Emirati stand-up comic Sheida Ibrahim is raring to broaden her horizons and the UAE’s comedy scene

Sheida Ibrahim didn’t hesitate to poke fun at herself. The Emirati cracked jokes about her name and physical appearance as a teenager.

“That was my first act, but looking back I’m wondering how could anyone have found that funny?” says the 30-year-old HR professional, with a laugh.

Putting herself and her culture at the centre of comedy took a lot of guts and Ibrahim only managed to muster the courage after a freak accident during a holiday in 2011.

“I fell from a three-storey building and broke all my bones,” says Ibrahim. “My survival is what they call a miracle and that changed my whole life. I couldn’t walk for three months and every minute seemed forever. I even had to quit my job.

“After that I knew it couldn’t get any worse and that life can only get better from here. During the break from work, I took a comedy workshop to get over my fear of public speaking and haven’t looked back since.

“I have a very serious job and comedy allows me to come out of that zone, laugh at myself and take it easy. A sort of therapy and confidence booster.”

The past few years have seen more Emirati men take the stage to display their funny side, but that trend has not extended to Emirati women, yet. Ibrahim has a theory about it.

“It boils down to ours being a conservative culture,” she says. “Women here haven’t seen female Emirati stand-up comedians, so there is a fear of the unknown.

“Emirati women may also worry about what others might think if they go up on stage and make a fool of themselves. It is all about shedding inhibitions.”

Original article by Afshan Ahmed

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