Arabs Are Not Funny

An introduction to some of the amazing performers:

Fatiha El Ghorri: A British-Moroccan stand-up, actor, writer and a regular on the UK comedy circuit. Fatiha has not shied away from the screen, making appearances on The Jonathan Ross Show, Channel 4’s Jokes Only A… Can Tell, and Russell Howards Comedy Hour to name a few.

Fatiha’s observational stand-up and wonderful witticism takes you on a whirlwind journey of what life is like for a British Muslim woman.

Ella Al-Shamahi: Yemeni British, Ella A National Geographic Explorer, TV presenter on the BBC & Channel 4, and Neanderthal specialist fossil hunting in caves in unstable and hostile territories… she also happens to be a stand-up comic.

Using comedy to communicate science, Ella has performed stand-up internationally from the Bloomsbury Theatre to the National Geographic main stage in DC. She was also TED talk main stage speaker, which has been viewed more than 2 million times.

Omar Badawy: Originally from Egypt, Omar is a rising star in the comedy circuit who started out in stand up in 2019. In his first year on the scene (+global pandemic), Omar has already found himself the winner of the prestigious ‘So You Think You’re Funny’ awards at the Edinburgh Fringe. This is a name you will be hearing in years to come.

He talks about his encounters with strange school friends, football fans and EDL-badge-wearing bouncers, providing unique insight from a childhood moving from Egypt to Wales to Cambridge.

Fathiya: Youth worker by day and comedian by night, North West London comic Fathiya with Somali-Yemeni roots shares the funny mishaps of what it’s like being Muslim and living in a Somali household.

Fathiya most recent appearance was on the BBC Asian Network comedy special.

Mo Magaleo: A young comedian from Morocco, who grew up in the UK. His material talks about growing up in a council estate, having a Muslim background, growing up with Moroccan parents, and many more stories and observations that you will need to join us on the night to find out.

Mo has performed at many big comedy clubs in the UK, Amsterdam, Portugal, Belgium and many more.

About Arts Canteen

Established in 2010, Arts Canteen is an arts organisation that curates and produces events, exhibitions and festivals that empowers emerging, mid-career and established artists from the Arab world and beyond to tell their own stories, change perceptions, and tackle the big issues in the world in today’s world.

Date: 10 June 2022

Start Time: 20:00

Doors: 19:00

Age Limit: 16+

Length: TBC

Tickets: £18 + booking fee

Venue: Grand Junction is a venue for the community, arts and culture based at St Mary Magdalene Church. We also have a café serving delicious food overlooking the canal.

Closest Stations: Royal Oak (Circle and Hammersmith & City line) 0.64km

Warwick Avenue (Bakerloo line) 0.64km

Paddington Station (National Rail services and Circle, District, Bakerloo, Hammersmith & City line) 1.4km

Covid-19 Policy 

As of 24 February the government is removing all remaining Covid-19 restrictions.

At Grand Junction we will continue to do a number of things to keep our staff and audiences as safe as possible.

While you are no longer legally required to self-isolate if you test positive for COVID-19, it is still advised that you stay at home to avoid contact with other people. Please bear this in mind before travelling to an event at Grand Junction if you have tested positive for COVID-19.

We welcome audience members and staff wearing face coverings if they wish to do so.

Hand sanitiser stations are positioned around the building.

Careful consideration of entry and exit points to avoid crowding. We will check your ticket at the entrance to the venue to avoid queuing and crowds forming indoors.

Regular cleaning and regular ventilation of the space, to ensure a flow of clean air.

Click here to view Grand Junction’s full Covid-safety information. Please feel free to contact us at info@grandjunction.org.uk if you have any further questions.