A charming hour with an comedian who laughs at his own jokes
The name of John Achkar’s show, listed in full on the Fringe website, is a full sentence, and a really long one: John Achkar: His country is collapsing. He’s having a baby. So obviously, this is the right year for a Lebanese comedian you’ve never heard of to try English stand-up for the first time.
The title might lead you to expect his English to be a problem. It isn’t. Achkar holds degrees in Economics, History, International Relations and Business Administration before going into comedy, and his English is impressive for someone whose first language is not English. A few jokes do not land as smoothly as they might, but this is not really a show about demonstrating how well he can speak English.
In fact, Achkar is the kind of comedian who cannot stop himself from laughing at his own jokes. He starts the show with a Canadian joke, or rather, a joke about how Canadian audiences are different from stereotypical British audiences. He then talks about his life leading up to the viral moment that made him a comedian, including his charger joke about the contrast between Lebanon, with its frequent wars and political instability, and the wealth and safety of Dubai, as well as, of course, Dubai chocolate. He ends with a comedy competition he entered in London, where he won a dildo simply by doing the charger joke and staying silent for the rest of the competition.
Achkar says British stand-up requires a story, and his story here is quite simple: his journey as a comedian. There is nothing particularly difficult or traumatic about it, and that is also where the show feels a little too light. The title promises a comedian whose country is collapsing and who is about to become a father, but neither Lebanon’s situation nor the experience of becoming a parent becomes a substantial part of the story. This does not mean Achkar has a responsibility to turn his comedy into a political or personal reckoning, but the show could perhaps have been richer by bringing more of these elements into his story. What remains is a comedian who knows his charm and wants to make this hour enjoyable for his audience.
Show listing:
Veune: Just the Spare Room
Time: Various
Age: 16+ (guideline)
Date: 6-30
Price: £11.5 / Concession £ 6.5