Imran Yusuf @ The Stand's New Town Theatre
A fast-paced hour of intellectual and philosophical comedy that stays with you long after it ends
Imran Yusuf’s brand of intellectual and philosophical comedy is played out to great effect in Saint, Sinner, Sufi.
His jokes require more concentration than most and some of the punchlines may take a few more seconds than usual to fully land, but this works well with his brand of comedy. Clever, careful and considered, Yusuf himself comments that his comedy show features lengthy periods of quiet without any laughs, but that’s not to say there aren’t any.
As funny as it is insightful, Yusuf’s show looks inward and outward, and he is critical of both his own behaviour and the behaviour of others. Spirituality is a key topic, specifically his own journey, which involves travelling to perceived holy grounds in Jerusalem and Saudi Arabia, as well as a chance experience of smoking the hallucinogenic drug DMT.
Though at times it can feel like Yusuf is rushing through as much material as he can fit in to an hour, he is clearly well-versed in the subject matter covered and doesn’t often stumble. Saint, Sinner, Sufi is a fast-paced hour of comedy that stays with you long after it ends.
Imran Yusuf: Saint, Sinner, Sufi, The Stand's New Town Theatre (Studio), 2-26 Aug (6, 13, 14 & 20), 5:30pm, £8-10
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