True but not so funny
During her performance, she made several jokes about her young self and the challenges that she went through as a teenager.
Cotilda Inapo performing at her Funny But True show at the National Theatre last Friday. (Photos by John Musoke)
By Alfred Byenkya
Journalists @New Vision
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Uganda’s stand-up comedians celebrated one of the longest serving from within their ranks, Cotilda Inapo, at her Funny But True show at the National Theatre last Friday.
The title of the show was problematic from the start and required very good writing to pull off. Making truth funny does not come easy.
During her performance, she made several jokes about her young self and the challenges that she went through as a teenager.
She talked about her teenage high school boyfriend who almost ruined her education because she had no skill on how to manage the affair.
“I will never forget that boy who almost made me not complete my secondary school because I was so much in love with him. I guess some of my OB’s and OG’s know this story because this teenage love almost killed me. He was a famous footballer and those that studied with me know him but as a grown-up woman, I have realised that there is nothing special about being in love and I wish I had known this,” she said. Sounds very true, but perhaps not as funny.
She also joked about how she used to dream of buying land in Kololo, Muyenga and other upscale residences of Kampala when she was a teenage girl, but when she grew up, she realised that these dreams are impossible to achieve.
“When you make 40 years in the world, it’s when you realise the dreams we had as children are hard to achieve because of the harsh economic conditions that we are living in. It is at this stage that I have to come to realise that even building a small house in Gayaza is an achievement in life,” she joked, which sounded more of a statement of fact.
She also reminded her audience of how she used to think that Europeans are better than Ugandans.
“Reality has also taught me that Ugandans have a rich social culture. Here, we attend many social events where things like food and drinks are free, but that Bazungu’s rarely offer free things. You even have to pay your own bills when you meet them for a date,” she said.
She also talked about the spending habits of Kampalans.
“Kampala has theme nights that argue with the state of our economy. I know bars and happening places that are always filled to capacity from Monday and we wonder where the people that go there get their money from,” she added before signing out for a photo shoot with her fans outside the auditorium.
Daniel Omara referred to Inapo as the queen of comedy in Uganda. “When she took a break, fans left the theatre and other comedy clubs until she returned,” he said in her praise. Other comedians who performed included Teacher Sulphur, Okello Okello, Dr. Hilary Okello and Jack Rwothumio.