Durban - Doctor and part-time comedian Suhayl Essa says comedy has helped his practice because it relieves stress.
“It eases a lot of tension among my patients in the emergency room. Contrary to popular belief, laughter isn’t the best medicine, but a joke helps when you’ve got a panga sticking out of your head,” he said.
Essa obtained his Bachelor in Medicine and Surgery (MBBCh) at Wits University and a Diploma in Primary Emergency Care from the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa. He specialises in emergency medicine.
Essa has been involved in comedy for nine years, but said his upcoming show would be his scariest because he would perform at his former high school. He said it would be scary to perform in front of his former teachers, who he will make fun of.
Essa said his drama teacher had encouraged him to continue in the field when he chose his subjects for Grade 10, but his Indian parents were not happy about it.
“I don’t regret it though. I may have had a far more rigid performance with formal training. My stand-up style is conversationa,l and I find that’s easy for people to relate to,” he said.
“I’ve never really transitioned (from medicine to comedy), but I did discover my love for stand-up comedy in 2014, as a fan. I’d visit the ‘underground’ comedy club in Melville (where Trevor Noah started) and I’d just watch the comedians, in awe of their skill and ability to control a room. A year later, I jumped on stage and never looked back.”
Essa said that after the success of his debut one-man show, “Beginning Again” ‒ which sold out across the country ‒ he wanted to share the journey about being an Indian in Africa and what that meant, and he hoped audiences would enjoy something fresh and hilarious. Essa said he intended to incorporate new material.
He will give two performances on July 1, at Seabrooke’s Theatre, Durban High School, at 4pm and 8pm.
The Independent on Saturday