Wilbard returns with comedic one-man show

Namibian comedian Wilbard Namwiha Ndapanda is making his return to the comedy stage with his first one-man show, The Return of Wilbard, taking place on 3 October.

The comedian, who grew up in the small village of Uuyoka in the Onayena Constituency of the Oshikoto region, said making people laugh has always been part of who he is.

“I was always a class clown and always just trying to make people laugh everywhere I was,” he told tjil.

Although Wilbard describes himself as “super shy”, he becomes a different person once he feels comfortable on stage.

His introduction to stand-up comedy came when a friend showed him a YouTube video of comedian Trevor Noah performing.

“That’s when I discovered that I don’t have to make people laugh for free anymore,” he joked.

He later searched online for stand-up comedy clubs in Namibia and discovered Free Your Mind. One phone call later, he had taken his first steps into the world of comedy.

Now, after being away from the comedy scene and his fans for almost a year, Wilbard sees his one-man show as an opportunity to reintroduce himself and demonstrate how much he has grown.

“I also want to show my people that I have improved and I am improving every day, and I want to show them live,” he said.

For the 3 October show, audiences can expect a mixture of comedy covering African households, relationships and current affairs.

Wilbard said his show will tackle the challenges of growing up with African parents, explore relationships and draw on current Namibian events.

“Buckle up,” he said.

Superpower

Putting together a two-hour comedy show, however, has required considerable preparation. Wilbard has written about 22 pages of material, totalling 13 170 words, which he needs to memorise almost word for word.

Unlike performing on a comedy line-up, where a comedian mainly worries about delivering their jokes, a one-man show comes with additional responsibilities, including venue costs, sound, videography, supporting comedians and marketing.

For Wilbard, writing itself is not the difficult part. He describes creative writing as his “superpower”, adding that writing jokes has become therapeutic, particularly when he is going through difficult moments.

“The biggest challenge for me was finding the funniest version of each joke,” he said.

The comedian also promises to bring personal experiences to the stage, although audiences may have to figure out which stories are true and which are fictional.

With The Return of Wilbard, he sees the show as the beginning of a new chapter.

“I am back and better, and I will never leave you, my people,” he said, adding that he plans to write more jokes, record them, build his fanbase and take his comedy career more seriously.

“The Namibian dream is on, baby!”