Comedy gets a shot in the arm as Thenjiwe’s solo show, ‘Laughter is the Best Medicine’, hits the stage

ASHOW that is sure to leave you in stitches this weekend is Laughter is the Best Medicine by comedienne Thenjiwe. And if the title is anything to go by, you’re going to get your money’s worth and leave with an aching jaw.

The Durban comic became a social media sensation, with her comedy skit videos going viral internationally, and is best known for her popular video, My Sangoma Is The Best.

And now Durbanites will have the opportunity to witness Thenjiwe’s first solo show at the Playhouse Company for one night only.

Tonight caught up with the producer of the show, Zamo Missie, who explains what themes it touches on: “It will cover day-to-day issues that we face in the new South Africa, from

lobola, cheating, polygamy, politics, drug use, parenting, money, education to how we can live peacefully as a rainbow nation by accepting each other’s differences. “And since Laughter is the Best

Medicine is Thenjiwe’s first onewoman show, she decided to debut it in her home town, Durban, because even though she has performed her stand-up comedy on international stages, including London, (where she was the finalist in Funny Women Awards 2012), Berlin and Cannes, she is still a Durbanite at heart.” Missie also says that Thenjiwe has recently returned from her European tour which received exceptional responses: “She manages to engage with audiences from different backgrounds and captures them with her unique yet real style of using humour to deal with worldly issues, from talking about her own life as a girl from the dusty streets of Kwamashu township to becoming an LLB graduate from a London university and leaving law to pursue her dream of becoming a comedian. She leaves a lot of her audiences feeling inspired. Her videos, which are mostly in her mother tongue, Zulu, have also been well received internationally by South Africans living abroad who have been hungry for homegrown entertainment.”

What can audiences expect from the show? According to the producer, aside from laughter, there is a lot that can be learnt from it: “We plan on growing as a company and we plan on helping more local talent by putting them on a world stage. We are currently speaking to a promoter in New York whowants to bring Thenjiwe’s show to American audience. This too, is another new thing for us, as previously Thenjiwe has only performed as part of the shows with other comedians.

“So Durbanites must come out in their numbers to support Thenjiwe at the Playhouse. Charity begins at home and the time for our performing artists to have to go to Joburg to get recognition and support must come to an end.

“Durban in blessed with talent and we must keep our artists at home by showing them support and love.”

Runs at the Playhouse on Saturday. R150 at Computicket.