Friday, March 29, 2024

Comedian Topsy goes for international stage

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IF LAUGHTER is the best medicine of life, then stand-up comedian Topsy Sikalinda, is one of the antidote.
Topsy, who has been crossing borders lately for epic shows, is cool, calm, collected and is confident in whatever he loves doing day-in and day-out, and that is comedy.
Topsy has rubbed shoulders with the likes of Nigeria’s Basketmouth and Uganda’s Anne Kansiime.
But He remains rooted in simplicity.
Topsy was among nine comedians from six countries who in June 2015 took to the stage at a Night of a Thousand Laughs at the Carnivore Grounds in Nairobi, Kenya. It is a testament of his place in the comedy world.
Born and bred in Lusaka, Topsy knows that he has out-grown the local comedy circuit and it is now time to showcase his skills on the international stage.
His school days at both Thorn Park and Chibolya basic schools were punctuated with some teasing drama, with the game of volleyball mostly exciting him.
“I grew up around the art of drama where we performed with my peers, but occasionally, I also found pleasure in playing volleyball,” explained the former Kamwala High School pupil.
Between 1995 and 2000, Topsy’s stay at Kamwala was inspiring. It was while at Kamwala Secondary School that he would come into contact with one of Zambia’s most celebrated playwright, actor and director Joemwa Mtsinje Mwale.
“With the able encouragement and inspiration from Joemwa, I went on to scoop the Best Actor Award during the Youth Alive Drama competition,” Topsy remembers.
The eighth born in a family of 11, Topsy also went on to redefine his acting roles through his numerous interactions with the overly talented Augustine Lungu.
Then a staffer at the Goman Advertising Company, Topsy had a privilege of sharing notes with the legendary actor who sadly passed on in 2010. Others who encouraged him were the likes of Benne Banda and veteran actor and director Bright Banda.
“At the Lusaka Playhouse, where the likes of Joemwa, Augustine, Benne and Bright were regulars and accomplished actor s , I was involved in several plays says under their watchful eyes,” says Topsy.
Plays such as Rulers of The Lost Continent [Samuel Kasankha], Jomwa’s directed Dependents and Living with An Enemy [Henry Joe Sakala] were some of the acts in which Topsy went on to feature.
Despite these early successes on stage, Topsy still had plans to enroll at the University of Zambia (UNZA) on a bursary but his plans hit a snag.
Instead, he enrolled at the National institute of Public Relations (NIPA) for a course in Procurement in 2001. He later went on to study graphic and designing in South Africa for a year.
With this, Topsy returned to Zambia and worked for an advertising firm, Zambia Inside, where he eventually grew interest in the field of public relations.
“I also obtained a masters of International Business from University of Greenwich in the United Kingdom and graduated in 2015,” he said.
In 2006, the actor went on to study for a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations at Cavendish University during which he also had a stint with Muvi Studio’s and later with Muvi Television.
At the privately owned Muvi Tv, Topsy was involved in the production and presenting roles with his more recognisable acts being the soap survivors and drama series Constable.
He also presented the much acclaimed Breakfast with the Boys from a part-time to a full time role for two years between 1999 and2011.
Later, he joined Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company (LWSC) as a public relations officer in 2011 and has since risen to the position of public relations manager.
His interest in comedy grew after performing at his friends’ wedding, but credits top comedian Chibwe Katebe for the inspiration
Among the local acts, Topsy has been part of the Stand-Up comedy known as Laugh Out Now which is held every month at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre.
In 2013, he shared the stage with Uganda’s Anne Kansiime and since then, his act has hit the international stage.

(DailyMail)

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