DESPITE the title of his show, Omid Djalili is refusing to be merely a spokesperson for the Middle East. The Iranian comic and actor has been performing stand-up since 1995, but the 49 year old is still dancing about the stage as he delivers corny punchlines.

Djalili's warm-up act, Boothby Graffoe, provided some enjoyable if slightly hit-and-miss jokes. Relying on improvisation, his quieter nature perhaps didn't shine as brightly as Djalili's large and commanding stage presence, but his sequence on psychics was delightfully irreverent.

My one criticism of Djalili is that some of his material was a little rote. Tips on the levels of love and hate in a relationship, as well as the pain of bending over as a middle-aged man, are jokes an audience may have seen before, but Djalili's exuberant delivery is fantastic and makes up for the less original pieces of his set.

In contrast, his newer material is brilliant, in particular his excellent impersonations and accents. It's impressive how Djalili can bring the audience from raucous laughter while discussing the perfect way to diffuse a boring conversation, to an awed silence as he explains his faith, and the concept of life after death.

Ending with a question-and-answer session from the audience, Djalili really works the crowd, and his showmanship shines through with the technical quality of the evening. You might see the odd punchline coming, but it's an enjoyable night out with a fantastic personality nonetheless.