The Gentleman of Poetry
The timing of a comedian. The soul of a poet. The command of an MC.
Andrew Manyika has been writing poetry since he was twelve and commanding stages since 2010. A 2× NAMA-nominated comedian, published author of Man of Letters, and the three-piece-suited host Zimbabwe's biggest rooms trust with their biggest nights.
The story
A career built room by room, line by line, stage by stage.
From Johannesburg open mics to sold-out Harare theatres, with stages in Egypt, the United States and the UK along the way.
It started in Johannesburg in 2010, with a university poetry competition he entered and won. Then came the slam championships, the Word N Sound circuit, TEDx Johannesburg, and the open-mic comedy rooms where a young Zimbabwean in a three-piece suit earned the name The Gentleman of Poetry.
He came home and built something new: a fusion of stand-up comedy and spoken word that sold out both his poetry and comedy shows at HIFA, headlined Intwasa, and grew into six one-man shows, from Love & Laughter to The Colo(g)niser's national tour and In Case You Missed It.
As an MC, he treats hosting as performance design: transitions, emotional pacing, crowd trust and sponsor value. It's why The Superbrand Awards, NetOne, CIFOZ and The Marketers Association of Zimbabwe keep calling, and why the comedy stays clean enough for every room.
“Comedy and poetry are two routes to the same objective: storytelling.”
Andrew Manyika
Career timeline
The journey so far.
2010
First stage, first win
Performance debut in South Africa, and overall winner of the University of Johannesburg International Students poetry competition.
2011 to 2013
The Johannesburg years
Gauteng slam champion at Drama For Life, the Word N Sound live-lit circuit, TEDx Johannesburg, and the open-mic comedy rooms where the suits earned him the name The Gentleman of Poetry.
2014 to 2016
HomeComing
Sold out both his poetry and comedy shows at HIFA, hosted Shoko Festival's comedy night, then returned home with his debut one-man show, Love & Laughter, at Alliance Française Harare.
2017 to 2019
Taking Zimbabwe abroad
First Zimbabwean to perform at the Bridgewater International Poetry Festival on a US tour through Virginia and Dallas. Published Man of Letters and headlined Intwasa Arts Festival.
2020 to 2023
NAMA recognition
Twice nominated for Outstanding Comedian at the National Arts Merit Awards. Represented Zimbabwe at Egypt's Tanta International Poetry Festival and toured The Colo(g)niser nationally.
2024 and beyond
The signature era
Mind Your Language and In Case You Missed It, his fifth and sixth one-man shows, cement a signature: clean, clever comedy with the soul of a poet.
Press & media
As featured in.
National press, festival programmes and international magazines.
Bookings open
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