Kae Kurd: doesn't dream - he lives his dream with the audience

I came to the event with my friend Evin and we both only knew Kae Kurd from TV and YouTube. We were very curious about the evening. Evin booked our tickets online at the glee club in Oxford for the 3rd of November 2021, it was really good value £13.20 each. You didn't have to stand in line for long, it was a bit frustrating that my NHS App didn’t work, and they did not accept my vaccination card, so I had to do a Coronavirus test by the entry. The guy at the entry got a test out for me from the NHS. It was called Rapid Antigen Test. He gave me the disposable sampling swab and I put the swab into my mouth and rubbed the fabric tip of the swab over both tonsils, I did it four times. Then I put the swap out of my mouth and put the same swap into my nostril and roll the swab around the inside of the nostril and I did this ten times. Then I put them into the extraction tube, so it was in the liquid. Then I closed the lid and gently squeeze the extraction tube to the place with two drops of the liquid onto the test stripe. I was a bit ill, I had a cold and a blocked nose but I was happy that the test result was negative so I could attend the comedy show. The glee club presented here is a typical setting for a stand-up comedy in Oxford. The glee club has a capacity of 240 people. The event wasn't completely sold out because the back three rows were empty.

The audience is integral to the experience of live comedy, Kae makes an appearance, the room is dark while the stage is flooded with light from overhead. The glee club has a plain interior, with black walls and with a red curtain on the back of the stage. The light simultaneously gives focus to the stage. A posh interior is not a good combination with the humour of modern stand-up comedy. The audience can now concentrate on the front of the stage and now stop talking and watch and listen to the show. Kae introduces himself to the audience after he leaves the stage for Michael Odewale to perform. Michael Odewale is a British Nigerian stand-up comedian.

Michael Odewale starts talking about his mum: “I was living with my mum during the pandemic, but she wanted me out of the house, and she is a very aggressive woman. I was starting using her anti-aging creme for masturbation. I knew I should never do it.” The audience laughed and giggled, and I laughed at loud too. A young woman sat next to my right side she laughed out loud too.

Then Michael went on - I used so much of it, it was good stuff, I fucked up. I left a review on the website, my dick looks twenty years younger, what’s going on? I thought to myself how Odewale finds these ideas of an anti-aging creme for masturbation, he is funny to make this combination. There are no wrinkles on my balls anymore. The audience laughed long about this comment.

My mother said:” if you work hard, you could be the next Bill Cosby. But I don’t want to be the next Bill Cosby.”

“I love my mum, but sometimes she gets on my nerves. Don’t say that mum, I would be in a jungle right now, but I don’t want to be the next Cosby. My mum loves drinking tea whenever she runs out of teabags, she sends me out straight away to get more and I don’t always want to go, because it is cold and dark outside. When I am on my way out in the dark and you don’t wish to get stepped outside. But I still have the energy to get the teabags and put them on the table.”

The audience laughed and took some pictures, after 20 minutes of the performance of Michael Odewale Kae Kurd comes on stage and performs. We bought ourselves red wine the drinks were reasonable, and the staff was helpful and very polite. The night was staged so I could get drinks after each act.

Kae says thank you for showing up here this is my dream. To turn it up at Cowley Road in Oxford, was a fucking dream. I am honest with you it’s humbling to see you and I am generally mean that. The audience clapped and Kae smiled at his audience.

When I was starting comedy, my parents still don’t like the fact that I am a comedian, they thought I was a public speaker. When did somebody ask them where is Kae? They would say that I am at a conference somewhere. The audience chuckles. My parents are one of these peoples of classic middle east Kurdish parents.

I could understand what Kae Kurd wants to say, Kurdish parents, I agree are sometimes very old fashion, but good at heart. They want all the best for their children.

Then Kae Kurd went on saying: My father used to say you should be a doctor or go to university. He would say: “What if there is a war tomorrow, ISIS big war, what will you do?” And I used to say to my dad: “don’t worry dad we are in the UK in Britain, there will be never a petrol shortage there never going to be a food shortage, how fucking stupid I was brother!” The audience laughed and you could see how Kae reacted he enjoyed the moment while everybody was still laughing.

When I was announcing my tour, I was still working in the Apple Store, in Regent Street in central London. I was going to work, and, in the meeting, my manager would say to all: “did you see Kae last night on television? It was great, it was fucking great, give him a clap.” I go down to the shop floor and was excited I was thinking nothing can ruin my day then this woman came up to me and said: “your charger this is my third one in six months, then I looked at her, do you know who the fuck I am?” Everybody laughed out loud, and it was really funny.

“I was on TV last night not last week – last night!” I am going to be famous, I don’t need this shit, the charger went downstairs. I handed my notice, I don’t need this shit, fuck that I don’t need a job, I am chasing my dreams”. Enthusiastic applause from the audience and a loud cheer came from all over and it seemed that the audience was proud of what Kae Kurd did because it seemed that they agreed with Kae Kurd.

The mood was great and Kae Kurd was in a good mood, the show went on. After almost 1 hour of sympathy, charming, witty, and cheeky conversation the show was over. Kae Kurd said it is amazing to see you guys tonight. Thank you so much for being part of that. Before you go can you make a big cheer for Michael? The audience shouted out loud, clapped, and cheered up loud for Michael.

And also thank you to all the staff at the venue and thank you to yourself as well. I know that some of you like to take pictures and shit, if you do like to take a picture, I am over at the bar. If you enjoyed the story, put it up and write about it. Take a safe journey home. The audience clapped out loud and cheered Kae Kurd on. We went straight to the bar and Evin and I have a memory photo with Kae together. He said to Evin in Kurdish “Çawanî?” which means how are you? Evin said “Ez başim.” Then we said to him “Şevbas” which means – good night. He was really friendly, and I saw how he talked and still joked with people who wanted to take pictures with him. He is a good lad, and I will definitely go to his next comedy show, because I loved the show.

Kae Kurd came to the UK at 6-month-old as a refugee, he is born Korang Abdulla. His classmates could not pronounce his first name, this is why they introduced him as K, who is a Kurd. After he was introduced on stage with this name, he then decided to adopt this name. As the UK’s only British-Kurdish professional stand-up, he is smart and sharp, and he makes a significant name for himself. He started his stand-up career on the black circuit.

The stand-up comedy is a comedy performance to a live audience on the stage of the glee club. After the show when the light was turned on, we all had the chance to take a picture with Kae Kurd and Michael Odewale which I found was good of them. People needed to stand in a queue to get a picture with Kae Kurd. This was my first live comedy experience all both acts were fantastic, and I was crying with laughter all night. Kae Kurd succeeded in the show, took the audience out of their everyday lives perfectly, and conjured up a brilliant illusion. He did it wonderfully to get the audience on his side. He is a very authentic and down-to-earth artist and has included the audience in his show. A show for young and old, definitely successful and enchants every age group. If you are in Oxford and looking for a good night out, this is a place to try. The glee club is located at Cowley Road, which is central, and finding a parking space is possible. It was just great to see him live, we had a good time. The live show was even better than the TV shows. Many thanks to Kae Kurd and Michael Odewalde.