Shappi Khorsandi: Dirty Looks and Hopscotch
Consummate if conventional comedy from the Iranian comic
From the outset, the Iranian comedian has the crowd in the palm of her hand. Shappi Khorsandi is confident and charming and cute, and she seems to know just how far to push the lewd jokes. And the large audience that’s largely made up of an elderly coach party crew lap it up.
Khorsandi’s new show, Dirty Looks and Hopscotch, revolves around an affair she had with an unnamed rock star after she split up with her husband. By Khorsandi’s account, this older Yorkshireman (who’s mates with Chris and Gwyneth), mucked her about something terrible. But he also opened her eyes a bit in the bedroom, and so she at least feels she took something away from the short-lived relationship.
There’s no denying this is consummately delivered comedy, but it’s also pretty safe stuff. And it doesn’t overly convince. It doesn’t matter whether or not there really was a rock star, but it does matter that this ever so risqué tale feels just a bit too calculated to please.
Pleasance Courtyard, 556 6550, until 26 Aug, 8.30pm, £11–£12 (£9.50–£10.50).