–promises to mek yuh laugh til yuh belly bus!

THE Saturday and Sunday nights ‘Nothing to Laugh About’ shows are almost sold out, and organisers and performers are busy putting the final touches on various aspects of the show, which is billed to be held from tonight to Monday night.

Director and producer Maria Benschop told the Buzz on Thursday that work at this point is hectic, as the team continues to work at perfecting the skits and getting the show together.

She is still dealing with ticket sales and doing some amount of marketing.” So far, tickets are going really fast,” she said, adding, “We’re all set.”

This year, the show will again be held at the National Cultural Centre (NCC), and co-director and producer, Lyndon ‘Jumbie’ Jones has been emphasising that in an effort to show respect for those who turn up on time, the three-hour-long show will start at exactly 20h00.

Tickets cost $1,000 for balcony, $1,500 for auditorium rear, and $2,500 for auditorium front, and are available at the NCC, Sterling Products Igloo Outlet, Elegance Jewellery and Pawn Shop, Payless Variety store, Gizmos and Gadgets, the New Nigel’s Supermarket, and Giftland Mall’s Department Store and Supermarket.

Jones told this publication that it is no exaggeration to say that this year’s show will surpass the previous shows by far, if only the taxes being charged could have been reduced, his wife, Maria, pointed out.

“I don’t mind paying the NCC rental fees and the usher fees, but the 20 per cent on ticket sales and 14 per cent VAT! If they take off one of those taxes from the producer, I think a lot more persons will become involved in the arts,” Maria said.

Lyndon said the authorities can also do little things to help producers promote such a cultural show. For one, they can air their advertisements on the government-owned station for free, and even allow them to use the electronic billboard outside of the NCC.

This year’s show will feature some of the best personalities in the field of comedy and acting, such as ‘Jumbie’; Michael ‘Credit’ Ignatius; Leza ‘Radica’ Singh; Mark ‘Chiney Man’ Kazim; Chris Gopaul, and Mark Luke Edwards.