★★★
Aliya Kanani’s Where You From, From? isn’t a tightly written volley of elaborate comic routines. It’s not much a knee-slapper, nor is it loaded with physically confronting humour. The Canadian’s debut stand-up hour is largely conversational.
Kanani provided a look into her personal world – and the implicit and explicit racism she faces – but it wasn’t an in-depth biography. There was a definite narrative outline and some prepared funny bits, but it never swung into a riveting passage of conventional stand-up.
Kanani was relaxed and eager to stimulate audience interaction. She put the call out for questions about her life and globetrotting backstory, which took up at least ten minutes. At one point she welcomed a punter onstage to help re-enact a sketch from her pre-stand-up days though she didn’t want to put anyone on the spot and sought permission from whomever she singled out. The small but attentive crowd was in good spirits and generally happy to play along.
Even when she wasn’t directly speaking to the audience, Kanani rarely said anything without seeking follow-up affirmation. She also tended to join us in laughing at her jokes and quickly clarified any moments of grotesque exaggeration (although these were scarce).
The theme circling around the show was Kanani’s origins, i.e. where she comes from, and the answer wasn’t Toronto. This brought in questions of tokenism and discrimination. Despite clearly stemming from some difficult experiences, Kanani handled all of this material with grace and positivity.
She’s a personable character who put the emphasis on unity and good will. These feelings permeated, but it’s not the right show if you’re looking for an onslaught of belly laughs.
Highlight: The good vibes.
Lowlight: A few sound issues.
Crowd Favourite: Whispering makes anything seem suspicious.
