“Comedy is a very intelligent craft because it’s not easy to get how people think, how people view life today and turn it on ,its head.”
These are remarks made by Philip Luswata, actor,director film producer , founder of Theater Factory, the brain child of Fun Factory and one of Uganda’s all time film and theater magnets.
While commenting on the direction, Uganda’s comedy is taking. The theater guru added in an exclusive that the challenge Uganda’s comedy faces is that comedians have seized to do enlightening laughs but have made the audience accustomed to embarrassing laughs and it’s the new normal. He added that this jeopardizes the chances the ability of Uganda’s comedy to triumph on global stages.
The global stage, in comedy is where acts like Trevor Noah, Kevin Heart, Kent the drunk , Eric Omondi , Basket mouth among others. In Uganda we have a few acts that have performed on these global stages like Anne Kansiime, Pablo kimuli, Patrick Salvado Idringi , Fun Factory, The Ghetto Girl show , woman Arise Show are among those that have paved their way to the big boys table.
In the beginning they were a few comedians and less spaces for the comedians to exhibit. The Amarula Family, Mic Check , Brain wash of Omukebete ,Ronnie Mac vex, Fun Factory theaters like laconia, National theater did provide space of rstand up comedy to grow , Laughters a hangout in Kampala that promoted many comedians.
It’s after these that we had the birth of comedy Files, Akandolindoli and more comedy nights lighting up Kampala and Africa from Uganda like Africa Laughs of Salvado Idringi, Comedy store of Alex Muhangi, Nseko buseko an annual show by Madrat and Chiko a Duo and Soyi Soyi which is also an annual Duo show of Maulana and Reign whose season 3 is going to be held at UMA show Grounds ,Lugogo on 28th June 2023 on Eid AL Adha this Wednesday.
Cooperate companies like DSTV through Pearl Magic , pearl Magic prime, star times through Makula TV, NTV , Next media services are among those that have embraced Ugandan comedy on air like Mizigo express , Salvado show , Pablo and the kids show, zizzi show. However there’s still need for comedy to get more on air shows and scheduling on TV programming.
To sponsorship and advertising of brands, brands like chipper cash have Anne Kansiime , Uganda Waragi have Madrat and Chiko, Capital Chicken have Mikey and Madrat and Chiko whereas other brands like DSTV have Pablo and Salvado. To be true comedy has resorted into a green pasture and many of the people affiliated to it, are successful and social figures currently who are having a social status that many yarn to have .
In strategy and organization, after the death of King Kong a comedian. There was a move initiated by HanningtonBujingo, Patrick Salvado, Alex Muhangi, Pablo Kimuli among others who came up with (TUCA) The Uganda Comedians Association. An association that has united comedians, though with internal factions of uptown (English comedians) and downtown (Luganda comedians ) They always find a common ground to lobby government and support their selves on shows, and hard times. They are still lobbying government to put to practice what they requested from the government like incentives to comedy industry, copy right,
Article By: Katongole Arnold