While Gondwana Productions has just launched production of the 18th season of Le Parlement du rire and is preparing for the 10th edition of the Festival du Rire d'Abidjan, the pan-African traveling comedy festival Afrique du Rire took place in early October in Côte d'Ivoire, specifically in Abidjan and San Pedro.
This festival, initiated and directed by Ivorian-Moroccan comedian and promoter Tahar Lazrak, alias Oualas, is celebrating its fifth edition.
It is a traveling festival under the patronage of the King of Morocco. It aims to "build bridges between nations through laughter, a fundamental component of African culture."
In October, he traveled to Mali (October 9), Senegal (October 10), and finally Morocco, notably to Casablanca and Taghazout.
While the CANAL+ group broadcasts GONDWANA productions, RTI in Ivory Coast was the broadcasting partner for the Festival Afrique du rire (ADR).
Contrary to what one might think, the proliferation of comedy shows, far from constituting new competition for existing events, is a good thing for everyone involved: for comedians, who have more and more venues where they can express themselves and make a living from their art; for broadcasters, who benefit from programs on a theme that is very popular with audiences; and finally for African audiences, who always fill the theaters.