Kansiime hails Malawi audience

Ugandan queen of comedy Annie Kansiime is indeed Kan-see-me.

The theatrical powerhouse that has managed to export Ugandan comedy around the world via viral skits, garnering thousands of views was in a class of her own at the Bingu International Conference Centre in Lilongwe on Saturday night.

This writer, producer, stand-up comic and performer left patrons in stitches; holding their sides, wiping their eyes and asking for more.

It all started with poet-cum-stand-up comedian Maclean Mbepula who was the perfect tonic to start off a night of fun as her drama and poetry sketch sent an air of giggles among the patrons.

Mbepula’s performance touched on Malawian politics and what caught the attention was how he twisted and changed her accent to sound like Chichewa speaking Chinese, Indian and even Briton.

Mbepula accentuated his performance with a musical skirt based on the move by vice president Khumbo Kachali to join Democratic Progressive Party.

And, in the midst of his performance, he then assumed the role of mistress of ceremonies, calling on stage Kennedy Kalua whose poetic performance Dausi Circle, bamboozled the audience due to his verbosity.

So deep was his diction that it was probably only him who understood the delivery, but it worked wonders on the audience who went into an uncontrollable laughing spree.

Making a maiden appearance on a big stage as a stand-up comedian, Diana ‘Dee’ Satha who did not disappoint as she took the patrons into the world of football and Malawi politics.

She joked about how former Manchester United Coach David Moyes would have been delivered of his demons by Nigerian preacher TB Joshua.

With Mr. 265 taking over as the MC of the night, George Zimalirana appeared on stage with a break dance

He was later joined on stage by a strange woman, wearing a funny looking long wig and a mask and the two tussled out in what was supposed to be a dance contest for food.

While the patrons were digesting what was going, the woman removed her disguise and there, in living flesh, was Kansiime, grinning from ear to ear and instantly sending people into fits of laughter.

Journalists were the first to get a dosage of the petit comedian when she joked about how they were asking her questions aboout Malawians’ general politeness which she said is too much for her liking.

Wave after wave she came with her jokes centring on women, love and her being married to Mr. Ojok, whom she said she feels sorry for because women from her tribe, beat their spouses.

“Up until today I don’t understand how he married me of all the women in Uganda. I am just a comedian and nothing else. I still don’t believe that he married me and I feel sorry for him because us, Mukiga women beat our husbands,” she jested.

With others thinking that is all Kansiime, who repeatedly reminded people that “You Kan-sii-me” drama was far from over as the comedian reappeared on stage transformed after a brief break.

From a modern woman dressed in a khaki pants with a strapless red tight blouse to a typical schoolgirl clad in a uniform.

Just the sight of the transformed comedian was enough to send the patrons that thronged the auditorium, which in its 3 000 capacity looked small for the first time, into hilarity.

The hall was jam-packed with others watching the close to four hour event while standing.

Scores of others were sent back due to lack of space.

Back on stage, Kansiime pondered the challenges that children face at school with teachers and subjects such as Mathematics.

Through her performance, she called on stage one of her managers, who is also a comedian, Cotilda Inapol.

Inapol was also in a class of her own, adding more laughter to what Kansiime had started.

Then next on stage was Scot Gray, whose bilingual jokes brought a new element of the comedy night.

In a final appearance of the night, people witnessed another transformation of Kansiime.

Back to a skinny tights with a Lilly Alfonso design top, the comedian dedicated the segment to her shoes.

“I normally do not perform with them as somehow I remove them two minutes on stage. So, I will be uncomfortable just for you,” she said in a typical Luganda accent.

One outstanding feature of the comedian was how she proved to be a fast learner.

It was surprising how she was grasping Chichewa words and repeatedly pronounced them with such ease.

She was also a marvel to watch as it was simple for her to engage the patrons into her comedy.

“I have performed at many places but this I don’t know. Malawi you have been the best audience in my whole life. I wish I had come with a dictionary of jokes myself,” said Kansiime, emotion written on her face.

So, while Lilongwe got more what it bargained for, Kansiime got more than what she thought Malawi would offer.