Comedy finds a home
The ever-growing Colombo Comedy scene has found a new home. Previously Comedy Sundays was staged at Coffee Bean, the management team of Tranquil Events have moved the night to the expansive garden of The Sandwich Factory. Now attendess can prepare to fall over in stiches in comfortable beanbags with tasty American subs, burgers and of course sandwiches.
Five performers braved the stage to the delight of the audience with unique anecdotes and hilarious encounters of a Colombo dweller.
First up was Sacha Seneviratne, a fairly seasoned performer with three years under his belt. Sacha dose not follow a routine but relies on voice prompts taken from conversations with friends. “I don’t practice. I develop a feel before I go on stage, I try not to be political, but if its current I’ll do it. It’s all about relating to the audience. Hecklers are welcome. I love hecklers.” Said Sacha.
Sacha has some amazing one-liners in his arsenal like his, ‘your mum jokes’. “Your mum is so poor that when she stood on a cigarette she put out the lights” He also makes topical comments when he thanks Samsung for making terrorism more accessible to everyone, a jibe at the banning of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 being banned from airlines.
He also has an entertaining take on privileged upper middle class Colombo life. Recalling the time when he did not know how clothes got washed and the garden got swept. Sacha asked the audience who grew up with a maid by a show of hands, he then said. “Growing up we didn’t know what household appliances were. When we woke up the clothes were there in the wardrobe. Back then a washing machine was called Jayanthi! Now they call it Whirlpool and all kind of nonsense.”
His routines most side-splittingmaterial comes from the many accents he can create. He does a thick West Indies persona to a posh British toff to a contentious Korean accent.Having being born in Epson Surrey, England and schooled in both the Cayman Islands and an international school in Colombo with 45 different nationalities.
Zumruth, the night’s only female performer was relatively new to the world of stand up having performed twice. She narrates witty conversation with her niece and other family members.
Farill Farook animates and narrates his life defining moments with some success.
Comedy Sunday’s has a no swearing policy, yet two performers tackle this by using everything but profanity to illustrate some difficult scenarios.
One is Naveed Uvais and the other is Sadique Salih. “I try an address the moment. Comedy is about exposing yourself so a lot of my jokes are about exposing myself. As a person being exposed to there is something’s you need to keep in mind. Be patient, try and enjoy. Dress well. You also need to relax and enjoy it. When you start exposing yourself, you get nervous, a bit jerky, one jerk to fast and it’s all over too soon, ”said Sadique when explaining his routine. The next instalment will be on November 14. Prepare for even more hilarious anecdotes.
