Scotland

Sleeping With The Yemeni: Mike Eshaq – Just The Tonic Legends

Mike Eshaq is an American Muslim on Yemeni descent, who has served in the US marines and loves bacon. In other words, he has plenty to talk about. He comes from Detroit, which used to be America’s murder capital. But the city has been colonised by hipsters and now, even Eshaq’s old friends use words like “delectable”.

It is Eshaq’s first time in Scotland, and apparently we are hard to understand. In particular, Eshaq’s GPS does not like the Old Town. “Have you ever found a show.. and then found that you were above the show?” That’s my pet peeve about Edinburgh (my home city) too!

Eshaq travels extensively, doing shows in all sorts of exotic locations – but the weirdest is Oklahoma. He is keen to learn about Scotland and what makes us tick. One joke falls flat due to the cultural difference, and Eshaq is keen to understand why. A good comedian is always learning from their audience.

Eshaq is direct in his delivery, with a confident stance befitting of a US marine. He is curious too, about people and places and culture, which feeds well into his style of observational comedy. There are plenty of punchlines, a few of which are in bad taste, but Eshaq keeps us on his side. Eshaq seems like good company, and I greatly enjoyed his show.

Reviewer: Wendy McEwan

Reviewed: 9th August 2024

North West End UK Rating:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Wendy McEwan

Recent Posts

Young Frankenstein – Liverpool Playhouse

Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein has tickled the funny bone of many over the years. It's…

7 hours ago

Singin’ in the Rain – Royal Exchange

We all know that Manchester has a reputation for enjoying a drop of rain, so…

8 hours ago

A Christmas Carol – Thingwall Community Centre

It's the most wonderful time of the year, and what a better way to get…

9 hours ago

The Horse of Jenin – Bush Theatre

Alaa Shehada’s one man show about growing up in Jenin is a funny and powerful…

1 day ago

The Christmas Thing – Seven Dials Playhouse

Tom Clarkson and Owen Visser have returned with their anarchic Christmas show, The Christmas Thing.…

1 day ago

Dick Whittington – St Helens Theatre Royal

It’s December and that can only mean one thing: it’s almost Christmas—well, two things, because…

1 day ago