Bengaluru: Trevor Noah show gets cancelled, sparks annoyance and jokes

Emmy-award winning comedian Trevor Noah cancelled both his shows in Bengaluru. The comedian was supposed to perform at Manpho Conventional Centre in Manyata Tech Park at 7.30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 27, and Thursday, September 28.

Noah came on stage and realised the audience couldn't hear him, after which he cancelled the show. "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," Trevor Noah wrote on the social media platform X. "We tried everything but because the audience can’t hear the comedians on stage there’s literally no way to do a show," he wrote.

Several fans battled massive traffic jams to reach the venue, while several others gave away their tickets on social media as they were unable to reach the venue. The cancellation became fodder for several jokes, with many saying that Noah got to see the real Bengaluru – where traffic jams are commonplace.

“Bengaluru wanted to experience Trevor Noah, but Trevor Noah ended up experiencing Bengaluru.,” one user wrote on X.

“People selling tickets for the #TrevorNoah show because they are stuck in traffic and can't make it to the show, is this week's #PeakBangalore moment,” wrote another user.

Another X user wrote, "This has to be the shortest performance I have ever paid and braved through Bangalore traffic to watch! Beyond disappointed about @Trevornoah's show getting canned in Bengaluru!! I only have @bookmyshow to blame for their absolutely shoddy job of organising the most basic things".

Another user posted, “Trevor Noah got stuck in Bengaluru Traffic & reached his own show late. People stuck in ORR traffic for 2-3 hours unable to move, sold their tickets on IG/X. Some reached & Trevor cancelled the show cause of bad acoustics. He's probably already writing jokes on BLR's traffic."  

Apart from waterlogging in several parts of the city due to heavy rains, there was heavy traffic congestion on the Outer Ring Road (ORR), and there were vehicle breakdowns too. 

Noah started his India tour in Delhi. He performed at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium on September 22, 23 and 24. He is scheduled to perform at NSCI Dome, Mumbai, on September 30 and October 1. 

BookMyShow apologised for the cancellation of the show too. “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,” they wrote.