Written By Kundai Marunya
‘Wow’ was all I could say in the cramped corridors of my laughter after the opening line of Zambezi News at the Shoko Festival comedy show last night.
The mock news cast which comprise of Jerome Weathers (Samm Monro), Mandape Mandape (Outspoken), and Kudzaishe Mushayahembe (Michael Kudakwashe) gave revelers an overdose of laughter, all beamed in their humorous presentation of current affairs. Their first strike was the wrong speech in which Monro a.k.a Cde Fatso who is also the festival director opened up with a 2014 speech and had to be corrected on stage, mimicking President Mugabe’s wrong speech fiasco. It took time to get the crowd to calm down and settle for more satire and hard-hitting humour on local current affairs.
Being in the vicinity of ZANU PF headquarters didn’t give the ruling party reprieve from the comics swiping, their ‘cock’ signage being one of the opening lines. Comedy was used to reflect at our leadership and governmental flaws, laughing at ourselves as a nation while opening up dialogue on our oppressed free speech and various human rights and liberties.
Michael K’s improvisation, engaging the crowd in question and answers had people in stitches and was easily referred to as the best part of the show. He was the best the set had to offer, not taking away his partners’ great inputs.
Also on the same show was South Africa’s Tol A$$ Mo who murdered the crowd with his jokes on ghetto lifestyle. He had the crowd in stitches for his whole set.
Meanwhile, Long John failed to entice the crowd with his style which replicates Simba the Comic Kings. Though he was ok, he failed to hit the same bars set by his predecessors.
Tonight the fun goes on with a comic lineup that features Simba The Comic King, Deep Fried Man, Clive Chigubu and Doc Vikela. The show kicks off at 7pm
