Hasan Al-Habib is a dependable gag-driven club-style comic as well as a stand-up with a story to tell. However, the two sides to his craft don’t always sit together satisfyingly in a sophomore show, whose jokiness and slickness lessen the impact of what he has to say.
He’s a jaunty crowdpleaser by instinct, a defence, perhaps, to win over audiences not quite sure what they are going to get from a British-Iraqi comedian. With jokes teasing both liberal guilt and a distrust or ignorance of Islam, he quickly establishes himself as a safe pair of hands.
But he’s also flippant about everything, which comes at the expense of credibility when he’s trying to get a real story across. In the early stages, crucial elements of the narrative are not set up particularly well when he needs to establish the emotional context of moving back with his mum on Edgware Road, London’s ‘Little Cairo’ hub of Arabic culture, and having odd exchanges with Uber drivers.
He’s got some sharp jokes and covetable lines on tangential subjects – likening comedy to snooker is a particularly witty analogy, and his description of beer as ‘haram juice’ really ought to catch on. He draws the funny from first-hand anecdotes, though there are also a few puns and tired jokes about the likes of Aldi’s middle aisle that don’t earn their place.
A cheerful presence, Al-Habib comfortably straddles both cultures that spawned him, ensuring he remains relatable to both. His relationship with a French-Iranian woman adds more to the cosmopolitan mix, which he explores playfully yet smartly. You know he’s intelligent even before he just happens to let slip he has an oncology PhD, yet he wears his knowledge lightly.
Gradually becoming more specific and open, he reveals more about his family background: the parents who despise each other and the horribly toxic aunt. Almost perfectly on cue at the 40-minute pivot point, the story falls into sharp focus as these relatives are exposed for who they are beyond a punchline.
The pointy end of the show proves a powerful and significant airing of issues rarely discussed in public and reveals a more human, vulnerable side to Al-Habib beyond the slick joker. This shows us what he’s really capable of as a comedian when he goes a little deeper.
