Missing video
Sorry, this video could not be found.
Canned laughter
South African comedy clubs
Kurt Schoonraad, of Jou Ma se Comedy club
© Jou ma se comedy club
Did you know?
The South African Comedy Awards is in its fourth year and honours comedy writers, comedians, playwrights and journalists for their contribution to arts & culture in South Africa.
The post-apartheid era has seen comedy step into mainstream South Africa, bringing with it many different humorous styles and lingoes. From the eclectic, multi-cultural backgrounds and communities that form the heart of the vibrant yet controversial country, comedy clubs in South Africa only seriously started making an appearance in the mid to late 90s.
Most of South Africa's comedy clubs perform in restaurants, bars and other venues, on dedicated evenings. Cool Runnings in and around Gauteng feature comedy evenings at least once a week; The Comedy Express in Krakatoa Bar at Sibaya Casino, Durban, showcases stand-up comedians weekly; and Emperors Palace, in Johannesburg, features a number of comedy events at different times of the year, including Blacks Only Comedy Show and the Heavyweight Comedy Jam. Jou Ma Se Comedy Club at Albert Hall in Cape Town features some of the city's hottest comedians every Thursday, serves as a platform for up-and-coming comic acts and is run by well-known comedian Kurt Schoonraad. Theatres also provide stages for some of South Africa's top comedians.
A handful of clubs are dedicated entirely to comedy. In the mid-90s, when stand-up comedians were becoming more significant, the first club devoted to comedy opened its doors in Johannesburg; the venue was called Hysterix and it became a popular hangout for all things humorous.
South African comedy clubs have come and gone since then but comedy in South Africa is here to stay and continues to grow from strength-to-strength with international comedians mixing it up with the locals.
The comedy clubs of South Africa may perform out of bars, restaurants and theatres every other night, but at the end of the day as far as inclusive, multi-cultural comedy goes it's still refreshingly young and developing at a rapid rate; a few years from now we should see dedicated comedy clubs setting up on South Africa's popular city strips.
Travel tips & Planning info
Who to contact
Whacked Tel: +27 (0) 11 326 0021 e.mail: taffia@whacked.co.za Jou ma se comedy club Tel: +27 (0) 21 447 7237
e.mail: info@kurt.co.za
How to get here
Comedy clubs are mostly town- or city-based, so easily accessible by car or taxi.