Melbourne International Comedy Festival comedian Q&A: Sami Shah, Sacrificing the Goat

Goat sacrifice, ISIS and shopping at Ikea are all part of the mix in ABC broadcaster and comedian Sami Shah’s new show.

Sami Shah.

What can people expect from your show at this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival?

Goat sacrifice, ISIS trying to kill me, shopping in Ikea, and why getting married in Australia leads to Nazis on St Kilda beach.

What have you been up to since last time you were here?

I took a year, last year, to focus on my job co-hosting ABC Radio Melbourne’s Breakfast Show.

Now that I’ve got more settled into that role, I’m returning to the comedy festival, while also working on a new radio docu-series on Free Speech in Australia.

YOUR GUIDE TO THE MELBOURNE COMEDY FESTIVAL

Who should see your show, and why?

If you want to understand racial and political tensions in Australia from a new and unique perspective, or if you have trouble negotiating a new relationship, particularly after failing in one already!

Or maybe, you just want to see insightful and multi-award winning comedy from a comedian, writer and broadcaster who’s cut his teeth in Pakistan and rural WA, and now calls Melbourne his home.

What’s your No.1 tip for people coming to see a show at the comedy festival?

Take a chance on someone you don’t know.

Ask the people coming out of shows whether it’s worth watching.

You’ll find some gems!

Which other comedians/shows are you keen to see at this year’s festival, and why?

Ben Russell — Fylleangst: Ben is one of the most unique comedy minds in Australia, and whatever he comes up with is so innovative, I find it changes my relationship to comedy.

Anne Edmonds — What’s Wrong With You?: The funniest comedian in Australia. End of story.

Corey White — X-Ray: His comedic sensibilities are darker, more honest, and brutally funny than almost anyone working right now.

What stands out to you about Melbourne?

Melbourne is a refugee camp for the rest of Australia’s cool people.

If you live in Brisbane and wake up one night craving perfect ramen and a live performance art experience that makes you question your existence, you move to Melbourne.

Who or what is your comedic inspiration, and why?

There’s no single comedy inspiration.

So many of the people working the scene today innovate relentlessly, that listing them all would be an endless roll call of local and international acts.

Anything else you want us to know about you or your show?

It contains goats, a Norse god, and wedding tips.

What more could you ask for?

SAMI SHAH, SACRIFICING THE GOAT

Rating: ★★½

Reviewer: Stephanie Glickman

If anyone has cred to talk racism in Australia, it’s Pakistani comic and journalist Sami Shah.

He’s a former Muslim, now atheist and current ABC breakfast radio host in Melbourne.

He’s had death threats from ISIS, been vilified globally by the media and is equally contentious with Muslims and Australia’s far right.

So it’s a shame that Sacrificing the Goat feels a missed opportunity for fleshing out really great stories and social commentary.

There are some clever laughs, but ideas fire in all directions.

Shah ranges from funny to preachy to intellectual and even forgetful, occasionally losing his train of thought.

This scattershot approach means interesting observations never fully develop and some theories on things such as navigating inter-racial relationships just don’t land.

Sunday night’s half-full basement room of Melbourne Town Hall made the show even harder to pull off.

Sacrificing the Goat harbours a very intriguing premise but right now misses a bullseye.

Sami Shah, Sacrificing the Goat, until April 21, Melbourne Town Hall.