About Me

I ramble about a number of things - but travel experiences, movies and music feature prominently. See my label cloud for a better idea. All comnments and opinions on this blog are my own, and do not in any way reflect the opinions/position of my employer (past/current/future).

26 September 2006

Cape Town International Comedy Festival

I had sent out an email a bout a month or so back, about people who would be interested in going to the comedy festival. Since I did not really get much positive feedback; with most people unimpressed by the R120 price tag; I decided to go alone; to the last show - Best of Fest, on Sunday night.

It was definitely worth the money - 6 comedians; plus the MC; in a show, including the interval; lasting around 3 hours. It started of rather sedately, with the host, Sugar Sammy, regurgitating some old jokes; but then he spotted some late-comers, and they provided the perfect fodder to really launch the show. The first comic, Kagiso Lediga (SA), was rather bland, until the end - with his skit on Zuma, Mbeki and Madiba bringing down the house. The next act, Reggie Watts (USA), can be best described as weird - it was funny; but it was nothing like regular comedy acts. Describing it is very difficult, it is one act that needs to be seen and heard in person. In between all these acts, the MC befriended the front row, picking on a number of front row audience members; including a man who was dressed in a pink shirt and hitting on the women. Charlie Pickering (AUS), the last act before the interval, really brought the house down; first with his banter with the MC (who was congratulated for being so professional, despite his desperate fight against impotence); then relating an interview where he talked about Crocodile Hunter, not knowing he had just died. It was a varied act; but well delivered; and in the end he really related well to the audience.

After the interval, the fireworks really started. First, Trevor Boris (CAN) who described himself as a gay farmer, hit on the man with the pink shirt. Most of his comedy delivery, centered around gay marriage and divorce; and he was really impressive. He was followed by John Vlismas (SA), who managed to probably insult everyone in the room - starting with thin people, then fat people, then women, and then people of every colour. And he brought the house down; because; it was amazingly brilliantly put together; and delivered. I was expecting a woman to end the show; especially after John Vlismas, but the last comic was Jason Wood (UK); and he was something totally different. Firstly, much of his act was delivered in songs, impersonating the singers; a brilliant feat considering the range of singers he covered. He was a great choice as the final act; and brought the show to a brilliant finish.

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