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Review: Anirban Dasgupta: Polite Provocation, Soho Theatre

Fairly early on in Anirban Dasgupta's hour long show I’m slightly concerned as he comes out with the phrase "So let me tell you a little about myself", seemingly a little nervous about the audience's reaction to some political jokes. It might seem odd to have a negative reaction to such a thing, but I've heard that phrase uttered at so many open mic nights that I wondered if I was in for a show from a comedian who had only just started out and still fairly fresh out of water.Thankfully nothing could be further from the truth, and…

Summary

Rating

Excellent

A slightly shaky start initially concerns, but this quickly becomes a show packed with laugh out loud jokes.

Fairly early on in Anirban Dasgupta‘s hour long show I’m slightly concerned as he comes out with the phrase “So let me tell you a little about myself”, seemingly a little nervous about the audience’s reaction to some political jokes. It might seem odd to have a negative reaction to such a thing, but I’ve heard that phrase uttered at so many open mic nights that I wondered if I was in for a show from a comedian who had only just started out and still fairly fresh out of water.

Thankfully nothing could be further from the truth, and it quickly evolved in to a finely polished, insightful and laughter filled set, and one where he’s able to playfully tease the audience yet never risks losing us. Once in his stride we learn just how difficult it is to be a stand up in India, how if you joke about certain subjects like religion and politics you can be imprisoned for stating such views, something of a problem given how superb his material is on both fronts.

Fortunately Dasgupta has found a solution to the issue and can tell at least some of the material performed here tonight in his home country. And that’s by commenting on how Gandhi may once have been seen as the father of the nation, but currently with a right wing government in power he’s more like a distant uncle. Everything which follows this only makes the audience laugh harder, which is quite the feat given that India is such a politically complex country.

Yet while he is by no means afraid to criticise India, he also celebrates it in fine fashion too, and it is an appealing mix which gives a very nuanced take on the country. The same applies with his views on life when he visits the UK as well. He might not have been the first comedian I’ve seen to mock the idea that we call ourselves “Great” Britain, but the material quickly becomes original and inventive with strong punchlines every time.

About three quarters of the way in to the hour he swerves a little and speaks about his personal life; he has a daughter now who provides him with some jokes which go to a very dark place. While still appealing and some nice ideas this material doesn’t shine in the way his previous gags have. Fortunately that is a fairly short sequence before he launches in to a final segment about how he grew up in Calcutta and was born when his parents were 51. The reason as to why that was is sublime.

One of the great joys of seeing the best stand-up comedians is being introduced to a perspective or an element of culture that you previously might not have been aware of or know only a little about. It’s here that Dasgupta delivers time and again. It’s a consistently hilarious show which is not only fascinating to hear but also packed with jokes that deservedly won many rounds of applause.


Written and performed by Anirban Dasgupta

Anirban Dasgupta: Polite Provocation is at Soho Theatre until Saturday 2nd November. Tickets and further information can be found here

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