Oostende resident Mohsin Abbas has been working hard on his career as a stand-up comedian over the past few years. He won the audience award at the Commeere Comedy Cup in 2017 in the sold-out Bruges City Halls – the first of a series of comedy awards he has won. On December 18, he will come to Kortrijk with his very first theater show ‘Moh?!’.
Expect sharp jokes at a fast pace and above all, a burst of contagious energy from a personality that is situated somewhere between the Venetian Galleries, Ibiza, and Bollywood.

How does it feel to reach the milestone of your first theater show?

“Your first solo show gives you the wonderful feeling of being a full-fledged comedian. Everything before that was of course fun and taught me a lot, but standing as the headliner on a stage is truly special. In the past, I could surprise the audience as an opening act, but the realization that people are now coming specifically to see me is something that still makes me pinch myself a little.”

What can we expect?

“I want to offer people an experience that they are not used to with other comedians. Inevitably, there are typical cultural elements that go beyond the stereotypical Flemish. For example, speaking in the local Ostend dialect immediately breaks that cliché. The Bollywood touch makes it even more unique. Between the lines, you’ll also read some messages, but I don’t want to reveal too much about that: everyone should be able to give their own interpretation at the moment.”

Can you tell us about the process of creating a full-fledged theater show?  

“As a starting comedian, you string together typical things as loose fragments, without real depth. At a certain point, you start thinking about what story you actually want to tell. More and more, I asked myself: why am I telling this joke and what exactly do I want to say with it? But rest assured, my main goal remains to make people laugh. They should leave feeling like it was fantastic.”

How important is it for you to maintain your West Flemish identity when performing outside the region?

 “I adapt to the extent that it is necessary, but often that is not needed. When I perform in Leuven, for example, I notice that the audience appreciates it even more when I present my show in West Flemish. When non-West Flemish people understand me and can laugh at my jokes, I think they find themselves quite impressive (laughs). The fact that there are more West Flemish series on television today than ever before undoubtedly plays a role in that appreciation.”

In your show, you talk about both your Pakistani roots and your strong connection to Ostend. How have you managed to combine these two aspects in your comedy?

“I do explicitly mention those two aspects, but they are also present in subtler ways. For instance, when presenters call out my name – and often mispronounce it – that already creates a certain image for the audience. When I actually come on stage, that image is further reinforced. But when I suddenly speak in flat West Flemish, it causes surprise. I immediately break the cliché, simply by being myself and doing my thing. In the beginning, I sometimes forced that or thought I had to point it out. But that’s not necessary: I perform as I am. And to be clear: certain clichés do indeed hold true (laughs).”

You undoubtedly draw inspiration from other creators. Who do you look up to? 

“Through my brother, I came into contact with Eddie Murphy’s ‘Delirious’ as a young kid, which I rewatched endlessly. I still remember how amazing I found it that one man with one microphone could captivate thousands of people. My introduction to comedy is mainly rooted in the American scene. When I started performing myself, I toured a lot as the opening act for David Galle. I gave my best for ten minutes and was satisfied if there were a few laughs. Until David then came on stage and fired joke after joke at the audience at a breakneck pace, which made me realize: okay, there’s work to be done (laughs).” “From then on, my ambition was to reach that level: a lot of punchlines in a short time, no long-winded stories, and no lingering silences. In short, comedy at high speed.”

You combine comedy with a job at Flanders Invest and Trade. How do you balance these two worlds?

“It's quite intense, but I'm proud that I manage to do everything the way I want. I have everything in my own hands: writing, management, all the other practical matters... Only for the technical side do I collaborate with a Flemish technical group that specializes in comedy shows. Secretly, I do enjoy selling out the Gentse Minard twice, while everyone told me that I would never succeed without management.

The fact that a number of people believe in me so strongly is one of the reasons why I am able to achieve all of this. Programmers from cultural venues gave me a chance because they saw something in me. That was not only good for my self-confidence but also for the network I needed to promote my show. And almost everyone who came to watch booked me immediately! The fact that I now have twenty-five shows scheduled is crazy, especially since my goal was fifteen. This exceeds all expectations, setting the tone: I’m going for it wholeheartedly, and every show will be top-notch!”