There have been a number of comic festivals in Cape Town since the 1990s. The are often interrelated, with titles changing according to over the sponsors over the years, and using competing venues on occasion.

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The festivals include:

The Cape Town Comedy Festival

The Cape Town Comedy Festival is an international event in Cape Town.

The original festival: 1996-2012

Founded in 1996, with by Sam Hendrikse as director, the festival offers a range of national and international comedians and acts. The original festival ran till 2012, when it was temporarily suspended as Hendrikse felt he needed a break.

The reincarnation in 2020

Once more directed by Sam Hendrikse, the festival re-surfaced after 8 years, in March 2020, with a three-year contract to perform in the Artscape Theatre Centre.

Sources

https://allafrica.com/stories/199709180016.html

Christiaan Boonzaier. 2020. Komediefees herleef in Kaap ná 8j. in Die Burger, 29 February 2020: p. 10.

The Jive Cape Town Funny Festival

The festival event

An annual comedy variety show, initiated by Eddy Cassar and Sam Hendrikse in 1997 and produced annually by Eddy Cassar Public Relations.

It was renamed the Jive Cape Town Funny Festival after its then sponsor in 2005, and takes the form of a comedy variety show and runs annually for a month over June/July (and always outside of the Holy Month of Ramadan). Presented at the Baxter Theatre in Cape Town, the event features South African and international comedians and variety acts.

Performance history in South Africa

Sources

https://funnyfestival.co.za/

https://allafrica.com/stories/199709180016.html

Go to ESAT Bibliography

The Mother City Comedy Festival

The festival

Taking place at the start of the year, it is intended to showcase a diverse range of comedy styles and was first presented in 2020. Produced by Stuart Taylor and Siv Ngesi, at the Wave Theatre at 44 Long St in Cape Town.