Zimbabwe's standup comedy scene has gained significant ground,
especially in the last couple of years.
Appreciation for standup comedy has also grown locally.
Everyday we see veterans and the 'new blood' battle it out to
see who can crack the most ribs with laughter, so-to-speak and we have had the priviledge
to witness before our eyes, the emergence of the likes of Carl Ncube, Clive Chigubhu,
Simba The Comic King and of course, Doc Vikela, the man who is seen as the next
big thing and upon whose shoulders (and jokes) the industry will stand.
A few days ago, whilst browsing through the entertainment pages,
we bumped into a poster for Doc Vikela's 'Intensive Care' National tour, a poster
in which like a true 'doctor' he appears with a white overcoat and a stethoscope
around his neck, as if ready to diagnose his patient. In this mockup scenario, the
doctor's 'prescription' would no doubt be a strong dosage of laughter, after all,
don't they say that 'laughter is the best medicine'?
So brace yourself Zimbabwe, Doc Vikela is 'amped up' and is bringing
his 'Intensive Care' National Standup tour to a city near you!
So whether you are in Harare, Bulawayo, Gweru,Masvingo, Kwekwe,
Mutare or Vic Falls, make a date with the 'doctor'!
We caught up with the comedian for a brief chat to find out
more about his upcoming tour and also get him to share his thoughts on a few
other issues.
Below is how our chat with the 'comedy doctor' went;
Can you give us a
background into the "Intensive Care", National standup tour?
The nation is in a fix, in an Intensive Care unit, so as a
comedy doctor i am going all out to provide a cure!
Who is the Brains
behind it and when was it established?
It is my concept, a celebration of the growth of the brand
Doc Vikela and Zim stand up comedy industry. It is a touring concept that i
created this year for my tour
When does the tour officially
kick-off?
The tour kicks off on the 24th with a Harare performance
Who are some of the acts
(established and upcoming) that will grace the tour?
We will be having Kadem the comic, comic pastor, gonyeti and
Tinaye
What is your main
goal with this initiative?
Our main goal is to grow stand up comedy as well as reach
out to new audiences. Open new markets and if possible establish regular comedy
spots around the country
What can the folks
from Masvingo and other cities expect when the Intensive Care National Standup
tour makes a stopover in their city?
They can expect fireworks, crazy crazy crazy humour, Doc
Vikela amplified!
What is your take on
the local standup comedy scene right now?
The stand up comedy scene is still growing. And this tour
among other initiatives moves to cement growth of the industry!
In which areas do you
feel it can improve for the better?
Areas of promotion, opening up new performance spaces, new
markets
For the benefit of
those not yet familiar with you or your work can you tell us more about just
who Doc Vikela is?
Doc Vikela is an award winning stand up comedian who points
out the absurdity of what is supposedly normal
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