Anirban Dasgupta: Polite Provocation – Soho Theatre

At the very outset Anirban Dasgupta promises that by the end of the hour, the audience will know a lot more about India than they already do. He stays true to his word, educating the room on the current state of politics of the country, Mahatma Gandhi, the freedom struggle, and the growth of standup comedy and the challenges it faces.

While he does eventually segue on to other topics, the best parts of Dasgupta’s set are for the politically aware. It also seems to be what he most enjoys. He brings up some uncomfortable truths about the political and social atmosphere in India with much hilarity. The evening’s show, he says, is “like the Indian media – sold out.”

But can he tell these jokes with the same ease back in his home city? Probably not, given what he goes on to tell us about what comedians are faced with when they do not toe the line – public apologies, angry crowds outside venues, cancelled shows, or even jail time. Yes, all true. Nevertheless, he has found a loophole that allows him to spin out the jokes, and that is Gandhi – someone that the ruling faction is in no hurry to defend and the opposition is too weak to.

Dasgupta moves seamlessly from current affairs to his new status as a father to the ways of life of the large joint family that his mother married into. His storytelling skills keeps the crowd engaged at all times, even when the laughs aren’t as forthcoming. Having been on the standup scene for over a decade, he looks entirely at ease on the stage, handling hecklers and latecomers with lively banter.

Reviewer: Savitha Venugopal

Reviewed: 28th October 2024

North West End UK Rating: