Latest articles on Comedy

The art of the virtual experience

Friday Niren Tolsi - 17 Jul 2020

The live magic may be gone, but the National Arts Festival showcases some exhilarating work

Oh Shucks, an accidental blackface hero

Friday Phumlani Pikoli - 28 Jun 2020

Leon Schuster is having a few movies of his removed from Showmax and Phumlani Pikoli figures: what better time to reflect on this bruh than now?

Queen Sono moers the dudes

Article Zaza & Kwanele Sosibo - 28 Feb 2020

The spy drama with its kick-ass heroine Queen Sono shows the continent in a new light

The Portfolio: Gilli Apter

Article Gilli Apter - 28 Feb 2020

South African comedian, writer and director Gilli Apter speaks about how hilarious content requires constant writing and feedback from the comedy community

.lazy-loader-background-element-5.lazyload{ background-image: url(https://bucket.mg.co.za/wp-media/2019/12/1eed0c26-2019-12-04-you-are-too-young-to-mock-the-government-zimbabwean-comedian-relives-her-abduction-image-696x392.jpg) }

“You are too young to mock the government”: Zimbabwean comedian relives her abduction

Africa Simon Allison - 4 Dec 2019

Samantha Kureya, aka Gonyeti, did not quite understand the power of her jokes — until she was abducted and tortured for them

The other Goliath trips up but dusts himself off

Article Kwanele Sosibo - 7 Sep 2019

In a country still smouldering from its self-immolation, how does a comedian stick to the ideals of his craft, which demand he speaks his truth

Peeking through death’s door

Article Kwanele Sosibo - 17 May 2019

John Vlismas is exploring ways of fucking with his formula

Beyond the comedy curtain and back

Article Kwanele Sosibo - 16 Mar 2018

Going back into the past to get a deeper sense of comedy’s future

The stand-up sophomore: Gilli Apter

Article Kwanele Sosibo - 2 Mar 2018

Gilli Apter's strain of comedy is reflective, interactive and somewhat feminist in its bent.

Trump tricks and transgender jibes sully the Chappelle experience

Article Kwanele Sosibo - 6 Apr 2017

Dave Chappelle may be laughing all the way to the bank, but some fans aren’t LOLing at his new special

Homage to the motherland

Article Staff Reporter - 25 Nov 2016

Trevor Noah’s Born a Crime and Other Stories (Pan Macmillan) has just been published. He tells the us about his autobiography and the art of comedy.

Interview with Trevor Noah: Life, jokes and art

Article Staff Reporter - 17 Nov 2016

The Mail & Guardian had a chat with the comedian about himself, his book, his writing and the art of comedy.

The puppet guy reinvents Chester

Article Kwanele Sosibo - 22 Sep 2016

Ventriloquist Conrad Koch lets loose the silly side of his act, a playfulness that is itself political.

Are women just not funny enough?

Article Staff Reporter - 24 Jun 2016

No female acts in the line-up of the almost month-long 12th Jive Cape Town Funny Festival.

Ava Vidal: Laughter eases the blow

Article Kwanele Sosibo - 5 Nov 2015

Ava Vidal is a comedian who doesn’t shy away from the truth, regardless of comedic trends.

vital information

The Mail & Guardian’s essential coverage of the ongoing coronavirus crisis is free to read for everyone.

If you would like to support us, please consider taking out a subscription.

Latest

National

The young and the rentless: Inside Camps Bay’s “hijacked” mansion

Lester Kiewit - 23 Sep 2020

An activist art collective is refusing to leave a luxury holiday home, claiming their protest is to highlight landlessness and growing inequality in Cape Town

National

Sticks and stones: Qwelane and the violence of words

Sarah Smit - 22 Sep 2020

Constitutional Court justice says homophobic article did not ignite fire of hate against the LGBTI community but added fuel to it

Coronavirus

Long Read | SA must fix its ‘dop system’

carlos - 22 Sep 2020

The Covid-19 lockdown has exposed the effects of South Africa’s weak alcohol regulations. Government and health campaigners want tougher policies, but the liquor giants are pushing back

Press Releases

Special Reports

SingularityU Online Summit to contribute to SME growth in 2020

special reports - 23 Sep 2020

The global speakers lined up for this year's event will address the challenges and opportunities specifically facing small businesses

Special Reports

Policy priorities lie with urgent economic reforms

special reports - 23 Sep 2020

Professor Raymond Parsons believes that business and consumer sentiment in South Africa would both benefit from even lower borrowing costs

Special Reports

Javett Art Centre at the University of Pretoria to reopen on Heritage Day

special reports - 22 Sep 2020

The new, drive-through sculpture exhibition brings to four the number of exhibitions of iconic African and South African art

Special Reports

Request for Quotation for Benguela Current Convention Secretariat

special reports - 19 Sep 2020

A chartered aircraft for an aerial survey and counting software for cape fur seals and seabirds in Angola, Namibia and South Africa is required

Special Reports

Fifteen additional speakers for SingularityU SA Online Summit 2020

special reports - 18 Sep 2020

SingularityU hosts global line-up with an extra 15 speakers to address thought-provoking topics to help solve the world's grand challenges

Special Reports

Recycling water and waste management

special reports - 18 Sep 2020

One solution to South Africa's water shortage is to install infrastructure that will save rainwater from run-off into the stormwater system

Special Reports

Covid-19 and CVD: The heart in the time of crisis

special reports - 18 Sep 2020

The pandemic has been a time of great humility for health workers and tactics have had to be changed if they weren’t working

Special Reports

POPIA: it’s not as scary as you think

special reports - 16 Sep 2020

Companies that get proactive about compliance are creating huge strategic advantages for themselves — they are able to reduce operational costs