Inspired by this idea, he’s called his latest solo show Perfect Stranger. The show, which he says is a mix between stand-up and storytelling, is working out “how to connect in an unwelcoming world” and has a focus on race relations.
He also journeyed to Kazakhstan, just to see what would happen.
“I figure if life refused to happen around me in Malaysia, I’d go somewhere strange to force it to happen,” he says. “I’ll share some stories at the show.”
More recently, he was given additional fodder when the Herald Sun included him in a controversial article that has since been taken down from the web after the justifiable uproar it created within the comedy community. “I was recently compared to Ronny Chieng in an Australian publication. That will be commented on for sure,” he says from Kuala Lumpur.
Kuah has been seriously pursuing stand-up for the past seven years. Even though he describes the scene in Malaysia as being young and burgeoning, it’s growing at enough of a pace to enable him to live fulltime off comedy.
“I definitely don’t see it slowing down anytime soon because we are fast realising that the Asian perspective on life is interesting and fairly new to the world of stand up,” says Jenhan.
He appears regularly on local radio and TV, writes a humour column for Esquire Malaysia and was featured on Comedy Central Asia. He also headlined the inaugural MICF Comedy Zone Asia in 2015 and most recently, opened for Eddie Izzard in Malaysia.
“In fact, I actually make a very comfortable living here,” he says. “I even have a cat. He’s really needy and greedy, but I can keep him alive. My cat thinks I am a big deal.”
While Kuah has been working out his material in comedy rooms in Malaysia, the first time Perfect Stranger will be performed in its entirety will be at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, “which is pretty exciting and panic-inducing at the same time,” he says.
He’s no stranger to Australia, having performed Like This Like Dad last year at the Perth Fringe World – where it was nominated for Best Comedy – and a season at Melbourne Comedy Festival.
“I even managed to have a few shows sold out which was very assuring,” he says. Jenhan also learnt from an audience member – who was addressing a much chattier audience member during one show – some classic Aussie vernacular. “I don’t know what ‘pull your head in’ actually means, but if what happened was an indication, it is a magical phrase that makes any Australians behave,” he says. “I felt so powerful having learnt that phrase.”
By Joanne Brookfield
Venue: Greek Centre – Aphrodite’s Room
Dates: Thursday March 30 – Sunday April 23 (bar Mondays)
Duration: 60 minutes
Tickets: $17 – $24
