So yesterday there was an unconscious man outside our flat, smelt quite horrible and looked like he wasn’t breathing. In fact when I left for my gig, based on the crowd around him, seemed he was dead. I thought “Tumza (because that’s what I call myself when I am monologuing) Don’t take this to be a bad omen. Just go to your gig and do your thang.” Eventually the image of the ‘dead’ dude began to fade as I psyched myself up for those blessed uphills and endless stairs to my lovely venue. I have a lot of stuff on my mind though – there’s some stuff going down back home but i must focus on my hustle here because i have zero control over what’s happening. I can only hope for the best.  I’ve worked out my extra material to add that much needed outstanding time. And I get on that stage sure that tonight, I shall blaze and blaze for a full hour and then some. 

I got on that stage ready to rumble.  The audience wasn’t my usual “yeah baby let’s rumble” audience, but I decide to roll with their vibe then – sober things up a bit and have a little foreplay before I go in hard. I tell you the entire show felt like endless foreplay LOL! The science of comedy is simple I guess,  tune into the energy of your audience and give them the correct dose of you WELL.Five shows in and feeling less amateur though..

I am a spoilt performer, spoilt by that South African sensibility that I am in tune with. Now, here, in Death of Comfort Zone, I am feeling my way in the dark lol! Every hit is a genuine surprise and relief for me. I spent the last night rewriting the flow of the show, and will probably spend most of today agonizing over it. The results, I hope, will be inferno and more travel opportunities with this little show of mine. (Otherwise how else will I get a paid holiday away from my kids? LOL!)

First thing, on the night of my arrival in SA, is Mass Hysteria. I dream of that beautiful sound  of 1800 voices rising in laughter. But until then, I live in the moment. I give my current audience the best of me on the day and hope that they walk away feeling like those were pounds well spent. And hope they call me a must see.