Some of the premier names that have laced the calypso art form with crowd-pleasing comedic offerings over the years will be bringing their combined talents to “Kaiso Laugh Riot,” a blockbuster showcase of wall-to-wall calypso humor to be rolled out Sunday evening, July 17 at Brooklyn’s Tropical Paradise Ballroom.
Renowned funnymen Lord Funny, Pink Panther, Trinidad Rio, Organizer, Dr. Witty and performing emcee Sprangalang headline the cast of what is billed as “an evening designed to keep the audience in stitches.” Onetime T&T road march champ Poser is in the lineup as well, along with the inimitable Wassy. Lambert & The Matadors Orchestra provides musical accompaniment.
“Kaiso Laugh Riot” taps into the prominent place humor has always occupied in the calypso genre. Rib-tickling material has typically been a mainstay of any first-rate calypso revue and has produced hits for countless bards in both live and recorded performances. With a deliberate emphasis in this instance on humorous content that runs the gamut, “Kaiso Laugh Riot” expects to provide those on hand to share in the experience what promises to be a memorable evening of comic relief.
Included in the lineup are performers who are seasoned practitioners in generating peals of laughter from audiences. Lord Funny, a popular favorite since the early 1970s, has had a laundry list of hits including “Soul Chick,” “Meh Granny,” “Ah Soul Man,” “Bowling Alley” and “Two Knee.” Pink Panther’s hits include “Laughing in the Ghetto” and “Misprint.” From Trinidad Rio audiences have been treated to “Looking for Cup,” “Free Show Kaiso King” and “No Drawers.” The evergreens from Organizer include “Doh Tell Ah Soul” and “Bandit.” Dr. Witty, a multiple winner of the annual Sesame Flyers calypso contest in New York, as well as a featured calypso tent performer in Trinidad, has scored with “Ketch Ass” and “She Continues.” Emcee Sprangalang, an infrequent contributor to the musical performance portion of calypso revues, was a big fan favorite with his “Two Chord” some years ago.
In its focus on calypso humor, “Kaiso Laugh Riot” will also seize the opportunity to pay tribute to leading bards, now departed, by way of comedic compositions with which they had audiences in stitches in past years.
Showtime on July 17 is 6:30 pm (doors open at 5:30 pm). Tropical Paradise Ballroom is located at 1367 Utica Ave. (between Foster Avenue & Farragut Road). “Kaiso Laugh Riot” is a joint production of Unique Caribbean Promotions and Caribbean Promotions of New Jersey.
