THE nonstop laughter will fill the National Cultural Centre beginning from tonight, when Guyana’s biggest comedy show, Nothing To Laugh About, returns for its tenth season. And it sure looks like it’s gonna be another soldout year.
From the very inception, “Nothing To Laugh About” has proven to be a hit with the Guyanese public. And as the years go by, it has maintained it’s standing as one of the most widely attended shows.
According to producer, Lyndon ‘Jumbie’ Jones, tickets are already going fast, even though the show has been extended to be hosted for five nights.
Originally hosted at the Theatre Guild, the show was eventually moved to the NCC after that venue proved too small to hold the droves of Guyanese eager to see the show.
This year, the show will be under new directorship, with writer/director of the recently released Guyanese short film, ‘Adero’ coming on board. He has promised, though, that it will be laugh filled show as always.
“I could tell you that this year is going to be a very sharp production; the punches are going to be rapid-fire,” Kojo said, adding:
“Some favourite characters are returning: Officer Bribe and Sergeant Colleck-It, Credit & Radical. And Chinese, of course.
“The Queen of Kings skit is very different this year; more satirical, but still with a lot of slapstick.”
Jones credited the show’s continued success to its quality lineup of comedians, as well as the creative input.
“From the time we started Part I, it was a hit; and people kind of looked forward to it every year,” Jones said.
“Since then, we’ve never looked back. And the show just keep improving all the time. I think it’s about how much flexibility we give to the cast. Everybody is allowed to make an input; give a suggestion; share their opinion with us, and so we’re getting a broader perspective with that.
“We’re always serious about who’s our cast; it has to be the best-of-the-best in Guyanese actors and actresses,” he added.
This year’s cast includes: Michael Ignatius, Mark Luke Edwards, Gerard Gilkes, Chris Gopaul, as well as Jones himself, while the actresses include Lisa “Radika” Singh, Simone Persaud, and for the first year Marissa Morgan.
And the cast is by no means short of material to work with. Based on a series of short satirical skits, the material usually revolves around current issues, and prominent officials, political or otherwise, who have made the news in recent times.
“Over the years, people that make the news, they have been making it very easy for us, they’ve been serving it up on a platter,” Jones stated.