Joburg comedy stars head to Durban
COMING from the big smoke up north, Joburg comedians Joey Rasdien and Alfred Adriaan will be on stage for the next Durban Comedy Week. Looking forward to getting down to the coast and some balmy weather, Rasdien said this week he would definitely be getting some “roti and curry”. Rasdien has been in movies such as Running Riot, Bunny Chow and Material and his recent one-man show, Point of Reference, often takes on controversial subjects such as religion. But, as he adds, “it’s never meant to be offensive”.
Meanwhile Adriaan, who originally hailed from the tiny town of Hankey in the Eastern Cape, says the demand for comedy has exploded across the globe and South Africa is catching up quickly.
“I have performed in New York where comedy is huge – there are five clubs in just one street and you can get up to four gigs a day. In South Africa, I will do three or four a week, but we are catching up quite quickly and we definitely compare with the best.
“We are a storytelling country, we have lots of material, lots of crazy situations and lots of different perspectives,” says Adriaan.
“In Joburg there are two dedicated comedy clubs and in Cape Town there is one. Durban doesn’t have a dedicated comedy club, so we have to go to different venues.
“Comedy Central coming to South Africa has helped to grow comedy as entertainment. People have tried it, enjoyed it and will say ‘let’s do it again’,” says Adriaan.
“I enjoy Durban, it’s beautiful and laid back and the audiences are wonderful and very eager to listen,” he says.
For any comedian, reading the audience is an art form and the versatility to adapt comic material is essential.
“For each audience you can tell the same stories but in a different way. It’s like having tools in a toolbox and you have to choose the tool you need. Comedy is about being 60 percent prepared, but it’s a fluid art form,” said Adriaan.
Adriaan is looking forward to performing with Rasdiens, describing him as “one of the trailblazers in SA comedy.”
Durban Comedy Week will be held at Amsterdam in Glenwood, New York in Morningside, Mozambik Hillcrest, La Montagne hotel in Ballito, Friday Night Comedy Club at the Durban Jewish Club and Mozambik Gateway from July 27-31. For more information visit www.onfirecomedy.co.za