It is festival season and that means that in the next month there is so many great comedy festivals to look forward to! This month we are looking at some of the great shows that you can see at the Edinburgh Fringe. So take note because we are going to give you all the information you need for just a handful of some of the great shows happening this year!

Ismael Loutfi: Heavenly Baba

Location:   Studio Five – Assembly George Square Gardens (Venue 17)

Dates:  Jul 30th -10th, 12th-24th

Time: 18:00

Price: £14.50 Concessions £13.50

Ticket Link: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/ismael-loutfi-heavenly-baba

Hello! Tell us about yourself?

I’m a 32 year old comedian from Florida by way of Syria. I’ve had a mustache since 2017 (before it was cool). I’ve been a stand up comedian my entire adult life and that has seriously impeded my growth as a human being (I’ve been divorced twice before 30.)

Tell us all about your show!

Heavenly Baba is a comedic solo show about my father’s attempt to convert the entire state of Florida to Islam by painting Islamic slogans all over his car. He’d drive the thing from one end of the state to the other (for reference, states in America are very large. Florida is half the size of the UK.) The show goes through my dad’s attempt and overlays it with my multiple marriages (first one at 17) and my eventual pursuit of a career in comedy.

How did you come up with the name of your show that your taking to the fringe?

Since the show is about my dad, and also about religion, I took the common Christian term for God “heavenly father” and replaced father with the Arabic word for dad “Baba.” Look, I’m not crazy about the name but I think it works.

What other acts are you looking forward to seeing at the fringe?

My friend Laurie Magers has an incredible show about dating a man in prison “Do You Accept These Charges.” I have a bunch of friends from the States that I want to see— but I’m also excited to watch British comedians do their thing (make dry observations, say things very quickly, be “ironic”).

Have you done the fringe before? What are the key pieces of advice you have been given or would give to new groups or people performing at the fringe.

This will be my first Fringe! Everyone I’ve talked to has told me to drink a lot of water and take echinacea for immune health. Also, people have told me not to come.

Talk us through your daily routine for a day at the Fringe

As it’s my first Fringe, I can only imagine what my routine will be like— I’m thinking I start my day around 5am. That’s when I place my face in a bowl of ice water. Then I’ll rub a banana skin on my forehead, then run on a treadmill, jumprope, face back in ice water, and then have my 6am smoothie. I will repeat this until 6pm, at which point I will go to George Square Studio 5 and do my show!

What is the best way to enjoy yourself at the fringe?

Everyone I’ve talked to has told me the best thing you can do at fringe is see this show called Heavenly Baba, it’s at 6pm at George Square studio 5. Starts at 6pm every day. The show is hilarious and heartbreaking and the performer is weirdly hot. People are calling him “Arab Chalamet.”

Top tips for travelling around the Fringe and getting to shows on time?

Instead of walking everywhere, consider secreting a black, bile-like discharge from your naval that allows you to gracefully float around the historic cobbled streets of Edinburgh. It may be slower than traditional means of transportation, but bile-floating is the hottest new trend! People will see you hovering approximately three inches off the ground with only the whites of your eyes showing and they’ll think “What does that guy know that I don’t?!”

What would be your top three items every performer must take to the fringe?

• Eye patch over one of your eyes. That way, at night, you can move the eye patch to your other eye and have night vision. This also makes boarding enemy ships much easier, and it looks cool!
• Always have a fresh supply of oranges to keep scurvy at bay.
• Blunderbuss (self-explanatory)

If people want to find out more about you where can they follow you on social media?

Ismaelcomic on Instagram. Also my website ismaelloutfi.com

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