Laughter meets nostalgia as Fun Factory prepares for outdoor grand comedy night

What the report says

Ugandan comedy group Fun Factory is set to stage its Grand Comedy Show on October 8 at the National Theatre Green Park in Kampala, returning to the venue where its early story took shape. The outdoor production is planned as a one-night event combining sketch comedy, music and a late-night after-party, with the group describing the format as different from its usual indoor theatre setup.

According to group member Richard Tuwangye, the open-air setting is intended to create more flexible staging, allow for special effects, and give audiences a more relaxed, picnic-style experience. The organizers also appear to be leaning into nostalgia: Fun Factory began its weekly comedy shows at the National Theatre in 2004, and the group has previously marked anniversary events at other venues before choosing to return to its original home for this edition.

The article also notes the venue’s place in Uganda’s television comedy history. In 2007, NTV Uganda began airing the group’s show, then called Barbed Wire, from the same Green Park location, which Mr Tuwangye said helped support the growth of the local comedy industry. The upcoming show is being framed both as a celebration of that history and as a chance to honour NTV’s 20 years.

Fun Factory members said their long-running appeal depends on updating characters and material to reflect changing social, political and economic realities. The performance is expected to run for three hours before shifting into music-led festivities, and it comes on the eve of Independence Day, which the organizers say will allow the evening to stretch later than a standard theatre show.