LAST Friday night, comedy fans – starved after nearly two years without live shows – were treated to a couple of hours of jokes (ranging from the cheeky to the dirty), some dancing, parody songs on the lockdown experience and some games.
Kamthology Live, staged for two nights (October 29 and 30) at the Petaling Jaya Performing Arts Centre at 1 Utama, was headlined by Malaysia’s ‘queen of comedy’ Joanne Kam (hence the name of the show), and featured sets by Kavin Jay, Papi Zak, Steven Bones, and Bibi Kay Poh. The show was hosted by veteran radio host Terry Ong.
Granted that this was a live show in our ‘new normal’, there were accommodations made to comply with the various SOPs. There were no refreshments, all members of the audience had to keep their masks on throughout, and every other seat was empty. That’s just the reality we’re living in.
That being said, there was something refreshing about being in a communal space, sharing laughs with strangers.
The show started with a lively and absurd dance number, as the comedians were dressed up as they were in the posters – some approximation of Ancient Greece and Rome. Though I’m not sure if Plato would approve.
After a quick comedy routine from host Ong, relating on pandemic worries and some racial humour – something every Malaysian can relate to, no matter what race they belong to – that served to warm up the audience, Bibi Kay Poh took the stage.
Still dressed in her outfit from the opener, she jumped into some very suggestive material, often playing on topics of gender – basically, sex jokes. It was really the equivalent of jumping into the deep end. The fun came in the unpredictability.
Up next was Steven Bones, who sandwiched a short comedy routine utilising his accent work in between two songs about the last two years. The songs were very relatable for most Malaysians who had lived through the pandemic. His rendition of the viral Mamak King and lockdown Internet worries had a layer of truth beyond the laughs.
Referred to as “as seen on Netflix”, Kavin Jay was self-deprecating when it came to talking about his recent success, and admitted to being so starved for performing in front of a live audience that he was willing to dance in an embarrassing costume. Most of his jokes revolved around the Keto diet (it made him lose the will to live) and pandemic worries.
Described as “Malaysia’s biggest comedian… literally” by host Ong, Papi Zak got on the stage still dressed as a cupid, which contrasted with his jokes on pandemic era living and frustrations with the government. Up to this point, it was the most political humour on the show and the audience was a little wary of laughing too hard.
Finally, Joanne Kam herself took the stage, in a routine that was a mix of risqué, heartfelt and acidic. Not afraid of talking about her dating life, more specifically how difficult it was to date foreigners with the shutdown of international travel.
No matter the material, Kam has a big personality that can expand to the corners of the auditorium.
After a couple more jokes from host Ong, the stage was set for an extended skit to cap off the show. All five comedians returned to the stage, however, this time they were playing characters – all women, with the male performers dressed up in drag – from different countries to comment on a few trending stories.
Kam herself was dressed as activist Siti Kasim (going by City Kassim), Poh was dressed as a character from Netflix series 'Squid Game', while Zak was dressed as a princess of Zamuda – the fictional African country featured in comedy classic 'Coming to America'.
The energy was more improvisational, though maybe having six people on stage at once was a bit too many. Plenty of jokes landed, though the bit of men dressing as women as a joke feels a bit old hat.
All in all, it was a fun night out. Though the SOP restrictions are a bit annoying, they are part of the ‘new normal’ and fade away after some laughs.
Comedians have been able to successfully mine the pandemic era for humour that’s relatable to Malaysians of all persuasions. Here’s hoping that shows like this become routine as well. – The Vibes, November 1, 2021
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