One of Australia’s most respected, successful and accomplished comics graced the Brisbane Powerhouse for two nights only at this year’s Brisbane Comedy Festival.
Emerging from his home among the hippies near the Northern rivers of New South Wales, Akmal presents a rough, rude, and uncouth show that has his audience in stitches from the very beginning. Drawing on his Arabic heritage, his experiences immigrating to Australia at the age of 11, and his disillusionment with religion and the modern world, he delivers a stand-up show that is fresh, honest and ridiculously funny.
Opening with some somewhat unnecessary “housekeeping”, that seems to go for the entirety of the show (maybe the show’s title should have been ‘Housekeeping’?), Akmal covers the struggles of being a short, Arab man, and his experience at the recent Adelaide Fringe Festival, including the nonsensical fleet of V8 Supercars that paid a visit in the middle of the month.
For someone who has an apparent revolt of reality TV shows, every second story seemed to feature one, from 'My Kitchen Rules', 'Married At First Sight' and of course some hilarious inside information about his featuring on 'I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!', and how he managed to eventually get out of there. Establishing that the whole world is, in fact, a reality TV show, he also discusses (with countless ADHD tangents) how he has devised his own reality TV show, featuring some very unlikely celebrities.
Making statements that would be inappropriate for pretty much anyone but him, Akmal makes light of current issues in a racial, but not too offensive, manner, leaving his audience in fits of laughter. Bouncing off the energy and live feedback of audience members, his improv skills are impeccable, and his ability to work the room like no other comedians is commendable.
If you’re seeing him, you’ve been warned. This show is not recommended for people under the age of 18 or over the age of 18, or people with lawyers.
Akmal Dates
18 March – Arts Centre (Burnie, Tas)28 March-22 April – The Athenaeum Theatre (Melbourne Comedy Festival)
