As a country, Zimbabwe has always tried to see the funny side of things, maybe even to it's own detriment. A coping mechanism, a crutch, a natural affinity for humour, comedy has long been the background noise of our daily lives. Over years the art has taken many different forms: sitcoms that centre couples, theatrical performances acted out in the streets, skits that tell a story in 60 seconds or even less, and stand up.
The art of stand up has grown in leaps and bounds over the last decade, and from the niche it has become the mainstream. Across these years of transformation and growth, Shoko Festival has been a constant presence, platforming satirists, skit makers and stand up comics. So for it's 15th edition, a comedy night headlined by a product of the festival's parent organisation was only fitting.
On multiple fronts the 2025 Shoko Comedy Night was one for a homecoming King, it had a Bulawayo moment, strengthened Kenyan and Zimbabwean relations, while also displaying the power of a mic and a Mike. Now Shoko Festival's most attended event in Harare, comedy night was cosmopolitan in both it's attendance and the lineup that graced the stage.
Mike was the host, and in continuing a standard set by Tinashe's hosting last year, he was arguably the funniest comic on the stage. He was the lubricration that kept the gears grinding effortlessly, from one performance to the next. He offered up reflections on what makes a good neighbourhood, what a typical African dog would say if it could speak, the tension of Borrowdale public transport, Econet's favourite customers, Holy Ten and Air Zimbabwe's latest flight route. All delivered in a rich vocabulary that was a running joke of it's own.
We only caught the tail end of Mbongeni's (all the way from Bulawayo) performance but if the applause he received is anything to go by, his wit and storytelling were top notch. A moment of cultural exchange saw the Harare audience teaching him that it's incomplete to just say "Chibaba," you always have to add "chacho" at the end.
Munya was unapologetic and unfiltered, which made for an awkward chemistry with the audience but as she went on she found her footing. A story of mistaken identity in the line to settle university fees being particularly hilarious.
Justine Wanda brought a Kenyan perspective to the stage that began with how she loved Harare so much because it never changed. Wanda drew parallels on the protest movement of the Kenyan youth and our protests of no movement, expressed shock at landing here and seeing men with child bearing hips, and wished pain on her enemies. The set was political (everything is on the African continent) and if you were not savvy in current affairs you'd miss the punchline.
As now customary, Tanto Wavie's "007" (pronounced in a deeply Shona accent) announced the arrival of the King. Shoko's budget allowed him to have a smoke machine in addition to the theme music, which meant that the name on the flier (and performance time - Shoko didn't book him for the full hour) was the only difference from a typical King Kandoro show. It was Harare Gardens and not Celebration Centre, but the venue still sold out.
In continuing with the theme of the night (politics), Kandoro kicked off with reflections about Donald Trump, the intoxicating taste of power, and what Robert Mugabe was probably thinking about this entire situation from the afterlife. Having celebrated his birthday 24 hours earlier, aging soon joined the conversation, along with reflections on parenting.
He voiced feelings of political déjà vu (November is very close) that many of us hadn't been able to put into words, described the pitfalls of comedy as a career (everyone knows how well you're doing), and talked about hanging out with Marshall Munetsi. Nuanced, yet just on the verge of crossing the line, but mostly hilarious. Of course he couldn't leave without making mention of Zimbabwe's Santa Claus and what'll I say is we all collectively agreed with.
Shoko Festival's theme for 2025 was "XV = The Legacy" and comedy night had put that legacy on show. A legacy of platforming new names (Mike, Mbongeni), a legacy of connecting the continent (Justine Wanda), a legacy of nurturing talent (Munya) and a legacy of giving flowers to those that deserve them (King Kandoro).
Greedysouth rating: 7.5/10
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