Kenyan comedians adapt during the COVID-19 pandemic

Record ID: 1568620

  • Title: Kenyan comedians adapt during the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Date: 26th August 2020
  • Summary: NAIROBI, KENYA (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF QUARANTINE COMEDY CLUB HOST, SLEEPY DAVID INTRODUCING THE QUARANTINE COMEDY CLUB SHOW
  • Embargoed: 9th September 2020 10:20
  • Keywords: Nairobi quarantine social media stand up comedy
  • Location: NAIROBI, KENYA
  • City: NAIROBI, KENYA
  • Country: Kenya
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Theater
  • Reuters ID: LVA001CSVXHZR
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Kenyan comedians Sleepy David and Victor Ber were accustomed to crowds laughing at jokes at their stand up shows in bars and theatres in the capital Nairobi.
    The novel coronavirus has now forced them to ditch their open stage for shows filmed in a hotel bar. The performances are streamed straight onto their Facebook accounts. Kenya banned public gatherings and imposed a nightly curfew in March as part of measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
    "Alright ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the Quarantine Comedy Club! We are coming live from the Hillpark Hotel!" Sleepy David shouts from the bar they have turned into a studio.
    "Welcome the church people," he says, gesturing to the disc jockey, who starts playing a gospel song.
    Ber and Sleepy David are part of the 254 Quarantine Comedy Club, whose performers rely on viewers leaving comments on their sites to gauge how well their jokes have been received. One of the Swahili jokes by comedian Nyokabi, centres around Nairobi friendships. “Stepping out in your new suit”, she explained wouldn’t get any compliments – but rather snide comments about the wearer graduating from, “stealing petty things like kitchen utensils” to something bigger.
    “We are using webcams and a free software. Everything goes straight into the software and the show goes on. We don’t have camera men, we only have someone controlling the software,” Ber told Reuters from a hotel room where they now host online shows.
    In place of ticket sales at the door, the group now has a mobile money account that scrolls across the screen asking viewers to send in donations.
    “Here we are, nine weeks later, performing without an audience and guys are enjoying the show, guys are loving it and we are grateful for all the support that guys are giving us,” Sleepy David said.
    The comedians said even after COVID-19 subsides, they will keep their new-found online avenue.
    “This is a new culture; this culture will never die. COVID will dies, but this, whatever COVID came with is not going to die. If you are on Facebook, you are going to remain there as an artist. You will be there for quite a long time,” Ber said.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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