After watching Hasan in 2 Muslim 2 Furious 2: Go Halal or Go Home alongside comedian Aisha Amanduri, I knew I had to go watch his solo show: Hasan Al-Habib: Death to the West (Midlands). And believe me when I tell you, this is absolute comedy!
Al-Habib’s show ignited a flurry of emotions within me, as his set made me want to laugh hysterically and cry in a corner simultaneously. He handles topics of the immigrant experience, diaspora, and a loss of identity perfectly – balancing these difficult-to-discuss topics with the humour and tact they deserve.
Akin to a love letter to stand-up comedy, he wonderfully provides a glimpse into his life experiences growing up in “Brum” while also staying connected with his Iraqi culture. All of this ultimately led to his love for stand-up, in a sense of making something good from the bad.
Through magnificent storytelling, Al-Habib put on a show which resonated with me so well that I was truly moved to tears – but, being the impressive comedian that he is, he quickly provides a quip to pull the audience back into the comedy of the show.
Al-Habib relays his comedy set at a pace that is neither too fast nor too slow, having no uncomfortable pauses in between. His control of the crowd is phenomenal, successfully using his confident stage presence.
Raucous laughter is generated instantaneously from his jokes, like using “Mecca location” to find other Muslims by greeting salam (comparing it as a Muslim version of ‘Sweet Caroline’). This was immediately followed by a quick quip, “How do you think they found Bin Laden?”. Other than making witty jokes about his Muslim identity, the comedian consistently balances the humour between this and his identity as both a son of Iraq and of Birmingham. One bit that particularly made me roar with laughter was his mention of his father’s fear in Iraq, as they were encouraged to put up a portrait of Iraq’s former president, Saddam Hussein — thus, when immigrating to the UK, his father also put up a portrait of Margaret Thatcher in the home (sounds exactly like something my own father would do!). His jokes about Birmingham would provide a wave of nostalgia to anyone who had the luck or misfortune of growing up there, as he mentions certain areas in Brum from the Sunday shop to big Tesco (compared seemingly as our version of a micro-pilgrimage to Sunday church), and, of course, the famous Drayton Manor.
All in all, Hasan Al-Habib: Death to the West (Midlands) challenges audiences to change their perspectives on the stereotypes of those from the Midlands, and the multiculturalism found across the UK. From the nostalgic tales of his Brum childhood, to his heartwarming recounts of his Iraqi identity, to his brilliant witticisms and comedic voice, Hasan’s show promises audiences a good laugh and a perfectly good time.
Image by Matt Stronge, provided to The Student as press.
