It could be said that SA comedy occurs in waves, with each wave’s path changing course as it rolls over the shifting landscape of the business.
Where once white, male comics were cloistered in bars, sharing stereotypes with other white males - now young, stylish kids set aside their tablets and smartphones to thrill arenas full of a truly stirred mix of South Africans.
Tumi Morake’s initial reluctance to engage in a group discussion may be misinterpreted as shyness - it’s not. She is sharp as a scalpel and has the good sense to know that truly great comedy is about listening, not talking. She hangs back, dissecting the conversation, and its participants. Once she weighs in, and she will, you can be sure that the rising star of local humour will make herself felt.
Tumi’s EQ is immediately apparent as she charms her way straight through the defences of the crowd and takes hold of their raw nerves with big swear words and belly-laugh honesty. Her self-assured observation of SA life is smart, open and brutal, and she is one of those acts who knows exactly how to grow or shrink with the crowd.
The greatest part of watching Morake work a crowd, apart from the frequent and deep laughs, is the realization that she transcends race or gender – she is a new peak in our development as a nation.
