Raised by his devout Muslim Baba, Ismael Loutfi brought the keen interest of converting anyone and everyone to Islam taught to him as a child into his primary school. From a Floridian redneck hometown, Loutfi didn’t find much success in this venture, and around the same time had developed an equally iconic habit. When told to change the way he dressed or acted by adults in school, he’d simply tell them that it was related to his religion and therefore unchangeable. All instances were an equally true and elite method of being able to do as he pleased as a child; however he still wanted to be more understood as a young Muslim boy by his peers and teacher, so he began to attend an Islamic School.
Almost an hour north from his parents’ house, this new school managed to disappoint Loutfi just as those old redneck classmates’ disinterest in Islam had. Baba was even more upset at the school for telling his son to change something related to their religion and drove up to the school in his blue car with ‘Islam Alway.com’ painted in white on his rear view window – a spectacle and art piece that would define the rest of Loutfi’s childhood and became his Baba’s life’s work.
Loutfi’s debut at the Fringe is a hilarious and confident set that weaves between coming-of-age bits, reflections on parents values being passed on to their children and meta-commentary on stand-up’s ability to create universal connections to one’s seemingly unique experiences.
Ismael Loutfi: Heavenly Baba, Assembly George Square Studios, until 24 Aug (not 11), 6pm