Caribbean comics score at Comedy Marathon

PROMOTERS of the Caribbean Comedy Marathon, which took place at the Grand Stand, Queen’s Park Savannah on Friday night, promised new and original approaches to the art form. However, most of the routines featured the usual, predictable range of sex and internet jokes. The few comedians who opted for different topics stole the show. They included Learie Joseph, Jamaicans Ity and Fancy Cat, the Barbadian comedian Bus Stop, Louis Antoine, Tommy Joseph and Rachel Price. Learie Joseph was at his hilarious best with his vagrant act. Another Joseph, Peter, joined him for a joke shoot-out and Learie walked off the stage as the crowd pleaser. However, Peter stayed on to ask questions for musical replies from the DJ and this went down well with the audience. Jamaicans Ity and Fancy Cat were entertaining with their routine about telephone conversations between spouses and how they change as years go by, or in sticky situations.

But it was Louis Antoine, portraying an abused husband, who stole the show. He had the audience in stitches when he said he was the victim of domestic violence and described how his wife beat him on the streets, in taxis and in front of his friends. Tommy Joseph as Private Stand Up appeared on stage in full army regalia and claimed he had just returned from the Iraqi war armed with things the Trinidadian would need in times of war. These included an oversized water gun, a big stone, a cutlass to cut ‘Bush’ and a Trinidad flag to be recognised and not shot. Errol Fabien joked about the birth of his new baby and babysitting, while Damien Melville spoke about the many reasons why he wants a Catholic woman. This routine, though it was done throughout the Carnival season, still had the audience in stitches. Veteran Guyanese comedian Habeeb Khan was one of the casualties of the evening. His routine went sour and he was clapped off the stage. However, a spicy act by Mairoon Ali and Nikki Crosby, portraying ladies of the night, got good response and Crazy Catholic (Sheldon Narine) and his drama group were fairly entertaining with a skit about an inter-racial marriage proposal. After the intermission, the second half opener fell flat as extempo artistes Black Sage, Big B and Lingo failed miserably to move the crowd and were clapped off the stage. Closing the show was Rachel Price who dealt with The Gladiator, BWIA and was well received.