Review: Raul Kohli: Raul Britannia

Raul Kohli brings multiculturalism to life in a topical hour of light-hearted fun. Starting with a bus journey that changed the trajectory of his life, Raul Britannia explores the essence of football, acceptance and belonging.

Talking about serious issues with humour is pretty standard albeit difficult, but Kohli does a good job at weaving articulate points about race and clashing cultures into his comedy act. Sticking to facts and lived experiences makes it hard for anyone to argue with him – although he knows that some people will. He points to examples of being treated differently because of his ethnicity, but even more so to the lasting impact of the kindness showed by those who didn’t.

Some of the comedy is low-hanging fruit, including predictable jokes about colonialism, while other jokes are proper funny. But Kohli’s real skill is humanising the Other, even Shamima Begum, in a non-judgemental, thought-provoking way.

His aim is to bridge divides and start conversations, which feels particularly relevant in the light of recent events and judging by the chatter outside the venue he succeeds. When a young, white lad from the audience is asked by a passer-by what the show is like he succinctly concludes that it’s “fuckin’ class”.