Staff Writer
Organisers of the three-day Simuka Comedy Festival 2021 on Tuesday announced some of the 50 comedians from across Zimbabwe to feature at the hybrid event.
This means that the second edition themed: “Free Voice, Take Charge” will be held virtually while other shows will be performed live at Reps Theatre as well as livestream on Simuka Comedy Facebook and YouTube channels.
One of the comics to look forward to is Robert Mugabe impersonator —- Mandla Da Comedian of the “Watondikanganwa” fame. Mugabe is the deposed former president of Zimbabwe.
The festival will be a collaboration between seasoned performers, novices and administrators who are active practitioners of comedy over 3 days namely.
- Farai-Day 26th November (We are dedicating this happy day to our growing complement of talented female comedians in partnership with Sekesai collective and primarily made possible by Moto Republik. The main attraction among other activities will be the Divas comedy night headlined by the inimitable rising star comedienne Munya Guramatunhu.),
- Satire-Day 27th November (Will be an all-out propagation of satire as a type/form of comedy made primarily possible by the partnership with Magamba Network which will see a host of activities culminating in festival headline event featuring comedy veterans – the crazy Doc Vikela, the hilarious Clive Chigubu, unapologetically funny Ntando Van Moyo and the trailblazing young blood Long John)
- Sunny-Day 28th November (A Day in the sun, comedy deserves it too and we go all out to celebrate comedy in every form). The night will see the last bit of the festival dubbed “Third Wave” comedy show, featuring Kadem the Comic of the Captain Tito fame; Tinaye also known to masses as Constable; Ckanyiso Datguy popularly known as Buju and Mandla Da Comedian the “Watondikanganwa” Robert Mugabe impersonator.
The three-day festival will stage 6 live stand-up comedy shows, 2 comedy workshops for beginners, online comedy symposium, a funny talk series, 6 videos skits & an online comedy indaba.
The overarching aim is for there to be cross-fertilization of ideas and opening of comedy markets. The festival presents a gateway to creating a sustainable Zimbabwean Comedy circuit, where artists from Zimbabwe work together to grow the economic potential of comedy and the quality of acts across Zimbabwe. What is of particular is that the Festival Director, Doc Vikela, is a well-respected youthful practitioner of stand-up comedy and mentor to a host of comedians in Zimbabwe.
Simuka Comedy, now ably led by a team of young comedians, was co-founded by Victor Tinashe Mpofu (Doc Vikela) and Simba Kakora (Simba The Comic King) in June 2011 celebrates its 10th anniversary in style and has attracted a host of esteemed partners in the form Magamba Network, Moto Republik, Barmlo Enterprises, @23 Guest Lodge, Mayflower Car Rentals, City Link, Sekesai Collective, Zimbabwe Germany Society, Reps Theatre.
Simuka Comedy Festival comedy shows will be happening at Reps Theatre Belgravia whilst online events will be livestreamed on the Simuka Comedy Facebook and YouTube channels with the channel links below:
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SimukaComedy
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcyPJOTm9YF6EW3ow48E2Bw
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