Whether you’re familiar or not with the comedy talents of Daliso Chaponda is most likely based on your knowledge of Britain’s Got Talent, the hugely popular ITV talent show that has a panel of celebrity experts potentially sending the mere mortals who audition on to fame and fortune. Daliso Chapondo is a Malawian stand-up comedian who apparently reach the finals of the programme in 2017, finishing third overall.
OK, no, I wasn’t aware of his prime time TV 15 minutes, but having generally really enjoyed almost every comedian I’ve seen at Komedia in Bath, and having Googled his act as a try-out, I thought it was worth a Sunday night out to see how good he’d be live.
One of the great things about Komedia is that it’s well enough known to attract some really great stars, and yet small enough to mean you’re up close with the performers, which suits Daliso perfectly. Immediately he comes across as as imminently likeable guy, all big smiles and loads of personalities. It also helps that he started with one of his best jokes of the night, explaining that he’s from Malawi, the world’s number one supplier of Madonna babies.
What follows is stroll around subjects predictable – the lockdown, Boris Johnson, relationships – and a few less so – growing up as a wealthy Malawian, a father accused of conspiracy and the Colston statue controversy. Throughout, Daliso makes great use of an upbeat if not quite sell-out crowd, asking for their opinions and experiences on a range of subjects from nationality to valentines and Michael Jackson, and playing the responses with real aplomb. This quick and intelligent repartee is the highlight of the show, showcasing a comedian at home on the road, working with his audience and confident enough to trust his comedic skills to deal with whatever the audience supply.
Where he falls down is with a failure to really bring the various strands of the scripted sections of his comedy – or his art, as he repeatedly likes to call it – together into a smooth performance. The gags are there, they’re just too often let down by the build up. The result is a stuttering delivery as he tries to link the sections together, almost as if he’s losing his way before struggling to bring it back in hand.
Still, overall this was another good evening at Komedia with a comedian who has the jokes and the personality, but perhaps just needs to work on the delivery.