Nando's Comedy Fests coming to Durban, Joburg and Cape Town

Brian Haner

Best known as Guitar Guy from The Jeff Dunham Show, Brian Haner is a combination of skilled guitar player and stand-up comedian. While many guitar comics simply play chords while they do their comedy act, Haner is a whole different kind of musician, having spent 25 years as a guitarist. He is now headlining clubs across the country in his own rock 'n' roll comedy show and has over 4.2 million views on his YouTube page.

Comedian, actor, author and Essence Magazine columnist Finesse Mitchell got his first big break when he was asked to be a featured player on the hit NBC sketch comedy Saturday Night Live, joining the cast in 2005. Since leaving the cast of SNL, he has been seen on the big screen in films such as Who's Your Caddy?, The Comebacks, and Mad Money, and is a recurring guest on television shows.

Tom Segura is a comedian originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, who also appears on TV shows and, when he not on tour, performs at some of the world's top comedy festivals.

Mitch Fatel quickly engages the audience and then catches them off guard with his mixture of mischievous dialogue and off-colour comments. He is the number one requested comedian on Satellite Radio and has appeared on numerous TV shows.

Stand-up comedian, writer and LA native Christina Pazsitzky is a series regular on Tru TV's World's Dumbest and headlines at comedy clubs around the country. She has been called a modern-day Rosanne Barr - with a dash of truck stop waitress.

Ian Bagg is no stranger to comedy stages around the world, as well as TV shows and his own live talk show "The Ian Bagg Show".

David Kau's becoming the first black stand-up comedian at the first Nando's Comedy Festival in 1998. He wrote and performed "The Rainbow Nation Tour", his first one-man show in 1998, and never looked back.

A favourite part of the festival is the local stand-up competition "Graça Comedy Showdown". See contestants fight it out on-stage during the "heats" with nothing more than their quick wit, a mike, and a burning desire to become the newest comedy hero of the festival. The winners of the annual-search-for-SA's-new stand-up-star will get the chance to perform alongside the international comedy heavy weights for the duration of the festival.

Graça Comedy Showdown Dates in Durban

Heats: 31July at 8.30pm
Final: 7 August at 8.30pm
Venue: Havana Grill Suncoast
Email: az.oc.llirganavah@stneve
Bookings: via Computicket.com search: DSOC/Havana
More info on: www.facebook.com/DSOCevents
Twitter: @durbancomedy
az.oc.ydemocnabrud@ofni
Tickets: R50
Bookings: at www.computicket.com or any Computicket outlet
Website: www.comedyfestival.co.za for full line-up, show schedules and information

Tickets: From R150 to R200.

Cast

Finess Mitchell (host)
Mitch Fatel
Brian Haner
Christina Paszitsky
Ian Bagg
Tom Segura
David Kau
*Graça Showdown Winner (to be announced)

The 5th Annual Nando's Jozi Comedy Festival

Graça Comedy Showdown dates
Heats: 18 July, 1 and 8 August at 8pm
Final: 15 August at 8pm
Venue: Parker's Comedy & Jive, Montecasino, Fourways
The show starts at 8pm, doors open at 6.30pm.
Tickets: R70
www.parkerscomedy.com

Tickets: From R160 to R250

Cast

Finess Mitchell (Host)
Mitch Fatel
Brian Haner
Christina Paszitsky
Ian Bagg
Tom Segura
David Kau
*Graça Showdown Winner (to be announced)

Nando's Soweto Comedy Festival

30 August and 1 September 2012 at the Walter Sisulu Hall

Cast

David Kau (Host)
Orlando Jones
Lil Rel
Loni Love
Brian Haner
Michael Winslow

Tickets: From R150 - R220

Graça Comedy Showdown Dates in Cape Town:

Heats: 7th, 14th and 21st of August at Mercury @ 8pm
Final: 28th of August at Mercury @ 8pm
Venue: Mercury
43 De Villiers Street
Tickets: R30 (Heats) - available at Door.
R40 (Final) - available at Door.

3 - 9 September 2012 at the Artscape Theatre

Cast

David Kau (Host)
Orlando Jones
Michael Winslow
Brian Haner
Lil Rel
Loni Love
Louis Katz
Graça Showdown Winner (to be announced)

Tickets: From R180 - R220

For more info call 0763928734

Tickets: available at Computicket or at the door.
Bookings: at www.computicket.com or any Computicket outlet

Website: www.comedyfestival.co.za for full line-up, show schedules and information