Trevor Noah announces cancellation of Bengaluru shows citing 'technical issues', apologises
Mumbai (PTI): Popular comedian Trevor Noah, who is in India for a comedy tour, called off two stand-up shows in Bengaluru due to "technical issues" and apologised to the audience members for the inconvenience.
After three gigs in New Delhi last week, the 39-year-old comedian was scheduled to perform at the Manpho Convention Centre in Bengaluru on September 27 and 28 as part of his "Off The Record Tour".
A video clip on social media purportedly shows Noah apologising to the crowd that he won't be able to perform with "bad sound" and promised fans a refund.
Noah also took to his X account on Wednesday (September 27) night to make the announcement.
"Dear Bengaluru India, I was so looking forward to performing in your amazing city but due to technical issues we've been forced to cancel both shows. We tried everything but because the audience can't hear the comedians on stage there's literally no way to do a show," the Emmy Award-winning comedian wrote in the post.
The former "Daily Show" host assured all ticket holders will receive a "full refund". The tickets were priced, beginning from Rs 2000.
"... and again I'm so sorry for both the inconvenience and disappointment this has never happened to us before," he further said.
Online ticketing platform BookMyShow, producers and promoters of Noah's tour, issued a formal apology and promised a complete refund to ticket holders within "8-10 working days".
"Bengaluru, we are extremely sorry for the inconvenience caused at Trevor Noah's Off The Record show at Manpho Convention Centre on September 27th. The Bengaluru leg of the India Tour for both September 27th & 28th stands cancelled.
"All customers who purchased tickets for both shows will get a complete refund within 8-10 working days. We deeply regret this experience that our valuable customers faced and hope to be able to bring Trevor back to this amazing city at the earliest," the platform said in a statement shared early Thursday morning on X.
Social media users commented on Noah's post, with some saying Bengaluru played a "joke" on the comedian himself and others criticising the organisers for giving a bad name to the infrastructure of the city, known as the 'Silicon Valley of India'.
A section of netizens also claimed that the comedian got stranded in Bengaluru traffic and reached his own show late.
According to producers and promoters BookMyShow Live, Noah is next set to perform at the NSCI Dome in Mumbai on September 30 and October 1. This is his maiden trip to India.
That was @Trevornoah saying sound guys can’t figure out how to fix this. I won’t be able to perform like this. Sorry for the situation. He said everyone will get their money back. Just want to add, the venue didn’t even have proper bathrooms. Dei @bookmyshow pic.twitter.com/UXVEyRfNQq
— Dhanya Rajendran (@dhanyarajendran) September 27, 2023
Dear Bengalaru India, I was so looking forward to performing in your amazing city but due to technical issues we’ve been forced to cancel both shows.
— Trevor Noah (@Trevornoah) September 27, 2023
We tried everything but because the audience can’t hear the comedians on stage there’s literally no way to do a show. We’ll make…
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Washington Sundar's twin strikes help India keep New Zealand at 92/3 at lunch on day one, 3rd Test
Mumbai (PTI): Off-spinner Washington Sundar stymied New Zealand’s progress with two vital strikes as the visitors reached 92/3 at lunch against India on the opening day of the third and final Test here on Friday.
Washington (2/26) added two more dismissals to bring his wicket tally to 13 in the series, maintaining consistent pressure on the Kiwi batters after pacer Akash Deep (1/22) gave India the first breakthrough.
At lunch, New Zealand had their hopes pinned on Will Young for a long haul who batted well to reach 38 not out (3x4s, 1x6s), with Daryl Mitchell (11 not out) at the other end.
Washington’s identical strikes to remove skipper Tom Latham (28) and in-form Rachin Ravindra (5) helped India pull things back in control in the second half of the session as New Zealand appeared to be consolidating on a day one wicket, which had something in it for all parties involved.
Coming off a 11-wicket match haul in second Test at Pune, Washington picked up rhythm soon after his introduction into the attack to keep testing the Kiwi batters' defence.
It did not take him long to strike, drawing the New Zealand captain out to defend but beating him with the drift and turn on a delivery that pitched in the line of stumps in his third over, Washington beat the bat’s outside edge to hit the off-stump.
Kiwi batting sensation Ravindra suffered a similar fate on the fifth delivery that he faced off the Indian spinner, who again got the ball to drift and turn past the outside edge and hit the off-stump.
Earlier, with not much initial movement off the surface assisting the Indian pacers, the ploy to go a little fuller in length seemed to work well as Mohammed Siraj trapped Devon Conway (4) in front of the wickets but a thick inside edge saved the opener in the third over.
However, Akash angled one into the left-hander which beat Conway’s bat to pin him out leg-before, with New Zealand also burning a review against the on-field call.
While Latham consolidated from there on, using the sweep shot to a good effect, Young once again showed his array of strokes and composite defence as a solid No 3 batter for the Kiwis.
Young went after anything that had width on offer to collect boundaries and having studied R Ashwin (0/20) quite well for the ace Indian spinner's first three overs, he did not have any hesitation in shimmying down the track to clear the ropes over midwicket.
