From Russia with laughs: Comedian Mum-z is back in SA with a new Artscape show
FUNNY MAN: Mamello ‘Mum-z’ Mokeoena on stage. Picture: Supplied
When award winning comedian Mamello “Mum-z” Mokoena went to Russia for a vacation in February 2020, he had no idea it would become his home for the next two years.
Mum-z, like so many other travellers across the globe, got stuck when borders closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
He finally returned home to Cape Town on 31 December 2021, and now he is taking to the stage to share his experience.
“Russia is an amazing country but my first comedy gig was horrible, like no one laughed or understood what I was talking about.
“So I had to understand Russian culture and see what their sense of humour is like.
“When I got back from Russia, I had so much material that I had to do a show,” he says.
Mum-z was travelling with his then-Russian girlfriend who he had met in Cape Town, and says he wasn’t scared of being stuck in a foreign country.
“I wasn’t scared. I love travelling and experiencing new cultures. I can speak a little bit of Russian but Russian is one of the hardest languages to learn.
“While staying in Russia, I was doing stand-up comedy to sustain myself.
“I also taught English and because of my experience in Digital Marketing I was able to secure some Russian clients.
“These clients had businesses in Africa so I helped them understand the African market better.”
He says being a black man in Russia had its funny moments.
“When I first arrived in Moscow, I went to Red Square (famous tourist spot in inner city Moscow – not the Edgars perfume counter).
“I was so excited that I was taking pictures of the Kremlin, Lenin’s mausoleum and St Basil’s Cathedral, but then I realised that they were taking pictures of me.
“At first I thought to myself, ‘am I famous in Russia?’ until I realised that they were taking pictures of me because I was the first black person they had seen in a while.”
Mum-z has been in the stand-up comedy game for 14 years. His involvement with two-time Emmy nominated TV comedy series, ZA News, earned him four SAFTAs.
“What makes this show different is I want people to laugh and share their emotions especially when tough times are happening,” says Mum-z.
“Now that there is a war (between Russia and Ukraine), we need someone to be a voice and make us understand first hand what it is like in Russia but also to entertain us.
“I want to make them laugh and learn at the same time.”
Mum-z and fellow comic Justin Ray will perform on 12 and 13 August at the Artscape Theatre.
Tickets cost R100 available at Computicket.