COMEDY list.co.uk/comedy
OMID DJALILI Making big points not on the Iranian-British star’s agenda these days
H e’s been in the comedy-making business now for two decades, but that doesn’t mean Omid Djalili can’t be immune to the charms of some celebrity cockney geezers. And who could not be wooed by the likes of Ray Winstone especially when he’s talking about lamping someone? ‘When I was working on Moonfleet last summer, Ray told me, “I don’t feel I come alive on set until I’ve done a fight scene and thrown my first right hook”,’ Djalili recalls. ‘Similarly, I don’t really feel I’ve come to life unless I’ve triggered laughter from a crowd.’
So, you can be assured that when the Iranian- British actor and comic takes to the Playhouse stage for the puntacular Iranalamadingdong, there will be an early gag on the way to get everyone’s juices flowing.
Although his early stand-up shows were part- physical comedy (his Godzilla impersonation is still up there), part-showbiz patter (he once dubbed himself the ‘Les Dennis of the Middle East’) and part-social discourse (No Agenda was a call to arms against intolerance), Djalili doesn’t feel any burning desire to always be turning over topical material. ‘I don’t feel the same pressure to talk about things in the news anymore,’ he admits. ‘On Twitter, comics feel they constantly have to comment on things that are trending and put their oar in. But nowadays, if everyone is talking about fracking, I’ll just talk about 1970s singing duo Peters and Lee.’ (Brian Donaldson)
Edinburgh Playhouse, Thu 22 Jan.
HITLIST THE BEST COMEDY EVENTS
✽ John Cleese With the Python reunion juggernaut having permanently parked
itself, the chap best known to many as Basil Fawlty brings his comedy / book tour to the capital. EICC, Edinburgh, Sat 13 Dec.
✽ Felicity Ward The livewire Australian made a solid impression at this year’s Fringe (a wee awards nomination wouldn’t have been out of place but you can’t have everything). As an extra festive treat, Zoe Lyons is on the bill as well. Drygate, Glasgow, Fri 19 Dec.
✽ Gary Little Admired by Bill Burr, so, really, you too should be in awe of this
comedy colossus. Cottier’s, Glasgow, Fri 26 Dec.
✽ Al Murray The Pub Landlord swings into town to host his very own saloon of comedy. With indyref jokes aplenty no doubt. St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, Mon 29–Wed 31 Dec.
✽ Richard Melvin Presents: More Radio Recordings Phill Jupitus, Julia
Sutherland and John Moloney put on their very best voices for the wireless. The Stand, Edinburgh, Tue 6 Jan.
✽ John Kearns He made history in August as the first comic to win the main
Edinburgh Comedy Award the year after scooping the Best Newcomer prize. The Stand, Edinburgh, Thu 8–Sat 10 Jan.
✽ Robin Ince One of the nation’s true thinkers returns. See preview, page 77.
The Stand, Edinburgh, Tue 13 Jan.
✽ Omid Djalili See preview, left. Edinburgh Playhouse, Thu 22 Jan.
11 Dec 2014–5 Feb 2015 THE LIST 75