Bilal Zafar is mostly known for his genre-defying, format-breaking comedy. When he’s not working as an actor, he’s usually trying to figure out how to make audiences laugh in a way that makes it seem effortless. His laid-back yet hyper-focused style is unique and hilarious.
We saw his new show, Rubicon, in preview, and it very much had the vibe of a series of really cool bits strung together seemingly at random. The show’s title comes from the popular soft drink (available in many flavours), though the famous river (and the point of no return) also gets a name-check.
Relaxed yet interrogative bits compete with each other to create an on-stage persona that seems to be constantly at conflict with itself, which leads to some great gags. Why Zafar hasn’t made it to a show like Taskmaster we will never know; he certainly has the vibe of someone who would take any challenge in a unique and interesting way.
Rubicon is a mix of audience participation, some super mild crowdwork, a game show and some heart-warming anecdotes for good measure. This is all presented in a super-chill way.
Zafar is usually a good comedian to start a festival with; he’s multi-talented, and his work always has something new. Alas Rubicon has a ‘random ideas book’ vibe; nothing really stitches it together as Zafar seemingly experiments. It’s a pleasure to see a master at work, and the vibe makes up for the lack of a solid idea behind the show. Fun, and one to catch if you can squeeze it into your busy fringe schedule.
