Scene It: Guaranteed laughter at the 2018 Jive Cape Town Funny Festival

Comedy-genius Mel Brooks once said that ‘Life literally abounds in comedy if you just look around you’. This is very true, especially if you look around you at the Baxter Theatre where comedy not only abounds but also accumulates thanks to the Jive Cape Town Funny Festival that runs until 5 August 2018.

The Jive Cape Town Funny Festival is now in its fourteenth year, and simply growing from strength to strength. Alan Committie is back as everyone’s favourite MC and is, as always, very entertaining from the moment he steps onto the stage. Even though Committie does have a fondness for 'Despacito', he makes sure that the pace of the show is anything but slow.

Keeping up with Committie's fast-paced-quips for the full festival run are Gerry Connolly (Australia), Raymond Raymondson (France), Marc Lottering, and Tats Nkonzo —a great mix of local and international talent.

Gerry Connolly as Her Majesty the Queen of England formally opens the festivities, and brings equal parts grace and glee to the Baxter Theatre. You may find yourself in need of a spot of tea and a cucumber sandwich after the attack of giggles that results from hearing what the Queen has to say (or not to say) about her nearest and supposedly dearest. Connolly's verbal antics as the Queen's double is captivatingly regal!

With his act Raymond Raymondson ensures that there is some clowning around this year too. Though his style of clowning is perhaps not for everyone, it is still undeniable that it takes great talent to act clownishly-clumsy as a juggler. Those who appreciate that style of jesting will love Raymondson's sleek, well-constructed act. His performance has just enough French-flair to complement the hilarity of it all.

This year’s Cape Town Comedy Club Savanna Cider stand-up competition winner, Reagan Allen, also joins the line-up to show why he walked away with the #YourFunnyCider bragging rights. He has a very endearing approach to his comedy, and after seeing him perform for the first time, this reviewer is excited to see how he develops his talents further to make his mark in the industry.

If at interval you find yourself thinking that you simply can’t laugh any more or louder, then hold on to your theatre-seat, because the ever vivacious Marc Lottering ends off the show with his quintessential comedic charm. Lottering's act is a laugh-a-minute and had the audience in absolute hysterics on opening night.

Though all these performers collectively already provide comedy in abundance to make sure you have a great night out, one comic definitely raises the already high entertainment bar with his set... The comic who simply steals the show is Tats Nkonzo —every punchline perfectly timed and executed for maximum laughter. Nkonso does not miss a comedy-beat in this show; he’s simply fantastic.

The Jive Cape Town Funny Festival also keeps their show fresh with a few line-up changes as the festival progresses to give you even more of an incentive to come and see the show more than once. Rob van Vuuren, Siv Ngesi, and Mooky Cornish (Canada) have already graced the stage this year, and they are now followed by Khanyisa Bunu, and Goronwy Thom & Richard Garaghty (United Kingdom) for the second leg of the festival.

Go fight off that mid-year blues with some great laughter at the Jive Cape Town Comedy Festival at the Baxter Theatre. You have until 5 August 2018 to see the show, with tickets available through Webtickets.