While Sami is understandably not out here to make you laugh at every joke, his up-close-and-personal hour of stand-up admittedly made me want a bit more of a bellyache and a bit more of his signature, spectacular clown.
Sami Abu Wardeh’s stand up return to the Edinburgh Fringe breathes some much-needed air into heavy-hitting themes of immigration, class, genocide, and race. In a field that all too often shies away from thorny political topics, it’s a relief of sorts to watch a rare clown expert so deftly and hilariously shift from a story about meatballs to one about police violence (which also happens to be about meatballs).
Can hate, Wardeh asks, be funny? It’s a compelling question and one many comedians have answered, to varying degrees of success. As a Palestinian-Irish comic who does not hesitate to share his perspective on the state of Middle Eastern politics, Sami Abu Wardeh is happy to test which of his jokes about Benjamin Netanyahu land and which ones don’t. He’s a certifiable clown, and his physical comedy is unbeatable and instantly lovable.
However, for a show about the synergies between hatred and comedy, the opportunities for meaningfully airing out themes of occupation, genocide, geopolitics, and political oppression seem a bit underexplored. He shares a great deal about his personal experience growing up in Britain, fielding racist bullies (and teaching them how to be smarter ones), moving to Dubai, and trying to find his voice as a comic in London (specifically in Camden, where he blames gentrification for the lackluster reception of his jokes).
There is never a moment when you don’t fully trust Wardeh to hold your attention and the stage. His generous presence with his audience is something I’ll never forget and the main reason I’ll buy a ticket to his next show. But the show might have followed through on more of the comedy it promised if it had abstained from including too many half-unpacked stories in favor of mining a select few of them to their comedic bowels. I’ve no doubt that it’s within his wheelhouse and hope to see him onstage again soon.
Show Listing: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/sami-abu-wardeh-hates-you
LISTINGS INFORMATION:
Venue: Beside, Pleasance Courtyard
Dates: until 30th August
Time: 22:00
Ticket prices: £16.50 / concession: £15.50
Fringe box office: 0131 226 0000 / www.edfringe.com
Suitable for 14+