THE DAUGHTER of an exiled writer and comic from Iran, Shappi Khorsandi’s upbringing was in no way conventional, but what a story, and what comedy, she makes from it all, as this city will hear when she plays the Vodafone Comedy Carnival Galway.
Shappi’s razor sharp wit and dizzy delivery have led her to become one of the most prominent comedians in Britian, enjoying both regular appearances on British TV, including It Was Alright in The 70s and 8 Out of 10 Cats, as well as critical acclaim. The Guardian has called her “Britain’s best young female comic by any yardstick”; the Evening Standard declared that her comedy “packs a deceptively powerful punch”; while Chortle.co.uk described her comedy as "an effortless, witty and candid chat with a friend. But a friend with some engaging tales."
Being the mother of two children - her youngest child was born in 2013 - forms part of her current stand-up show, Because I'm Shappi, where she also discusses enduring childhood friendships, watching porn, and attitudes to female comedians. As Chortle.co.uk said: "She comes across as being happiest when on stage in any case, treating the audience as her confidant, with whom to share tales of her sometimes messy life. She’s recently had her second child, so there’s the feeling that as a single 40-year-old mum with a solitary career, this is her best chance of the day for adult conversation, albeit one-way...a show that’s so warm, friendly and open, from a comic prepared to so publicly mull her fears and shortcoming."
Shappi is also a sought after cultural commentator ("Obviously there's free speech in Iran, but little freedom after you've spoken," she has noted ), and she has appeared on ITV’s Sunday Edition, BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, Radio 5 Live, BBC World Service, as well as in The Guardian, The Independent, and Metro.
Shappi Korshandi headlines the Róísín Dubh on Friday October 23 at 8pm; and supports Jason Byrne in the Black Box, Saturday October 24. For full details on the festival line-up and online booking see www.vodafonecomedycarnival.com Tickets are also available via OMG @ Zhivago, Shop Street, and www.ticketmaster.ie
