Two “white guys” walk in carrying enormous artistic portraits of Joey Diaz (José Antonio Díaz), a New York comedian and podcaster. One of them places one of them on stage and tops it with a glowing sign that spells out Blacklisted Storytellers.
He adjusts the sign on the artwork. To the left of the stage, they set up a fog machine. One of the “white guys” releases the fog twice, then walks to the front of the stage and takes a picture.
Then he uses the fog machine again, before stepping onstage to take a picture of the mic. Has he never seen a mic before? I wonder to myself.
As I watch all these antics, people slowly start trickling in. We’re at Chemi Chemi Restaurant on May 31, 2025.
I got there an hour early and enjoyed DJ Badger’s fantastic mix, which, to my surprise, later included songs from the movie Sinners, a perfect touch, considering the event was based on an Irish storytelling tradition.
I spent that time just observing, watching people prepare for a show that had a very dramatic poster, which didn’t even indicate who was performing. I couldn’t wait to see what would unfold, especially now that the stage had been transformed with artwork and fog.
A tough crowd
I wouldn’t wish that audience, and I was part of it, on my worst enemy. The event was meant to be a storytelling night with a sprinkle of stand-up. But people like me came in expecting comedy.
The concept was interesting, but by the end of the show, I thought what they delivered could have been better.
The opening
Titus Mutai
He made a dramatic entrance and looked like the perfect mascot for the show, based on the poster. I assumed he’d be the MC, the bridge between acts. But he was just there to introduce the event, and then he just disappeared.
Luke McGuinness
From what I gathered, Luke was in charge, he was the host, timekeeper, and also one of the ‘white guys” setting up and the artist behind the artworks. He came on after Titus, laid out the event’s rules, and explained the theme and origin of Blacklisted Storytellers, tracing it to Irish storytelling traditions. He even explained why he had a painting of Joey Diaz onstage.
I didn’t get the connection, but I like Joey, so I let it slide. Luke emphasised this wasn’t a regular stand-up show, but a storytelling event.
He opened the night, but I don’t think he should have.
His set focused on his Uber experiences around the drivers and his relationship with a boda boda rider named George. He had confidence, but I thought he didn’t fully bring his A game. His material wasn’t bad, just not strong enough to open a cold room. He would’ve been better as the third opening performer.
Amadeus Gathandi
His material revolved around religion, dating as a short person while still living with his mom. He had great timing and stage presence.
The audience gave him room to breathe, and he made it count, he was okay, not good just okay.
Timothy Ngatia
Laid-back delivery and the absurdity of applying to go study abroad centering on his outlook on English. That is what I can remember about his performance.
He was just warming up when he got cut off by the timekeeper . I think he should’ve been the first act and given a little more time. He had the right tone to gently ease the crowd in.
The storytellers
Jonah Karicho (King of Zamunda)
This was the first storyteller of the night. You may have seen him on YouTube, but on stage, he's different, extremely theatrical . He came in loud, commanding the mic rather than the audience.
He knew the crowd was tough, so he cranked up the energy which was welcomed thanks to the slow start. The Lamborghini story was effective and decently executed. With some polish, he would’ve made a great MC.
Waceke (Guest spot)
She was impressive in her own way, soft-spoken and captivating. Her material was able to draw the audience in even with the uneven set ups. The reveal was weak, the punchline almost fumbled.
With better character setup and clearer visuals description, it could’ve landed better, she could learn a lot from Ty Gachira.
David Macharia
True to form, David strolled in like it was just another day. The fog machine kicked in for his entrance and became part of his session about a baby crying on a long bus ride to the coast.
The story had a twisted ending. Some might’ve cringed, but I thought the punchline was smart. His final bits on family and baobab trees were okay though I thought he had a strong closing.
Luke McGuinness
Luke looked nervous, maybe even a bit shaken. His story about Nairobi traffic and a traumatising event involving a motorbike and the rider had potential, but his delivery was flat. I get that he has a laid back persona, but you’ve got to read the room.
This was a cold room and that night needed a certain level of energy, and he quite didn’t bring it.
Doug Mutai
Doug came closest to what I expected from the evening. His story was about his time in Canada 15 years ago, touching on racism, police encounters,an awkward roommate and black face.
His flow was casual, with small questions and silly jokes (like the light-skinned Sudanese bit) that pulled everyone in. Yes, there were a joke or two that didn’t land but he was able to read the room and recover.
Nyokabi Macharia
She brought a lot of theatrical energy. Like Jonah, she made her presence felt. Her material/story was a teaser for her upcoming show in July, Index One. She talked about dating a short Italian man in the UK, mixing in themes of racism and capitalism.
She treated it like a theatre performance, utilising the full stage.
Yes, she completed her session very well. But her timing needed a bit of refining. The setups were good, but some key moments needed better pacing and delivery. She could learn a thing or two on timing and delivery from George Waweru and Ruth Nyambura
Darren Collins
Darren closed the night, and honestly, he should’ve opened the storytelling segment. His blend of illusion and comedy was engaging. Yes, his material felt a bit child-friendly, but it got people to finally loosen up.
Conclusion
It was a tough crowd, no doubt. But the organisers should’ve read the room from the very start. If a performer is finally warming up the audience, don’t yank them offstage; give them more time, let them get the crowd going.
From the start, I thought the event was more focused on the stage than on structuring a cohesive experience. They should’ve curated performers around a central theme, race could’ve worked perfectly.
Then schedule the lineup to build momentum: start strong, dip a little, then rise toward a big finish.
And most importantly, have a proper MC, someone with a strong stage presence, like Jonah Karicho, who can keep the audience constantly on a high, and most importantly, set a strong tone for everything that is to follow.
Blacklisted Storytellers had potential, if it's ever to pop up again, the team needs to be more intentional, not just with presentation, but with pacing, tone, and flow.
