A SOLO HOUR AFTER A SOLO TRIP

By Tom Ffiske | Immersive Wire ⭐⭐⭐ | Press Invite

Watching comedy in London is always an enjoyable experience. There’s a whole bunch of fledgling and smaller groups trying to swim up to the surface and prove their chops. And the difficulty with comedy is that what’s funny for some people might not land at all for others. Rohan Joshi worked well in his domain but his ultra-focused approach may lead to an element of alienation for some audience members.

What I will say about Rohan Joshi is that he’s a genuinely funny comedian coming out of India, and his flavour of comedy feels particularly unique based on his own experiences. What makes him so interesting is how deeply embedded he is in Indian culture — to the extent that he was making jokes and punchlines in local languages. That meant there was a whole room of people enjoying the punchlines, and then there were one or two of us (myself included) who completely missed the joke. That’s not a bad thing; it just means this particular comedian works especially well for that particular audience. And based on the reactions of everyone around me, even to the jokes I couldn’t understand, it’s clear they were landing well.

At times, Rohan Joshi also made several jokes that worked well for everyone. Describing Andrew Tate as a shaved Labubu gave me a proper laugh. And his final joke — which I won’t spoil — involves the Great Khali. Let’s just say, it’s rare to see a comedy set end with a post-credits scene. He also played with the idea of coming to the UK and experiencing English culture, offering both benign and direct insights into cultural differences. But there was always a strong focus on India and his own lived experiences back home — right down to jokes about the food he was eating. That kind of cultural exploration is insightful and interesting, but without more ways to bring in the wider audience, it can leave a few people behind. I certainly felt left behind at times, and although there were moments I found funny, it wasn’t always easy to grasp everything that was going on.

I really recommend Rohan Joshi if you’re after a different type of comedy, one deeply rooted in his own story and cultural background. He’s carved out his career with real intention, and he was fascinating to listen to. Grab a ticket before he pops off.

Rohan Joshi: Getting There (But Not Quite) is running at Soho Theatre until 9 August.

WEBSITE

⭐⭐⭐

Photo Credit: Nikhil Gupta