Chris Mapane, who has been on the comedy circuit for the last 17 years, will host his first one man show on the 25 November at San Ridge Square in New Road, Midrand in Johannesburg.
On why it’s taken him so long to do this, Mapane said he had doubted his capabilities for the longest time, until a friend had convinced him otherwise.
He also shared, in a wide-ranging interview, that his career started way before social media – and that he doubted his relevance with this space.
He said his friend, KG Mokgadi, had invited him as a master of ceremony for a national event and his perspective changed.
“I started my comedic career when there wasn’t social media and when that became a factor, I was worried about the turn up. I started doubting myself a lot that is why it took so long to put myself out there. However, after hosting this national festival, I saw how well people received me and I gained confidence. Now I am ready to take laughter all over starting in Johannesburg on the 25 November 2022,” said Mapane.
Mapane said the aim of this show is to build his own audience.
“A one-man show is the best way to build an audience and tell your story and interact with people who have had the same or similar experiences, I am excited to meet my new audience.”
For the past five years, Mapane has performed at many corporate events. He also travelled to Swaziland, Botswana, Tanzania and Zanzibar – adding laughter wherever he went. In his spare time he also mentors up and coming comedians around Africa in a partnership with Punch Line in Tanzania. He also performs every last Thursday of the month in Cape Town at the Other Wise Comedy Show.
He explained that he discovered his comedic talent at around the age of 20. He was an engineering student but dropped out.
He, however, kept this a secret from his parents until he made his first television appearance. He said to them: “I’m not going back to school; I am going to be on television.”
Mapane’s mother immediately supported his decision. “My mom did not even understand what I was studying in university and neither did I, I was studying because everyone in the township was studying.”
Mapane said after he dropped out of university secretively, he turned to comedy as he had nothing better to do. “I tried it out and it worked for me.”
Mapane said at his show he will touch on his African pride as an international traveler, the weak rand, world war and ever ending blackouts, courtesy of Eskom.
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