Q: What do you call a piece of sandpaper in Afghanistan?
A: map.
That’s the extent of Liverpool Confidential’s compendium of Middle East jokes, but there’s plenty funnier than that (you’ll be glad to know) - although events in the news continue to defy that belief.
This weekend, Liverpool born comedian, author and actor Alexei Sayle will host Funny Arabs, the first in a ground breaking new series of comedy events from Liverpool Arabic Arts Festival.
The first outing of Funny Arabs brings acclaimed New York based Arab comedienne Maysoon Zayid to Liverpool for the first time. Maysoon will perform at the Epstein Theatre this Sunday afternoon, introduced by Sayle.
Zayid has featured on Comedy Central’s The Watch List and PBS’s America at a Crossroads: Muslim Comics Stand Up.
She lives with cerebral palsy and draws on her experience of disability and the trials of being a female American born to Palestinian parents for her comedy act. She has been quoted as saying “comedy is pain plus time.”
*Funny Arabs starring Maysoon Zayid, Epstein Theatre, Hanover St, Liverpool, 2.30pm, Sunday November 25, 2012. Tickets £12.50, £8.50 concessions. Box Office: 0844 888 4411* or online here
Alexei Sayle interview here
