Comedy show Come Mek We Larf is back at Millfield Theatre for a second Valentines Special, featuring a quality line-up of the very finest in African Caribbean comedy.
Host Mr Cee is looking forward to bringing together the energetic Kane Brown and observant Felicity Ethnic for an evening of hilarity on Silver Street.
“It’s going to be a great night”, said Cee. “Kane’s one of my favourite comedians at the moment, I love his energy. He’s cheeky yet charming and he’ll talk about relationships from a very strong man’s point of view”.
“To counteract that we’ve got felicity Ethnic, who is a champion for women’ views in a relationship”’ Cee continued. “She’s strong, she’s empowering and any man who wants to open their mouth whilst she’s performing; well I feel sorry for them because they’re going to get what they deserve”!
The final addition to February’s line-up is Black Comedy‘s No. 1 Diva and Bajan Dancehall Queen, ‘Dibbi’. The brainchild of comedian Wayne Rollins, the cross-dressing comedic character ‘Dibbi’ boasts a great stage presence and always goes down a storm with audiences.
“Everyone loves Dibbi”, explains Cee. “Wayne Rollins’ comedy skills in delivering Dibbi are second to none- you see both the physicality of a man with a beard and the embodiment of a female character. You just don’t know what’s going to happen next with Dibbi”.
While a comedy show might not be your first choice of outing to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year, cee argues it’s the perfect night out, whether you are coupled up or not.
“Treat your partner to a night of comedy this year, get them to relax those shoulders” encouraged Cee. “If you’re single then come along too because you might just find love here. There’s no easier way to find love than through laughter and, you never know, you might be sitting next to your future husband or wife”.
Said like a true promoter, it is Cee’s natural gift for marketing combined with a genuine passion for comedy that has seen Come Mek We Larf run for over 18 years with stints at Cork’s Wine Bar in the West End, the Players Club in East London and, more recently, a residency at The Library at Willesden green.
Starting out as a comedian in 1998 and on the lookout for open mic nights, Cee quickly discovered that most venues offered only 3 to 5 minute spots for new comedians. Frustrated by this Cee seized an opportunity at Cork’s Wine Bar to revive a regular comedy night there and so, Come Mek We Larf was born. The night promised a platform for emerging comedians to showcase their work with 15- 20 minute slots while also profiling different styles of comedy: an ethos that continues to this day.
“It was a starting place for great things” explained Cee “For us newbies it was a regular spot that we could perform at each month. Back then we mixed it up and featured poets and singers. Some of the now- greats passed through those doors, including Estelle and Floetry who also cute teeth there. We would always finish the show with a headliner comedian, however, and I would host it”.
It was through the production Come Mek We Larf honed his hosting technique whilst learning necessary skills for putting on a successful show including discovering new talent, booking acts and marketing.
“You’ve got the audience, you’ve got the artists and then you have the promotional team. All three have to be happy for a show to work. There’s no point having a great show if no one’s there to see it and its pointless having when you don’t have a great show for them. It’s important to have a product that people want to come back for time and time again”.
Come Mek We Larf continues to grow in popularity at Millfield Theatre proving that the show format is a product that people want to come back for. However, Cee believes that the show’s popularity can also be attributed to the open-mindedness of Enfield audiences.
“The support of the audience at Millfield has been great” said Cee “They’ve come out and have been really receptive to different styles of comedy. While the majority of the audience ids African Caribbean there are people from all cultures that come through the doors at Edmonton which I love. In a place like Enfield which is so diverse, the people here are comfortable with one another already: so when they see something they want to see and see, they go. They don’t feel alienated which is refreshing for us as comedians, especially black comedians. After all, there’s so much more that we share in common as people and, at the end of the day, everybody loves to laugh”.
“Humour is all we’ve got sometimes; it binds us together as people in the most simplistic of forms” continued Cee. “We all need to leave all our cares and worries at the door of Millfield Theatre; this is a place where we can Come Mek We Larf after all”.
Catch Come Mek We Larf 12 February 7.00pm