Sami Shah has appeared at various festivals with his first show I, Migrant, a routine developed around his initial experiences in Australia. Fans of that show, his book of the same title and his many gigs around Western Australia will be glad to know that Separation Anxiety consists of shiny new material, but presented with Shah’s closely calculated comic delivery.
Bounding onto the stage of the TAFE lecture theatre that serves as the Soba Stadium venue, Shah welcomes us and assures us that the show’s title bears no relation to its content – he was put on the spot for a title before the material was considered. Instead we are treated to various anecdotes and life observations, the oddly exciting nature of his email correspondence and musings on the challenges of parenthood. All bread and butter stand-up comedy patter, with critiques of religion, politicians and social issues included. Fans of this style of comedy can expect decent entertainment, as Shah is not derivative and effectively delivers his carefully crafted lines.
Shah does not have a funnier face than other comedians, he is no master of physical clowning and he is not cloaked in the glamour of familiarity from regular television appearances. He uses his experience with this tough form of entertainment to develop and present engaging stories with solid punchlines. Shah takes his migrant perspective of Australian life as observed through the lens of Northam and Kalgoorlie to find potentials for humour with a twist, but does not make a gimmick of his viewpoint, wisely realising that that would quickly grow stale. Self-deprecation is a useful tool in trade for comedy performers, and Shah knows when to bring this out, but he can also lose the plot in a rant about immigration laws and then find his train of thought bringing him to examine the perils of being a parent in a zombie apocalypse. His control over the flow of words needed to make this work is impressive, as is his way of reading various elements within the audience as the show progresses.
Shah is looking forward to life without residency restrictions on his visa, which may take him away from casual domestic violence spectacles of Northam to brighter lights elsewhere. Whatever transpires, further shows will no doubt provide his own take on the various twists and turns that lie ahead for him.
Sami Shah: Separation Anxiety
Reviewed at Soba Stadium, Noodle Palace, Northbridge
Also performing at Laksa Lounge, Noodle Palace, Northbridge; Rectangle Room, Midlandia, and Victoria Hall, Fremantle
28-31 January, 5-7 and 12 February 2015
Part of FringeWorld 2015
Rating: 4 stars
