Leading comedian back with more laughs
LEADING South African stand-up comedian Loyiso Gola is back in town, fresh from a performance on Britain’s prestigious Live at the Apollo and recording a Netflix special in Montreal, Canada.
The two-time Emmy-nominated funny guy brings his latest comedy offering, Unlearning, to Suncoast’s new venue, The Globe, on December 15 and the Cape Town International Convention Centre on December 22.
Commenting on his performance in Britain, Gola said: “I am used to big stages, so it was not much of a big deal. The Live At The Apollo series is the biggest comedy show in the UK, so I was really excited about that. The Apollo is beautiful and acoustically it is impeccable.”
On his Netflix special, Gola said he had recorded a 30-minute stand-alone comedy set that would be released in January as part of a global series.
On Unlearning, he said he tapped into societal norms, making you question everything you thought you knew about politics, race, history and more.
“This show delves into unpacking what we have learnt growing up, viewing the world differently and realising there is a need to unlearn it instead of being stuck in our own stereotypical mindsets. I go through a process of attempting to ‘unlearn’ some thoughts and preconceptions about relationships, masculinity, race, things that I’m going through and that are pertinent in my life, and I get to share this with the audience.”
Gola has performed internationally on a host of prestigious stages, including the New York Comedy Festival, Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Perth Comedy Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe. His satirical news show, Late Nite News with Loyiso Gola (two Emmy nominations), and his features on The Weekly (ABC in Australia) and African Voices (CNN), have also been popular. He also appeared on rapper 50 Cent’s BET comedy show, 50 Central.
Gola has developed a knack for keeping his audience growing and coming out to support his shows. We asked him what his secret was.
“People like genuine and honest people. I feel like I am an honest person on stage and my fans appreciate that. I tend to have interesting subject matter. I guess that keeps the audience coming back.”
● Tickets are R120 from Computicket and online.