Edgar Hendrick Langeveldt Zimbabwe

Edgar Hendrick Langeveldt (Zimbabwe,1969) Edgar Langeveldt studied law and politics before turning his skills, acute observation and acting talent to social commentary as a stand-up comedian. A member of a minority caught between dominant racial groups, he uses his outsider’s view to analyse social realities with humour to reveal the contradictions, inequalities, injustices and immoralities of contemporary Zimbabwean society. He has evolved an innovative style of monologues or duologues with swift changes of character, minimal stage effects and lively interaction with his audience, ensuring that no-one leaves the performance without having had his/her ideas and opinions challenged. He writes his own material based on current local and international events, creating hilarious characters, prising open all races and all sections of society. A singer, songwriter, keyboardist, actor, screenwriter, and producer, he has toured in the southern African region, made TV programmes, and his 1999 video is compulsory material for NYU’s African Studies degree. This Award honours Edgar Langeveldt for his use of humour to create spaces of freedom.

2005 Awards Book here.