Weekend with Hasan Al-Habib: ‘Comedians are busiest when everyone else is socialising’
The Brummie-Iraqi comedian on his new solo show, his favourite places to eat in Edinburgh, and how he’s in his smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel era
Hasan Al-Habib is an award-winning comedian from Birmingham. He took his debut solo show Death to the West (Midlands) to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2025, followed by a run at London’s Soho Theatre.
Al-Habib’s double act with comedian Aisha Amanduri, 2 Muslim 2 Furious, had sell-out runs at the fringe in 2024, appeared on BBC Radio 4 and they continue to perform across the country. Al-Habib also appeared in the BBC’s latest series of Pilgrimage, which follows celebrities of different faiths trekking together as a group.
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This summer, Al-Habib returns to Edinburgh with his second solo show, Stuck in the Middle (East) With You, about growing up in a British-Iraqi household defined by conflict and finding humour in difficult experiences.
What does a typical Saturday morning look like for you?
I probably won’t have breakfast straight away. I’ll do some admin, work on a social media video or my Edinburgh show before heading off to whatever gig I’ve got that evening. Then the cycle repeats.
What’s for breakfast?
I’m in my smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel era right now.
Tell us about your Edinburgh fringe show.
Stuck in the Middle (East) With You is about my uncle’s failed visa application, or rather, it’s about family trauma, like all Edinburgh Fringe shows are. About 80% of my time is centred around getting that show ready. It’s a little stressful, but I’m optimistic.
How do you write new material?
It’s really difficult and it’s basically impossible when you’re tired. Most comedians take notes throughout the day whenever something funny happens, so you’re not starting from a blank page.
Sometimes you write on stage, too. If you’ve got a really good audience, that’s actually the best time to try new material because they’ll forgive you if it doesn’t work. After that, it’s trial and error — editing, finding the rhythm and making sure the audience can’t predict where the joke is going.
What do you love most about the fringe?
The huge amount of money artists earn — I’m joking, of course.
Nothing turbocharges your development as a comedian like performing the same hour every day for almost a month. Improvements that might normally take a month can happen in three or four days because you’re getting immediate feedback every single night.
You also get to see loads of your friends’ work in one place, and I just love Edinburgh. I love Scotland. I look forward to it every year.
Any favourite spots to eat in Edinburgh?
Noodles Home. It’s opposite one of the festival theatres. If you pay cash, they give you a free drink or an egg, so comedians are always there because we’ve usually got loads of cash from collecting after shows.
Ting Thai is also really good. I think the beef is halal. And there’s a fish and chip place near the street that’s supposed to have inspired Harry Potter. I can’t remember what it’s called, so good luck to anyone trying to find it from that description.
Where’s your favourite place to perform?
Liverpool. There’s a comedy club called Hot Water and it’s still the best crowd I’ve ever performed for. You know a crowd is incredible when they’re laughing at bits of setup that never normally get laughs. That happened throughout my set there. I’d love to go back.
Are weekends usually spent working?
Always. That’s the strange thing about comedy. When everyone else is socialising on a Saturday night, that’s when we’re busiest.
But maybe if I get a bit of downtime I’ll organise a PlayStation session.
What are you watching at the moment?
I just finished Amandaland, which I loved, and I’ve started This Country.
Someone once told me sitcoms are basically long-form jokes, so I sometimes find myself analysing them instead of just watching them. It’s probably a slightly joyless way of watching TV, but sitcoms still make me laugh more than most stand-up these days.
What’s the last film you watched?
The Banshees of Inisherin. Barry Keoghan was incredible in it. I met him a few days later playing five-a-side football. He was much better in the film than he was at football.
What can audiences expect from Stuck in the Middle (East) With You?
A really good story with lots of punchlines, I hope. It’s the culmination of five years of doing comedy. If you’ve ever felt disconnected or part of a diaspora, I think you’ll relate to it. Muslims will relate to it. Brummies will relate to it. Anyone outside London will probably relate to it. If you follow Martin Lewis for money-saving tips, you’ll probably relate to it as well.
Ultimately, comedy is about making your experience accessible, so even if someone shares none of those characteristics, I still want them to laugh.
Stuck in the Middle (East) With You is on at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe at Pleasance Courtyard, Upstairs, from 5-30 August.
