The Sunday News
Nkosilesisa Ncube, Sunday Life Reporter
A RELATIVELY difficult childhood on the streets barely guarantees that one will grow into a comedic genius, but South Africa-based local comedian and ventriloquist Chik Aljoy maintains that it was during his days as a child of the street that he fell in love with comedy.
Born Aljoy Anesu Chikowo at Mpilo Hospital, the 20-year-old says he has always had a passion for the arts.
“Growing up, I was very passionate about the arts. I had dreams of becoming a famous actor in Hollywood and it was during my time on the street that I realised that comedy was my specialty. There was one good story teller we called Potato, he was very good with narration and he would entertain us at night while we street kids sat around our cardboard fire,” he said.
Eventually Chik’s uncle took him off the streets in 2011 and sent him to study in South Africa, where he became a part of the Hillbrow theatre project. It was where he tried out ventriloquism.
“I practised talking without moving my lips. I practised this everywhere I was, be it school, church or at a supermarket.
Within two months, I was practising the art of ventriloquism quite well. I stole my cousin sister’s doll and turned it into a puppet which I named Peanut. Peanut became my first puppet,” said the comedian.
However, it was not Peanut who gave Chik star status and sent him straight to the South Africa’s Got Talent semi-finals. It was Jackie, a monkey-faced puppet with interesting opinions who pushed the live audience to a standing ovation and coerced DJ Fresh into pressing the golden buzzer.
“I met Jackie at a festival in Grahamstown. He was for sale and I remember looking at him and thinking, ‘We could be great friends’. I bought him and we have been best friends ever since. We are so alike, Jackie and me. Apart from our mutual love of bananas, we really are two peas in a pod. I have learned to be more like him. One of my mentors, Roni Modimola told me ‘Chik, in order for you to do justice to your Monkey Puppet you have to be the monkey, you have to think like a monkey and reason like a monkey.’ So since then I have actually become the monkey, Jackie has basically taken over my life,” Chik jokingly said.
Speaking of Chik’s South Africa’s Got Talent experience, when he got the golden buzzer, he fell on his knees, sending both the judges and the audience on an emotional journey.
“I dropped to my knees, firstly because I wasn’t expecting it and secondly because it felt like finally all my pain, struggle, wounds and tears stood for something. It’s like running for years, not entirely sure of where you are going but not stopping to catch a breath. In that moment, I felt like the race was over and I could finally catch my breath. But more than that, I was on my knees because I was praising God for taking me as far as He had,” said Chik.
Apart from perfecting his act for the South Africa’s Got Talent semi-finals, Chik runs a monthly show for High School children in Johannesburg and works closely with Hleka Mzansi, a brand that performs comedy shows around South Africa.
He has also graced such events as Ibumba Festival in Bulawayo, University of Johannesburg Convention and Soweto Theatre.
He aims to start an online puppet show, an idea he got from Guinness record holder, Carl Joshua Ncube.
@nkocykay
