Gig review by Steve Bennett at the Soho Theatre, London

It’s a shame that the state of the world means that Pakistani-born comic Sami Shah has to contest, at some length, the idea that all Muslims are potential terrorists. Especially since he’s been an atheist since he’s been old enough to think for himself.

Yet he has some strong material on this now-familiar subject, encompassing the suspicion his passport, let alone skin tone, always attracts – as well as offering a few peculiar anecdotes, such as getting into a Twitter conversation with the Taliban.

Some of his ideas might be a little old hat – tackling the myth that Jesus was a white man for instance, or the fears of immigrants ‘taking our jobs’, which Doug Stanhope has so conclusively nailed already – but other routines that might initially seem that way soon take on their own agenda. He’s particularly astute on the behaviour of white folk, for instance, without it becoming some cliched or artificial delineation.

Away from this are some entertaining stories from his life, some of the best involving his five-year-old daughter – her fears, her racist toddler chums, and how his attitudes have changed since becoming a father. And speaking of incidents from his own life, not many Western comedians can have a routine that about having a gun held to their head and it be a matter-of-fact slice of everyday observational comedy.

Such a story goes quite a long way to explaining why Shah’s moved from lawless Karachi to Australia – and there’s perhaps a bit too much in here for a UK audience about life among the rural rednecks with a reputation for racism, it being a requirement of his visa that he spends a couple of years outside of the cities. Still, he finds an original routine on sharks, the topic obligated for any comedian setting foot on Terra Australis.

This affable 36-year-old delivers this all apace, his urgent delivery injecting energy into the show while maintaining an expert timing within his disarmingly open conversational style . Pakistan hasn’t exported many – indeed any – comedians yet, second generation immigrants notwithstanding. But Shah – who’s also recording a solo Radio 4 stand-up show and an edition of QI during his British stopover – makes for as smart, charming and witty pioneer as you could hope for.

Review date: 6 May 2015
Reviewed by: Steve Bennett
Reviewed at: Soho Theatre