“An Evening to Forget”: Beninese Laughter Enjoys a Successful Fourth Edition

The festival “One Evening to Forget” concluded its fourth edition this Saturday, September 5, at the Walô Dance Center. Driven by a program combining humor, music, and training, the event brought together artists and the public around a shared ambition: to make laughter a genuine space for expression and sharing.

Just a few days were enough to gradually set the atmosphere. From September 1st to 2nd, the festival opened its program with the “Special Masterclass with Pacheko,” dedicated to content creation. An initiative aimed at providing participants with the essential fundamentals before venturing into this field.

“People signed up to come and learn the basic techniques needed before venturing into this field. And it was still a very good training,” says Amou Aiou, stand-up comedian and member of the Vitrines Bénin Humour collective, which organized the event.

On September 3, the public was then invited to the “USPO Comedy Club.” A preview before the main event: the Gala du Rire, held two days later at the Walô Dance Center. For this evening, Hermano Premier and Belronde Adjaho, two prominent figures of the Beninese stand-up scene, were the headliners.

On stage, the two comedians delivered performances widely praised by the audience. Hermano Premier, who notably drew on themes related to daily life and the community, expressed satisfaction with the reception he received. “I am very happy. Like any artist, I am pleased with the outcome. When the result is positive, you are happy. So, I am very proud of myself. And I am proud of the audience as well, who were not shy at all, who gave their all. They are the ones who made the evening,” he stated.

The same enthusiasm was expressed by Belronde Adjaho. The Beninese comedian and actress believes she succeeded in establishing a genuine rapport with the audience. “I would say it was a successful performance. The audience loved me. Yes, everything went very well. The audience enjoyed my jokes. They related to everything I said. And the evening was wow!” she confided, before promising an even more intense next edition.

The programming was not limited to stand-up. The singer Wasley-Sagbohan, who has already performed before the audience at the Red Room of the Palais des Congrès, also took part in the evening. The artist Lamuse Kirikou also contributed to the entertainment and elicited reactions from a particularly receptive audience.

In the audience, the reactions reflected the success of the evening. Muriel, a radio presenter, particularly appreciated the comedians’ ability to provide a break from everyday concerns. “ For this fourth edition, I believe the comedians set the bar high. It was a very beautiful evening. We truly forgot our worries. So, I congratulate them and sincerely wish them a lot of courage for what lies ahead,” she testified.

For Arnaud Essou, attending for the first time, the experience was also convincing. The spectator said he discovered an event that now makes him want to return for the next edition. A sentiment shared by Emmanuel, another spectator, who simply sums up his appreciation: « It’s good, I liked it. It’s a pleasure. Thank you very much to the artists. »

Beyond the show, this fourth edition reflects the collective Vitrines Bénin Humour’s desire to further structure the sector and provide a platform for local talents. For Amou Aiou, the efforts made take on their full meaning when it comes time to take stock. « Certainly, there are difficulties and others, but when you look at the final result, it is a relief and it makes us want to continue ,» he emphasized.

With this fourth edition, “An Evening to Forget” continues its journey in the Beninese cultural landscape. Combining training, performances, and the discovery of new talents, the festival aims to make laughter a regular event while providing Beninese comedians with the means to reach an ever-wider audience.