Venue: State Theatre, Rendezvous
Dates: on until Saturday
Rating: ****
The fact that there is a Tshwane Comedy Festival to start with is fantastic. Pretoria has been hungry for something like this for a long time. And the State Theatre is the perfect testing ground for it.
The Rendezvous works well because it is intimate. Even if there aren't enough people to fill the place up to the brim, the Rendezvous will leave you feeling as though those who are there are having a private party.
And that's how it was on certain days of the first week of this festival. The opening got off to a fairly good start on Tuesday, the venue was full. On Thursday there were lots of open seats, but the comedy definitely made up for it.
The host on the night was London comedian, Martin Davis. He is absolutely hilarious and had the crowd in stitches because of his interactive nature. His comedy came from mere conversation with the crowd. Spontaneous comedy, especially when you're hosting, is way better than reciting old jokes on stage. And Martin proved it.
The theme on Thursday night was hardcore comedy, so nothing was held back. And sex proved to be the topic that had everybody laughing hysterically. Trevor Noah's delivery proved it. But I was worried about the 16-year-old who was in the audience. He really should not have been there. Parental guidance was needed in his case.
Kyle Thorpe's energy, and his impersonations of Indians and blacks, is impressive. Trevor Gumbi still could not connect with his audience.
On opening night, Magic Man stole the show with his combination of magic and comedy. Tumi Morake, the only female on the night, showed that she is finding her voice.
The festival is into its last week and you can still catch these comedians at the State Theatre. There's enough variety for everyone.
Check it out:
Tuesday: Comedy Showcase night with Nina Hastie, Trevor Noah, Eugene Khoza, Darren Maule.
Wednesday: It's Afrikaans Night with Nicky van Niekerk, Melt Sieberhagen, Pierre Breytenbach.
Thursday: Black Comedy Night with Kedibone Mulaudzi, Loyiso Gola, David Kibuuka, Kagiso Lediga.
Friday: Hardcore Comedy Night with Kyle Thorpe, Trevor Gumbi, Nqoba Ngcobo, Malcom Ferreira.
Saturday: Comedy Showcase Night with Mike, Magic Man, Roni Modimola, Mel Miller.