Have you ever pretended you were a guest on The Graham Norton Show when you were home alone? Nala, the protagonist of viral British-Somali comedian Adna Ahmed’s debut play, certainly has.

How To Be Famous! (when your parents don’t have a Wikipedia page) is a hilarious, sharp, and witty comedy that follows a young receptionist with dreams of making it in stand-up while navigating class barriers, the weight of Muslim familial expectations, and keeping up appearances for her mother. From getting married to a paper cutout of Michael B. Jordan to using Pitbull lyrics as life advice, the show had the audience in fits of laughter.

The play by Side eYe Productions, best known for Dugsi Dayz (now adapted into the BBC series Proper Ladies) and Desperation Times, stars Ahmed alongside comedian Fathiya Saleh. Behind the scenes is Amal Abdi, and together, they’re part of a collective committed to staging stories by Muslims and collaborating with Black Muslim women and their allies.

On the play’s final night at North London’s Pleasance Theatre, between congratulations from friends and audience members, Ahmed and Saleh sat down outside the venue with AMALIAH to discuss comedy writing, class and carving out space in a gatekept industry.

For those who haven’t seen the show, tell us about How To Be Famous! (when your parents don’t have a Wikipedia page).

Adna: This is a play about a woman who has always wanted to be a comedian, but because she’s a working-class Muslim woman, she always thought she couldn’t do it. She looked up to other comedians but would Google them and find out they came from wealth or went to Oxford or Cambridge, so she stopped herself from wanting more. Instead, she resorts to maladaptive daydreaming because if she actually tries, she thinks she will fail.

Fathiya: In a few words, I’d describe the play as hilarious, relatable and sincere. For the character of Nala’s mum, she’s super funny and genuinely wants the best for her child, but has her own traumas and a funny way of showing it.

Adna, what inspired you to write this play?

Adna: It’s inspired by my friends and me. When we were younger, we dreamt of being on TV or stage, but most of them discarded them as childhood dreams and chose serious degrees when we grew up. Then, when I was at university, I went to a theatre group, where I was the only person of colour. Everyone was white. So, I stayed for five minutes then left because it felt like it wasn’t made for me. Now, I wish I had stayed, because maybe that would have encouraged other women of colour and the environment would have been more diverse.

I had the idea for the play around seven years ago, and it became semi-autobiographical as I realised how scared I was of trying.

It’s the ultimate question of choosing between pursuing your dreams and having a stable life and career.

I wrote a first draft during Covid-19, and I started working on Desperate Times with Side eYe, which was my first experience of working professionally in this industry, and that made me want to write again. So, I started to write the play again, and when I showcased the first 15 minutes of it, the positive feedback gave me the courage to complete it.

Fathiya, what made you want to join the production and how did it compare to your experience as a stand-up comedian?

Fathiya: The script. It’s absolutely hilarious, so I was like, ‘No questions asked, book me.’ I would’ve done it for free, but it’s too late to take my money back now! Acting and stand-up have some similarities, such as having a stage presence and engaging with an audience. Taking on different characters and memorising my lines was a little bit tough; it took me a while, but I got there in the end. I had to learn five different people!

What have you both learned from the experience of working on your first play?

Fathiya: From the script, in particular, I learned the power in pursuing your dreams. I’ve been able to do it, but it reminded me to always bite the bullet and pursue because you never know what might happen.

Adna: That I really want to pursue this as a career. I’ve started to become Nala’s mum who tells her to get a serious job, because the economy is so bad! But this has brought me so much joy and happiness. It doesn’t feel like work. Being able to fulfil a childhood dream of performing on stage and having audiences engage with my work has revived my desire and given me the confidence of making this a viable career, inshaAllah.

What audience reactions have stuck with you the most?

Fathiya: When people say, ‘this character reminds me of my mum or brother’. The ones that have moved me the most are the ones touching on their quiet pressure from our immigrant parents of having to make it in life.

A lot of people felt seen and understood. We’re all out here trying to make it, follow our dreams while making our families proud.

Adna: How much people connect with the character’s delusions and the feeling of just wanting to make your parents proud.

Do you have any favourite lines or plot points?

Adna: I love the part where Nala pretends to accept an Oscar award in her bedroom. I’ve definitely done that before. I love the delusional, silly parts. I loved Fathiya’s improvisations, like when she’s playing Nala’s mum and says, ‘You want me to die!’ What mother hasn’t said that?

How do you hope audiences feel leaving the theatre after watching How To Be Famous! (when your parents don’t have a Wikipedia page)?

Adna: I want them to feel hopeful, introspective and feel they can tap into their silliness and childhood self again.

The play is like a love letter to the younger version of myself.

I used to daydream a lot and always wanted to make my parents proud, so I struggled with wanting to act and write when my parents told me I shouldn’t. I’m happy this exists now, as when you get older, you stop daydreaming as the reality of life hits you.

Fathiya: I hope they’re reminded to follow their dreams. You don’t have to constantly sacrifice; you can help your family and live your passions at the same time. We just think we can’t because so many things are set up against us, but we just need to allow ourselves to be seen.