A focused ’40 For Trust’

WITH a Free Your Mind comedy theme like ‘40 for Trust’, one can be sure that things are going to get a little raunchy.

Revolving around the startlingly common practice of having sex without a condom, Free Your Mind’s latest show was a hive of bad behaviour, terrible advice and good comedy. Hosted by Fresh FM’s Cheese, opened by Alex Madjarov and featuring a performance by Exit not long before a surprise set by South African comic Joey Rasdien, Free Your Mind packed way more punch than it has in a while.

Add a commitment to theme by Mark, Just Hendrik, Alex and Chiro and the audience was treated to a tight show, a host of new jokes and some notable novelty from all four comics.

With Mark zooming in on the potential of sex tapes including a soundtrack for a reality show insipidly titled ‘Keeping Up with the Penises’, the lanky comic ushered in the set of night. From judging people based on the porn they’re into and which local girls are the biggest freaks, Mark kept it real and relevant with an engaging tone and cheeky grin through which the funny could flow pretty effortlessly.

Up next was a performance from Exit who arrived in a red bucket hat to sing about Shaduka. Ever entertaining, the young kwaito star presented an enthusing interlude before Just Hendrik returned to the stage to imagine the infamous Penelope being called to the diary room for a ‘private session’ with Big Brother. Wisecracking about sex being like job except coming late is encouraged and with a titbit about a guy named Dick, Just Hendrik was funny but brief and not at all as energetic as his second killer performance.

As for headlining act, Chiro, he arrived as his alter ego ‘Cleofas’ donning a bucket hat made of ‘Smile’ condoms. Offering lap dances, a population report and a query as to who’s not f*cking, Chiro took it relatively easy and stayed stuck to topic which resulted in a fine display of local centric levity.

From Namibian girls who ‘40’ so they can get pregnant, girls who think you have a sexually transmitted disease if you don’t ‘40’ and Kavango girls who’ll ‘40’ for a Fanta, Chiro was on point, pithy and perfectly funny divorced of his C-squared sidekick for the night.

Also earning his laughs was surprise act Joey Rasdien, who swooped in to end the show with some fabulously local quips about Penelope before firing shots at individuals in the audience. Never sit in the front row.

An impromptu prelude to his Afrolarious show the next day, the comic kicked it up a notch and matched Mark with consistently landing punchlines while keeping it easy and amusing.

All in all, a good show held handsomely together by a thoughtfully considered theme that brought a full house to the Warehouse Theatre on Thursday. ‘40 for Trust’ was what every FYM comedy show should be.

Tight, topical, frank, funny.

@marth____vader on Twitter or martha@namibian.com.na

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