Don Andre during his debut comedy show at the National Theatre. PHOTO/ANDREW KAGGWA
They say in life, two things that are promised are bills and death. For an ordinary Ugandan, a youth, the job search is definitely one of the few things promised. Andrew Odong, alias Don Andre, has in the past created a moniker as the Unemployed but Funny; in fact, it was the banner of his debut comedy special at the National Theatre last week.
Don Andre was mainly reintroducing himself to the comedy audience; of course, there are many people who have seen him perform in the past, but many have only experienced his magic for a paltry 15 minutes or less. This was the first time he was standing up to test his material, and he indeed stood for about an hour and 40 minutes.
One can imagine that a rookie would find it hard to manage such a lengthy showcase, but he actually pulled it off without any inconvenience. Don Andre, for those who may not know him, is the guy who acted as the Askari in the MultiChoice advert alongside Cyrus Bugaba Clinton, also known as Mutumba on Prestige. For comedy enthusiasts, he is the man behind the comic brand Funny Bunny, a comedy club that meets once a month to progress the art in different ways.
Last week, Don Andre organised a job-seeking themed special at the National Theatre; from the production design of an office reception, they played so well on the unemployment crisis. This is how it played out: a reception was set, and job seekers came to apply for a job we did not really know. These job seekers were actually performers whom Daniel Omara, the day’s MC, would call to perform.
In this act, the producers managed to shine a light on the plight of a youth who is looking for a job, highlighting the backhands and undertable appointments that take place during the process.
The supporting cast of jobseekers included Cotilda Inapo and Okello Okello, making a good impression with pitches of why they needed the job.
Daniel Omara, the MC of the day, did enough to keep the audience engaged. Over the years, he has become bolder, and he’s not afraid to raffle feathers with some choices of jokes. Not that he joked about the handicap like Dave Chappelle; he did make jokes about down syndrome.
Which left a question if there is a thing as a comedian going too far.
But then there was the man of the moment, Don Andre, his first show, and like a proper introduction, he told us his story, just in a funny way.
He shared a story of growing up in the Nakawa Quarters and failing to pay his school fees on time. But what made his act such a memorable one was how relatable most of his material is and, above all, his delivery.
Don Andre is conversational; he doesn’t marinate you for a joke; he instead has a conversation with you, and somewhere along the way, he kills you off with a punchline. In fact, his strength throughout the night was storytelling and wordplay.
His take on current affairs, such as the singing of the anti-gay bill and the group of Ugandan youths that oppose everything the government suggests, was well received, but he did tap into the media with commentary on how some poor Ugandans live life off winning money on radio promotions.
Don Andre generally pulled off a class act; for an hour and 48 minutes, he had the audience in a chokehold, and they loved it. He ended his act a few minutes to 11pm, and his two-minute standing ovation was something we expected; he had delivered on his promise and did it with a lot of fresh perspective.
Don Andre’s show is a triumph for the new school of comedy, some of whom have been beneficiaries of Timothy Nyanzi’s mentorship on Monday’s New Material nights, where comedians try out some of their fresh jokes with a test crowd.
However, what is interesting about the new school of comedians is their enterprising approach to the art, from Okello Okello’s Black Friday Comedy to Don Andre’s Funny Bunny, it is clear they are not afraid to go out and curve an audience of their own.
Many of these have taken younger comedians under their wing and have also created platforms where they have not only curated appointment showcases but have given others a chance to be seen.
Don Andre’s special, Unemployed But Funny could be just the first of the many series the comedian will be hosting.
Did the unemployed or job search play a lot into his own act?
Not really, but he made the material he had work.
