Pablo: The witty stand-up comedian
Jun 05, 2008
EVERY Thursday evening, theatre fans queue at the National Theatre upper gardens in numbers that suggest there is free beer given out. Once the venue is packed to the brim, patrons get ready for a 90-minute session of rib-breaking jokes.
By Gilbert Mwijuke
EVERY Thursday evening, theatre fans queue at the National Theatre upper gardens in numbers that suggest there is free beer given out. Once the venue is packed to the brim, patrons get ready for a 90-minute session of rib-breaking jokes.
The event is Comedy Nite, held by Theatre Factory, an outfit that comprises some of Kampala’s most accomplished performing artistes.
This theme night has cultivated a religious following since its inception in 2003, and most of its members have become bona fide stars, at least in the local theatre fraternity.
Phillip Luswata is the adventurous kind; Veronica Tindikyebwa has the knack to imitate various accents; Hannington Bugingo’s physic (ball-eyed and short) makes him standout; Dixon Zizinga is the innately ‘stupid’; Richard Tuwangye acts well on instinct; while Gerald Rutaro can be best described as the bully.
But before you know it, you will be flabbergasted by the multifaceted Kenneth Kimuli, who is only known to most of his adoring fans as Pablo. Regular visitors to the Comedy Nite show will agree that Kimuli is the funniest and most loved of the lot.
To the Comedy Nite audience, he is like manna fallen from heaven. He appears unannounced and the uproar awakens any newcomer that something great is about to happen. They chorus along:
Ken: “Aha! Should I tell you something?â€
Audience: “Ahaaaa!â€
Kimuli then begins his tales while the audience responds at any given opportunity. The only reputable stand-up comedian there is in the country, Kimuli just steps on stage and starts yapping away.
His costumes too are usually ordinary. And he is talking about Bwaise residents drowning during torrential rains or about the popular 1980s Music While You Work programme on Radio Uganda, Kimuli adds a pitch of humour in his choice of words and intonation.
There are times when he takes on a single topic. But sometimes, he takes on up to three topics but all is done in about five to seven minutes. And throughout his performance, the ovation goes on and on.
Kimuli first came to the limelight through his work on the social responsibility radio programme, Rock Point 256, a serial drama that is recorded in five languages and aired on 15 radio stations countrywide.
But you could have also caught him on the Christian radio station 104.1 Power FM, where he works as a presenter.
Among other plays, Kimuli has directed KPC drama team’s Buried in the Dark and he is also the writer of their recent production, One Night Stand.
He has acted in several plays such as Lwanda Magere, Prologue in Heaven, One Night Stand, The Adams, and in Samuel Buckett’s plays.
The diminutive actor is also part of Hahaha Fun House, which is part of the KPC worship ministries and an occasional emcee at various social events.
Perhaps it is this retrospective of immeasurable talent that garnered him an unprecedented invitation to the Sudance Film Festival in the United States last year.
He was invited to the event by the Sudance Institute’s director, Phillip Himberg, who, Kimuli says, he met in Uganda in 2003.
This made him the fourth Ugandan to land an invitation to the prestigious annual film festival; the others being acclaimed actors Phillip Luswata, Deborah Asiimwe and Charles Mulekwa.
Every year, celebrated artistes from around the world gather at the Sundance Resort, the home of the Sundance Institute’s summer programmes to display their works and to get more ideas.
Fifteen plays and 15 directors are chosen from the world of theatre, film and music and those chosen get to present their work at the end of the three-week period in which the programme runs.
As someone who never saw himself worthy of the honour, Kimuli described this as pure luck. He said: “I was just lucky, but chance also finds those who are prepared.â€
Apart from Kimuli, the only other East African invited to the festival last year was renowned Kenyan playwright and theatre director Mumbi Kaigwa, who is remembered by many for staging the controversial play, The Vagina Monologues in Nairobi in 2003.
EVERY Thursday evening, theatre fans queue at the National Theatre upper gardens in numbers that suggest there is free beer given out. Once the venue is packed to the brim, patrons get ready for a 90-minute session of rib-breaking jokes.
The event is Comedy Nite, held by Theatre Factory, an outfit that comprises some of Kampala’s most accomplished performing artistes.
This theme night has cultivated a religious following since its inception in 2003, and most of its members have become bona fide stars, at least in the local theatre fraternity.
Phillip Luswata is the adventurous kind; Veronica Tindikyebwa has the knack to imitate various accents; Hannington Bugingo’s physic (ball-eyed and short) makes him standout; Dixon Zizinga is the innately ‘stupid’; Richard Tuwangye acts well on instinct; while Gerald Rutaro can be best described as the bully.
But before you know it, you will be flabbergasted by the multifaceted Kenneth Kimuli, who is only known to most of his adoring fans as Pablo. Regular visitors to the Comedy Nite show will agree that Kimuli is the funniest and most loved of the lot.
To the Comedy Nite audience, he is like manna fallen from heaven. He appears unannounced and the uproar awakens any newcomer that something great is about to happen. They chorus along:
Ken: “Aha! Should I tell you something?â€
Audience: “Ahaaaa!â€
Kimuli then begins his tales while the audience responds at any given opportunity. The only reputable stand-up comedian there is in the country, Kimuli just steps on stage and starts yapping away.
His costumes too are usually ordinary. And he is talking about Bwaise residents drowning during torrential rains or about the popular 1980s Music While You Work programme on Radio Uganda, Kimuli adds a pitch of humour in his choice of words and intonation.
There are times when he takes on a single topic. But sometimes, he takes on up to three topics but all is done in about five to seven minutes. And throughout his performance, the ovation goes on and on.
Kimuli first came to the limelight through his work on the social responsibility radio programme, Rock Point 256, a serial drama that is recorded in five languages and aired on 15 radio stations countrywide.
But you could have also caught him on the Christian radio station 104.1 Power FM, where he works as a presenter.
Among other plays, Kimuli has directed KPC drama team’s Buried in the Dark and he is also the writer of their recent production, One Night Stand.
He has acted in several plays such as Lwanda Magere, Prologue in Heaven, One Night Stand, The Adams, and in Samuel Buckett’s plays.
The diminutive actor is also part of Hahaha Fun House, which is part of the KPC worship ministries and an occasional emcee at various social events.
Perhaps it is this retrospective of immeasurable talent that garnered him an unprecedented invitation to the Sudance Film Festival in the United States last year.
He was invited to the event by the Sudance Institute’s director, Phillip Himberg, who, Kimuli says, he met in Uganda in 2003.
This made him the fourth Ugandan to land an invitation to the prestigious annual film festival; the others being acclaimed actors Phillip Luswata, Deborah Asiimwe and Charles Mulekwa.
Every year, celebrated artistes from around the world gather at the Sundance Resort, the home of the Sundance Institute’s summer programmes to display their works and to get more ideas.
Fifteen plays and 15 directors are chosen from the world of theatre, film and music and those chosen get to present their work at the end of the three-week period in which the programme runs.
As someone who never saw himself worthy of the honour, Kimuli described this as pure luck. He said: “I was just lucky, but chance also finds those who are prepared.â€
Apart from Kimuli, the only other East African invited to the festival last year was renowned Kenyan playwright and theatre director Mumbi Kaigwa, who is remembered by many for staging the controversial play, The Vagina Monologues in Nairobi in 2003.