Notwithstanding having a heritage that’s been generally contentious for the West, Anglo-Iraqi comic Hasan Al-Habib is a mainstream, crowd-pleasing comic to his marrow, exploiting his ethno-religious background with jesterly skill, subverting white British guilt and ignorance for solid laughs. Exemplifying this is the way he co-opts a dupe in his front row to be an advocate for hardline Islam, possession of the microphone ensuring he can put words in their mouth whenever he needs affirmation. Meanwhile, in contrast with US comic Hasan Minhaj, whom he lightly roasts for inventing Islamophobic incidents, he seems less interested in dwelling on incidents of prejudice, batting them off with a smile and a witty comeback in which he invariably retains the upper hand. So credit to him then in only his second show for reining in these instincts somewhat to present a fuller portrait of himself, opening up about his estranged relationship with his mother.
He builds to it of course, jokingly presenting a vision of being Muslim that he’s gamed to every advantage, making life with his French-Iranian girlfriend appear tricky through overblown exaggeration. Still, when he really gets into his maternal situation, an issue of tradition and competing family ties, it’s a tough listen. He handles it well but the show can’t fully absorb the tone shift.
Hasan Al-Habib: Stuck in the Middle (East) With You, Pleasance Courtyard, until 30 Aug (not 18), 5.30pm