There has always been racism, suggests Guz Khan. “The difference is they used to keep that sh*t to themselves.”
Welcome to the world of the Coventry comic behind hit BBC sitcom Man Like Mobeen, currently on a joint tour with Arab-American Mo Amer.
Four years ago Khan was a teacher and he is still educating people. There is forcefulness to his performance but also playfulness as he schools a white audience member in the art of lazy xenophobia, listing Asian stereotypes with suitably heavy irony. It is a tricky line to tread but Khan is a big enough personality to pull it off. He could easily be headlining much larger venues if he doesn’t allow his television’s demands to distract him.
Mo Amer is also an on-screen success, with an acclaimed Netflix special under his belt, and was immediately relaxed onstage, coming out with a convincing mockney accent and charming fans that hardly needed charming.
He was both observational and political, if not always topical. His funniest routine recalled working in a Texas flag shop after 9/11. Needless to say, this Muslim sold a lot of Stars and Stripes to rednecks that day. Elsewhere, he had an informed take on airport-security travails, a vivid description of Egyptian traffic lunacy and the recipe for perfect houmous. Give Khan a stand-up series, get Amer on MasterChef.
March 29 and on April 5 (020 7734 2222, leicestersquaretheatre.com)
