Montreal’s Just For Laughs Comedy Festival is partnering with a South African-based conglomerate to expand their reach and begin Just For Laughs Africa. Just For Laughs is the biggest event in comedy, routinely helping comics break into the international spotlight. The long-term continental partnership was announced today during the 35th Montreal Comedy Festival, with the news that the first Just For Laughs Africa will take place in Durban, South Africa in 2018. The event will offer comedy fans the best of local, continental and international artists, which will grow year-on-year in its Durban home, thanks to a partnership with the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government.
“We’ve already established successful Just For Laughs festivals beyond Montreal,” noted president and founder of Just For Laughs Groups Gilbert Rozon, who mentioned Toronto, Vancouver and Sydney as regions South Africa will join in the Just For Laughs group. Comedy is thriving across the whole continent nowadays, with comedians from countries like Nigeria, Zambia, Kenya and Botswana enjoying growing fan bases in their home countries and beyond. Some comics who have come through Just For Laughs include The Daily Show’s Trevor Noah, John Vlismas, David Kau, Pieter-Dirk Uys, Riaad Moosa and Basketmouth. Moyikwa Sisulu is the director for Just For Laughs Africa and said in a press release, “The opportunity to bring the experience of the Just For Laughs team to developing African comedy was one we just couldn’t turn down.”
Just For Laughs recently announced its new Faces of Comedy for 2017, and Paste is currently covering the Montreal festival, happening now through the end of July. Find out where we’ll be here.