The stage was set. The lighting was perfect. The audience was full of expectations. It was a sold out gig. All for the love of comedy. This was the Grand Coalition Comedy Night last Sunday to raise funds for the Kweza Arts Centre, a brain child of Q Malewezi who is now synonymous with promoting arts in Malawi.
Some comedy fans who wanted to buy tickets at the door were disappointed to find tickets were sold out and they had no choice, but return home.
Typical of Qoncept Creative events, 8pm on the dot as advertised, the event kicked off. Hosts; musician Patience Namadingo who is slowly finding his feet in comedy and up-and-coming comedian Nya Uyu, gave patrons an idea of what was in store for them.
There was plenty of laughter from the word go, with no dull moment on stage.
“Tumbuka is intimidating and provocative,” the 23-year-old NyaUyu born Felistus Tibalenge Ngwira told the audience.
Still at it, she moved to what seemed her main punchline when she asked the audience: “Between me and Daliso, who looks like is coming from the UK?” a question that left patrons in stitches.
On stage, NyaUyu beamed with confidence like a pro, yet she is an amateur trying to eke a living out of an industry in which few women generally ply their trade.
Just like in her viral skits mostly done in Tumbuka, she is confident in whatever she loves doing day-in and day-out, and that is comedy.
If her rubbing of shoulders with the likes of Uganda’s Anne Kansiime, Zimbabwe’s Carl Joshua Ncube and Malawi’s top comedy export Daliso Chaponda is anything to go by, that is a testament of her place in the comedy world.
The Britain’s Got Talent 2017 finalist once again proved why he is regarded as one of the best comedians in the Queen’s land.
He then moved on to show how much he follows local current affairs.
“I was relieved that nobody thought my dad had started the fire at Lake of Stars this year,” said Daliso who in his impressive performance tackled other issues such as Madonna’s adoption, politics and racial discrimination.
On politics he teased the MCP: “The last time they were in power was 1994 and they are still trying. How many elections do you lose to come up with plan B. I mean they have never won an election,” he concluded before bowing out of stage while fans yearned for more.
NyaUyu reappeared on stage to introduce the queen of African comedy. To the surprise of the fans, she was pulled in a wheelbarrow.
Kansiime got on stage dancing to Tay Grin’s Lubwa.
She immediately established a rich repertoire and succeeded to get the audience reeling and yearning for more.
In pure stance of comedy; no rehearsing, she picked on individuals from the audience and effortlessly threw jokes about them.
She singled out a lady and said: “Were you misled? Why are you wearing disco lights?” before moving closer to her and asking: “What do you do for you to look like food at this hour of the night.”
Back on stage, she joked about her failed engagement.
“For five years, I was engaged to a man. He did a degree in me, he booked me for five years, imagine,” she joked while pointing at herself. “The show is dedicated to all those who have been booked, don’t be booked for so long,” joked Kansiime.
The many foreign nationals in the auditorium were a focus of many jokes.
“There are so many white people around and it’s good since we are fundraising for Kweza Arts. It is good you are here,” she said as she walked off stage.
Namadingo took back his hosting role, he mocked the current crop of prophets in terms of how they preach before calling on stage Coltida Inapo, another Ugandan comedian.
Seemingly continuum with race issues, she threw arguably her biggest jibe of the night: “The Chinese are everywhere, such that Indians are now worried. They thought they made it. Indians, it is well with your soul. It happened to us too, until you came.”
With countless of laughs made, three comedians down, it was time for Ncube who was mostly into politics in his country, Zimbabwe.
“The last time I was in Malawi, Mugabe was being removed from power and up too now, nothing has changed. Mugabe ruled Zimbabwe for 37 years and I am turning 39 and that’s how I wasted my time,” he kicked off his performance.
His every minute was appreciated by the crowd as he continually cracked them up.
It was a night of first-rate laughter and non-stop comedy entertainment. The comedians gave the fans a show worth every tambala.
The Grand Coalition of Comedy left some cracked ribs in Malawi. If it was politics, it was a landslide win. n
