedians. It may be politicians, businesspeople or people deemed to be on the wrong or correct side of the society. Comedians are or should be clever enough to make strategies when dealing with such issues,” he said.
Doc Vikela went further to sharing a career assassinating incident that took place in 2011.
“Comedians learn with each performance and get better through their acts. I had an incident that almost destroyed my career at Miss Curvy one time. I told a joke but it was in bad taste. The good thing about Zimbabweans is they do not attack you for such things. The worst they can do, however, is not react to your joke but just stare at you on stage,” he said.
It then boils down to skill more than anything else. After all, it takes a lot to get on stage and make people laugh their brains out.
It comes naturally to some while practice definitely makes perfect to others. Our country has no institutes where comedians can be taught skills of the trade. Passion has been the driving force behind the rapid growth of the sector. One can only imagine how good it would have been if there were institutions to teach skills of the trade.
Online Reporter