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Funny man Imran Al Aradi is determined to bring laughter back to the kingdom by encouraging wannabe comedians to crack a few jokes on stage, writes Mai Al Khatib.
The 32-year-old from Adliya has been tickling people’s funny bones since 2008, stepping into the spotlight alongside professional comedians and has even taken his act on the road to Dubai, Oman, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
He said: “I was asked to host the Axis of Evil comedy show in Bahrain and it just took off from there. Ever since I was young I wanted to be a comedian, so the second I got my first laugh on stage I decided that I wanted to take this seriously.”
Imran got his big break after hosting various corporate events and sharing his experiences on Radio Bahrain as a presenter. People took notice of his quick wit, snappy one-liners and funny escapades.
Now he hopes to shine the light on new faces, giving them the opportunities to put their comedic talents to the test. Imran explained: “My goal is for comedians to get enough stage time to practice their material, for new talent to surface, to make stand-up comedy a regular thing in Bahrain and to develop a strong comedy community.”
He first set the stage for aspiring local comics to compete for a spot in Arabian Knights of Comedy, a brand created specifically for the purpose of showcasing local talent. The concept gained further popularity in February when the first event was held at Déjà Vu Restaurant and Lounge. Since then, a monthly show has been staged attracting comedians aiming to fine-tune their craft as well as newcomers.
He added: “I’ve had at least 15 people of mixed nationalities who have participated since the launch of the ‘open mic’ nights. It progressed quite fast and the numbers of people participating and supporting the acts keeps growing and growing.”
Imran’s recent show, held at Block 338 Restaurant, Lounge and Garden in Adliya, attracted a crowd of more than 150 with an appetite for laughter.
Word has spread near and far as some experienced and wannabe comedians flew in from Dubai, Qatar and Saudi Arabia at their own expense to give comedy a go. The performers included GulfWeekly’s own Charlie Holding, Yousif Taha, Baraa Abdullah, Sam Camille, Roopesh R, Ahmed Gamal, Hussain Mohamed, Khalid Khalifa, Ray Addison, Tariq Sharif, Alaa Elgabani alongside professional headliner Nitin Mirani.
Our Charlie, 28, who lives in Adliya, said: “I think it’s great that Imran is giving people the chance to try something new. I’m looking forward to the next event.”
Comical Camille 33, from Budaiya, added: “It was nerve-wracking to step on stage but once on, it was really a rush. I would like to deeply thank Imran for all his support and encouragement not only in the comedy scene but in everything else. His guidance and experience is a great lesson to us all and I hope we all learn from it.”
Before each show Imran sits with the newcomers to help them with their acts. He said: “My advice is to be yourself, keep practicing and never let a bad experience on stage bring you down or make you stop. Bad experiences should be taken as an opportunity to improve and work on your material.
“Just like they say, laughter is the best medicine and I believe if we all can laugh together then we can do anything together. It also provides a great platform for local entertainment.”
Visiting UAE comedian Nitin Mirani, said: “Bahrain is definitely open for comedy. Imran is a brother to me and I am so proud of him because he has pioneered the comedy scene on his own and I wish him the best of luck.”
The next event is at Déjà Vu on June 12. For details, contact imran@imranonline.net or follow him on Twitter @imran_al_aradi
