Comic relief, laughter, and joy are integral aspects of everyday life and culture in Sudan. Comedy and comedy sketches have a long history in the country, from the late Fadel Saeed (1935–2005) to today’s beloved comedians such as Fadheel, Jalwak, and Rabea Taha.
Stand-up comedy is not entirely new in Sudan either. However, in recent years, many new Sudanese talents have emerged in stand-up, including the first Sudanese female stand-up comedian Ola Labib. These performers are now based across the world, including the UAE, the UK, the US, Canada, Spain, and France.
Here are some Sudanese stand-up comedians making audiences from around the world laugh.
Abbas Wahab
Abbas Wahab is a Sudanese-Canadian comedian and actor, originally based in New York City. He has performed at comedy clubs and events across Canada and the US, and has been featured at prestigious festivals including Just For Laughs and the Edinburgh Fringe. Wahab is best known for his viral “Job Interview” and “Automotive Marketing” series, which humorously parody the behind-the-scenes hiring and advertising of major brands. His comedic style has been described as electrifying and sharp, grounded in relatable storytelling. Through his online sketches, he has built a loyal following of over 120,000 on Instagram and 200,000 on TikTok.
In addition to comedy, Wahab has achieved success as an actor. He most recently appeared as a SWAT officer in M Night Shyamalan’s psychological thriller Trap (2024), starring Josh Hartnett. He has also made appearances on popular TV shows including The Boys, What We Do in the Shadows, and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.
Primary performance language: English
Social media: Instagram @abbaswahab, TikTok @abbaswahab, Threads @abbaswahab, website abbaswahab.com
Ahmed Abdelrahman is a Sudanese-American stand-up comedian, comedy writer, and scriptwriter based in the US. He holds an Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Dramatic Writing from New York University (NYU) and has performed at numerous comedy festivals and clubs across the country. Ahmed shares his stand-up performances and comedy sketches on social media, primarily on Instagram and TikTok.
Primary performance language: English
Social media: Instagram @comicahmed, TikTok @comicahmed, Threads @comicahmed
Boosh Bshasha
Boosh Bshasha is a UAE-based international Sudanese stand-up comedian, filmmaker, and the Head of Production & Creative Art Director at Edraak Media. Known for his sharp eye for visual storytelling — and an even sharper tongue for comedy — Boosh gained popularity through his online sketches and reels, amassing nearly one million followers across platforms: over 200,000 on Instagram, 400,000 on TikTok, and 300,000 on Facebook. One of the UAE’s most exciting comedy creators, he has hosted 25 stand-up shows and toured across the Middle East and North Africa, performing in the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, with London as his next stop. When he’s not cracking up crowds on stage, he’s directing, producing, and crafting creative content that blends fresh humor with authentic storytelling. He is also the host of Bas Mubashir by Edraak Media.
Primary performance language: Arabic
Social media: Instagram @boosh_bshasha, Facebook boosh.a.ali, TikTok @booshbshasha0, website booshbshasha.com
Hassan Elfadul
Hassan Elfadul is a Sudanese stand-up comedian based in Madrid, Spain. He has performed at comedy clubs and shows across the city, including The Madrid Comedy Lab, The Crack Club, The Comedy Clubhouse, and La Cueva. He is also the co-host of the award-winning sports podcast Dafouri Pod.
Primary performance language: English
Social media: Instagram @hassanalfadul, WhatsApp Channel whatsapp.com/channel
Hassan Gali
Hassan Gali is a Sudanese-British stand-up comedian, writer, host, and public policy expert based in Saudi Arabia. A former doctor who worked for the NHS in the UK, he now performs stand-up comedy across the world, including in Saudi Arabia and the UK.
Primary performance language: English
Social media: Instagram @hassangali
Mustafa Jorry
Mustafa Jorry is a Sudanese artist, comedian, and content creator based in Paris, France, with a global fan base and an online following of over one million — including 558,000+ on Facebook, 290,000+ on Instagram, 225,000+ on TikTok, and 113,000+ on YouTube. He is also the host of Alsan w alkon, a Sudanese political commentary show on Alaraby TV and its YouTube channel. In 2025, he expanded into stand-up comedy with his show Jorry On Stage, performing at Arabic comedy events across Paris.
Primary performance language: Arabic
Social media: Instagram @mustafa_jorry and @jorryonstage, Facebook facebook.com/mustafajorryofficial, YouTube youtube.com/c/MustafaJorry, Threads @mustafa_jorry, TikTok @mustafa_jorry
Ola Labib
Ola Labib is a Sudanese-British stand-up comedian, writer, and actor based in the UK. She is also the co-host of the Halalish Podcast. Born in 1988 in Portsmouth, she initially pursued a career in pharmacy, spending over seven years working for the National Health Service (NHS) before shifting her focus to comedy full-time in 2022.
Labib has performed in stand-up shows across the UK and gained recognition after placing third in the 2021 Funny Women Awards with a routine exploring the prejudices she faced as a Sudanese hijabi. For some time, she was billed as “the UK’s only Black, Muslim, Sudanese female comedian.” Her rising career includes performing at The O2 as part of Mo Gilligan & Friends: The Black British Takeover, which aired on Channel 4 in October 2022, and appearing on Dave’s Just Jokes that same month for Black History Month. In 2024, she appeared on World’s Most Dangerous Roads alongside Mike Wozniak and hosted London’s Eid in the Square celebration.
Expanding into acting, Labib created and stars in The Pharmacy, a Channel 4 comedy blap released in March 2025, in which her on-screen love interest is played by her real-life husband, Ramey Dawoud.
Primary performance language: English
Social media: Instagram @theolalabib, TikTok @theolalabib, X (formerly Twitter) @theolalabib, website olalabib.com
Samir Abdul
Samir Abdul is a Sudanese-American stand-up comedian, writer, and researcher based in Chicago, Illinois. He has performed at top US venues including the Laugh Factory, Zanies, Don’t Tell Comedy, and The Den Theatre, sharing stages with talents such as AGT’s Learnmore Jonasi and WGN’s Pat Tomasulo. His hit show Up’N Coming at The Second City has drawn over 1,000 audience members, establishing it as one of Chicago’s most exciting showcases for rising comedic talent.
Originally from Darfur, Sudan, Abdul is a survivor of the Darfur genocide. In his comedy, he blends personal stories of resilience with sharp, witty observations on American life, using humor to bridge cultural divides, challenge perceptions, spark conversations, and find laughter where cultures collide.
Primary performance language: English
Social media: Instagram @laughwithsamir, Facebook facebook.com/laughwithsamir, website samirabdul.com
Shadi
Shadi is a Sudanese-Welsh stand-up comedian, writer, filmmaker, and hot toys collector based in London, UK. He performs at comedy clubs and shows across the city, including Top Secret Comedy Club, Backstreet Comedy Club, and AstroKitty Comedy. Shadi co-hosts the comedy night and podcast Ebony and Ivory, and also hosts the Happy Doomsday podcast by Till The Roach Studios, offering weekly commentary on movies and TV news.
Primary performance language: English
Social media: Instagram @shadiscriptedit
Honourable mentions
- Gasim Bushra: Sudanese comedian base in Scotland. @gass09
- Mamoun Freetown
- Omar Ramzi (The White Sudani): Irish-Sudanese comedian and musician. youtube.com/omz69
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