The Sunday News
MUSICIANS, who performed at the Bayethe Bulawayo Concert at Intwasa recently, may be considering getting into comedy as well after people snubbed one of the festival’s headline shows to attend a comedy night just across the road.
The tradition in Zimbabwe has, however, been that music dominated every other art genre meant for entertainment and for anyone to suggest that comedy was going to command a fair share of fun lovers more than music was unthinkable.
However, if what transpired at the just ended 10th edition of Intwasa Arts Festival KoBulawayo is to be used to measure the popularity of the two art genres, then one will not have erred to say music is slowly but surely being overtaken by comedy.
Or was it the line-up, but all the events were impressively lined up, or the fee, but all the events were equally paid for. So one only gets the impression that people maybe appreciating comedy more than music now.
Suffice to say the Bayethe Bulawayo Concert which was billed to be one of the biggest events at Intwasa was a big yawn as it disappointed artistes who performed to a half empty venue with journalists and those who had tags attending.
The Bulawayo concert had such big names as Suluman Chimbetu, Albert Nyathi, Sandra Ndebele, Ndolwane Super Sounds and many others.
Bulawayo dance queen, Sandra Ndebele expressed her disappointment when she performed to half empty venue and encouraged people to support their local artistes.
“Let us come and support our local artistes, you are the people who keep us in motion but if you do not come it will be hard to grow the local music industry,” she said.
What made matters worse was that thousands of people were gathered at the Chibuku stage at Large City Hall car park but when it was time to pay to get inside the Large City Hall for the show, people were seen diverting their routes as they probably felt $5 was too much to watch local artistes.
This was a different story all together when it came to comedy night which witnessed a full house with audiences paying $5. People were eager to pay for comedy than watch local musicians’ perform.
One of the people who was at the comedy night, Claudius Maphosa who brought his family said he preferred comedy to local music because comedy was new and comedians took their job seriously as they always come with new jokes every time they are on stage.
“There is no question about it, comedy is taking over from music. Every time I attend comedy shows we are sure to listen to new jokes unlike music where they will play music from the 90s,” he said.
Comedians brought the house down with laughter with comedians such as Babongile Skhonjwa, Ntando Van Moyo, Zwelithini Makena, popularly known as Zwe, Lino Ntaka popularly known as HO and Harare based comedian Doc Vikela, giving a dazzling performance which kept the crowd in stitches.
Doc Vikela was overwhelmed by the response the community of Bulawayo gave to the event and said he didn’t expect to find such an audience which he said was a great sign of growth for the comedy industry.
“This is amazing, you know it gives joy to see such an audience paying to see us perform, this really shows that we are doing a good job as comedians and it drives us to do even much more. I feel greatly honoured by the people of Bulawayo, seeing that they support stand-up comedy. It simply means we have a great future in the industry,” he said.
He also noted that it was important for artistes particularly comedians to be united so as to realise their potential and grow their industry.
HO, who was one of the performers, said he was humbled by sharing the stage with his mentors.
“It feels great to have shared the stage with one of the pioneers of comedy such as Doc Vikela because he has always been someone that I look up to,” he said.
Skhonjwa as usual gave a top-drawer performance with his song Stameta and he also made fun of Rastafarians and the Apolostic Faith Sect, Johane Masowe members, while dressed in white garb that is synonymous with the sect.
“I derive all my jokes from the things that happen around us; I am glad and at the same time feel so honoured that Intwasa has managed to bring us together as artistes where our common goal is to entertain,” he said.
