Latest news with #CheeseandCurry
The National
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
New Scot blends politics and patter in bold comedy fundraiser
He brought a revamped version of his hit Glasgow Comedy Festival show, Chips, Cheese and Curry, to Blackfriars on Thursday, performing a special charity gig in support of a family in Gaza. After calling himself 'Romesh Ranganathan from Temu' within the first five minutes of the set and comparing his hometown of Sirohi, India to Aberdeen, – both places where 'all you think about is leaving' – one would be forgiven if they assumed he was not proud of his roots. READ MORE: From Lewis Capaldi to a long-awaited apology – plenty to be positive about in June However, Rathore delivered a 50 minute gig that served as not just a charity fundraiser or a run of the mill comedy set, but a nuanced exploration of leaving home and finding it in a place that doesn't often know what to do with you. Since coming to Scotland, the comic has had a number of experiences – some good, some bad and some side-splittingly wild (looking at you, Falkirk dating scene). After being offered 'halal' class A drugs in a Dundee pub toilet, Rathore came to the astute conclusion that our wee island nation is 'racist but welcoming'. He explored the ramifications of the East India Company and the UK's troubled history of colonialism with slick observational humour and a fairly accurate impression of the beloved naturalist David Attenborough. A few of the technical issues he faced would have left any novice comic flailing on stage, but Rathore handled it with style, incorporating the hitches into the set and improvising with crowd work until problems with sound were resolved. READ MORE: 'Hold its head in shame': Gary Linker hits out at BBC for dropping Gaza documentary And shout-out to Rathore's dad, who has unknowingly become a Glasgow micro-celebrity with his accidental inclusion of Nigel Farage quotes in a Facebook eulogy for a friend who had passed away. Despite English being his fourth language, he shows an innate and witty understanding not just of Scottish culture but of the core pillar of our society too: our patter. From accidentally joining an Orange Walk to the bizarre parties our funerals often turn into, Chips, Cheese and Curry acts as a sneaky love letter to his hometown and the things that inadvertently tie it to Glasgow. Rathore has once again proven himself as one to watch on the Glasgow comedy scene. He will make his Edinburgh Fringe debut later this summer, performing at The Snug from July 31 – August 4. Verdict – four stars.
The National
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
New Scot to host charity comedy gig for Palestinian family
Hitesh Rathore, originally from Sirohi, India, moved to the city two years ago and has put on a slate of sold-out gigs since beginning his comedy career, as well as garnering recognition from press. Now, Rathore is using his platform to raise money for a family of nine in Gaza by performing his show Chips, Cheese and Curry in Blackfriars of Bell Street on July 3. READ MORE: Paolo Nutini and Ncuti Gatwa join calls for Labour to suspend Israel arms sales In a social media post, he said: 'I have done many things I never dreamt of, and some things I didn't even know could be dreamt. "But here we are, doing a solo show for charity. [The] last one was so freaking beautiful – this one will be better. "Please come and support my dream, this time for charity." Proceeds from the gig will be donated to an emergency fundraiser for Abdul Rahman Al-Mughanni and his family. The six children, alongside their parents and grandmother, were forced to flee from their home in the east of Gaza due to Israeli strikes in the region. They initially sought shelter in an abandoned house with a tin roof in Khan Younis before it was bombed by the IDF. After fleeing to Rafah, the family initially planned to escape Gaza. However, with the Rafah crossing now blocked, the aim of the fundraiser has changed to rebuilding their family home in Shejaiya, which was also destroyed in an Israeli strike. Chips, Cheese and Curry previously sold out twice as a work-in-progress show during the Glasgow International Comedy Festival. READ MORE: The facts are clear. So why won't the BBC report on Israel's nuclear weapons? Rathore described the show, saying: 'This isn't just 'haha-I'm-an-immigrant' comedy. It's about finding a home in a place that sometimes doesn't know what to do with you.' The comic, who made it to the semi-finals of Ricky Gervais's Spirit of Comedy Award, previously told The Herald about why he moved to Glasgow, noting that it was a decision made on a whim after hearing a Nina Nesbitt song. 'It was in lockdown, I was watching this TV show called Elementary. It had this song in it, Feather on the Clyde,' he said. 'I had no idea where the Clyde was or what Glasgow was, but I decided I was going to move there.' Rathore was also labelled as 'one to watch' by The Stand Comedy Club. The show is 18+ and tickets are available here.
