It's little wonder that Muslim comic Shazia Mirza has described her standup career as 'slightly scary'. Since she took to the stage, she's received hate mail and she maintains that her father has never been to see one of her sets, even though she's been plying her trade for more than five years.
Her shows often get a mixed reception, too. As the only female Muslim worth talking about on the circuit, her demand is more to do with her subject matter and its impact on audiences than her raw skill in delivering stand-up comedy - and her cool exterior can make her difficult to warm to.
But her schtick - about what it's like to be a woman caught between the liberal attitudes of the West and the strictures of a restrictive Muslim culture - is eye-opening.
Tonight she headlines a new monthly comedy spot at Stratford East, and half of her set will be made up of material from her last Edinburgh show about her family and upbringing.
But the new half sees her leave behind the Muslim background - presumably to prove that she's not a one-trick pony - and talk about everyday stuff based on observations over the last few months: annoying customer services, shops such as Matalan and Primark and why she's 'no good at having fun'. She's even hinted that she'd like to work on some character-based comedy for a new show, too.
It all seems a far cry from the days when she would turn up onstage wearing hijab. Whether this new observational material works or not, she's certainly unafraid of change.
Tonight, Theatre Royal Stratford East, Gerry Raffles Square E15, 8pm, free. Tel: 020 8534 7374. www.stratfordeast.com Tube: Stratford
