By Benny Mojela
“I’m not making fun of you, I’m having fun with you,” says Chris Mapane to his audience. The comedian’s most recent offering, What a Time, is as engaging as it is entertaining.
In What a Time, Mapane spends his time talking to everyone in the audience, getting to know who they are and where they’re from. The initially uncomfortable laughter of the audience turns into chortles and chuckles once they realise everyone’s turn is coming.
Over time, it becomes clear that Mapane’s conversational tactic is both a way of engaging meaningfully with those in the crowd, and gathering material for his unique brand of intellectual social commentary.
Mapane holds a mirror to the audience, and while most don’t usually like introspection, the comedian does well to make people comfortable with themselves and the time in which they’re living.
He jokes about interracial relationships, sex education, divorce, raising privileged kids as someone who grew up poor, corruption, LGBTQIIA+ rights, load shedding and how black and white South Africans alike don’t respect time. There are many laugh-out-loud moments in the set but he doesn’t shy away from difficult topics.
At its core, What a Time is about how we are living through change, and how this requires constant learning and unlearning. Mapane uses this to string all his gags together with the latest hot topics which makes his set challenging yet interesting.
There are the controversial topics, too. Mapane compares the American justice system to that of South Africa. He explains how misgendering in America could land you in jail but stealing public funds in Africa won’t even get you jail time.
Given the rise of comedians in the country in recent years and the diversity of comedy at the Festival, Mapane could easily get lost in the programme. His 18 years of experience, however, makes him a seasoned commentator on highly relevant topics, and a tremendous performer. What a Time is well-worth seeing.
What a Time is on at the Graham Hotel until 28 June.
