No phones: Dave Chappelle’s Nairobi show sells out in hours
The internet is abuzz with excitement over Dave Chappelle’s upcoming show at the Louis Leakey Auditorium on May 29. Organised by Punchline Comedy Club, the 300-seat event sold out within two hours of its poster going up.
A source who spoke to the Nairobi News revealed: “The small and intimate venue was a condition set by Dave. He even wanted it to be for a smaller audience of 100. So even 300 was a push”.
Two Kenyan comedians will open for the Emmy Award-winning American star: Lu Savali and Ciru Mwangi.
Ciru Mwangi shared her excitement on social media, writing: “I will be one of two opening acts for Dave Chappelle, even in my wildest dreams I had not seen this.
Lu Savali added: “As a comic, this isn’t even in your wildest dreams. But this Wednesday I’m opening for @davechappelle in Nairobi, Kenya. Believe the hype”.
Organisers have noted that the event will be “phone free”, similar to Dave’s show in Abu Dhabi on May 23, organised by Live Nation.
In Abu Dhabi, Chappelle performed at the Etihad Arena as part of Abu Dhabi Comedy Week. Ticket regulations require all guests to have a valid ticket and be over the age of 16. However, guests aged between 16 and 21 had to be accompanied by an adult aged 21 or over. No bags larger than 30x30x15cm were allowed and no professional cameras, audio or video recorders were allowed inside the venue.
The phone-free policy required phones, smartwatches and accessories to be secured in individual pouches at security check-in. Guests retained possession of their devices and could access them in designated phone use areas within the venue. Devices had to be re-secured in the pouches before leaving these areas. Anyone seen using a device during the performance would be escorted out of the venue.
Numerous calls to the Punchline Comedy Club went unanswered.