It’s 40 years since Shappi arrived in London as a tiny refugee with no English. As you can imagine, in the year of the Brexit vote, she has plenty to say. But this show is not about hate and resentment, it’s a love letter to England and an exploration of what it means to be British. Proud of her Iranian heritage and the adored father who had to flee its regime for being a fiercely outspoken poet, Shappi too discovers who she is and what defines her with beautiful and inspirational use of language.
But it’s also about her eyes. They are beguiling and mischievous. She’s so charming, we want to be her friend, to listen to her stories, to laugh and to cry with her. And this is passionate and intelligent stuff – it’s well researched and nuanced material, and when she turns momentarily serious, those eyes pierce the soul.
She’s full of love – for her family, for her country, for her faith in humankind. At a time when so many of us despair about party politics, racism and international relations, she reminds us what it means to be on the left – if it’s not borne of a love of people and a celebration of what we have in common and what makes us diverse, then what’s the point?
I started doing stand-up because of Shappi Khorsandi. Two years ago I saw her live for the first time, a diminutive woman alone on a large stage but holding our attention seemingly effortlessly for two hours. I was captivated. A woman in her 40s talking about her kids and her life and her outlook on the world and everyone loved her. I’ve learned how much harder the craft is than she makes it look, but once again, I feel inspired and delighted to have spent another hour in her company.
★★★★★
Shappi Khorsandi is at the Edinburgh Fringe at The Stand until 28th August. For tickets click here!
