The XYZ Show: Kenya’s satirical puppets
We follow the team from the satirical Kenyan XYZ show, as they prepare for the recording of an episode.
Since 2009, the XYZ Show has been holding Kenyan politicians and other global figures to account, with a hilarious and cutting form of satire, starring... puppets! The brainchild of widely syndicated political cartoonist Gado, the XYZ Show aims to get people talking about issues through humour – in the tradition of famous satirical puppet shows like the UK’s Spitting Image and France’s Les Guignols. From President Uhuru Kenyatta to Donald Trump – a latex avatar is ready and waiting to spring into life.
After a break of over a year, the XYZ Show is back on air for its 13th season, and the BBC’s Anthony Irungu has gained exclusive access to go behind the scenes. Follow him as he meets the puppet masters and makers, scriptwriters, directors, producers and voice artists that create each carefully crafted episode from scratch in just 10 days – and asks why puppets are so effective in satire.
Produced by Karl Bos and Emma Kingsley for the BBC World Service
(Image: Puppets from the XYZ show, with kind permission)
Last on
Broadcasts
- Tue 24 Sep 201902:32GMTBBC World Service Online, Europe and the Middle East & West and Central Africa only
- Tue 24 Sep 201903:32GMTBBC World Service UK DAB/Freeview
- Tue 24 Sep 201904:32GMTBBC World Service Australasia, Americas and the Caribbean, South Asia & East Asia only
- Tue 24 Sep 201910:32GMTBBC World Service except West and Central Africa
- Tue 24 Sep 201917:32GMTBBC World Service Australasia
- Tue 24 Sep 201921:32GMTBBC World Service except Europe and the Middle East
- Tue 24 Sep 201922:32GMTBBC World Service Europe and the Middle East
- Sat 28 Sep 201917:32GMTBBC World Service East and Southern Africa
