When one would assume that it is impossible for a comedy show with exclusively French-speaking comedians to draw numbers in Kigali, a crowd of over 200 revelers gathered at Institut Francais on the evening of October 18, would beg to differ. The comedy extravaganza, organised by Wallonie-Bruxelles International (WBI) to a full house, made a statement with a lineup that included renowned comedians Michael Sengazi, Herve Kimenyi, and Belgian-Rwandan comic Inno JP, who came from Belgium to Kigali particularly for the show. ALSO READ: Comedians Inno Jp, Herve Kimenyi, Michael Sengazi share tips ahead of show in Kigali The show began an hour late but the overall organisation, from the catering team to the protocol, made sure everyone enjoyed themselves, making up for the lost time. The number of attendees kept on growing as Michael Sengazi played MC, humoring everyone into loud laughs, with syncing music in the background. Herve Kimenyi stepped up on stage after a few of roasts from his long-time colleague and quickly gave in to the crowd's warm greeting, anxious to see what he had in store. He joked about how people nowadays are upset by practically everything, but it didn't stop him from including some gags that would still be insulting to most individuals with weight issues and religious people. He left the audience still in anticipation as he welcomed Sengazi, with whom they have been in the same group, 'Comedy Knights,' since 2013, back on stage. ALSO READ: Comedians offer masterclass ahead of Belgium-Rwanda laugh-in night When Inno JP, who was born Innocent in Kigali in 1983 and renamed Jean-Paul by his adoptive parents, finally came on the stage, he kept the chuckles coming just as loud as his predecessors. He went on to joke about his background, his experience as a black person raised by a couple of retired Belgian women, and how his fellow black people generally treat him as a privileged brat. Despite the crowd not wanting to let him go, he departed the stage after 45 minutes to make way for Kimenyi and Sengazi. The two then continued their humorous imitation of love songs from around the world. There were also upcoming local comedians on the lineup, such as Jean-Bertrand Irakoze, also known as Bareth-Humoriste, who owned the stage and left the audience wanting more. These are a number who attended the masterclass held by the higher-level trio's ahead of the show, from October 13 to 16. The night before, on October 17, WBI hosted another invite-only comedy event, which was largely attended by officials from Diplomatic Institutions, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy, MyCulture, Francophonie members, and various artists. WBI functions as an international policy instrument to connect Francophones from Belgium with counterparts worldwide. Its activities include offering support in a variety of ways, such as funding cultural events like comic strip exhibitions, film festivals, and literary workshops, as well as promoting educational initiatives such as scholarships and internships. The comedy show ended ten minutes past 10 PM, with Inno JP promising everyone to come back to Kigali for another show next year.
