‘Boat or plane?’ Maedeh asks us of how we got to Australia. She jokes that no-one wants to talk to the plane people, only those who arrive by boat. She smiles, laughs, and charms us all through her disarming comedy and alarming personal history.

It’s a truly wonderful experience: Maedeh evokes laughter tinged with guilt, shame fringed with a smile – it’s incredibly moving to hear her stories told so authentically. You will be inspired by her resilience in the face of some extremely awful reactions from those close to her, and you’ll applaud her determination to define herself, her way. Whether you can identify with her situation or not, Maedeh includes you in her comedy – she wants you to laugh with her.

It’s much more than stand-up comedy: there are theatrics with costumes, beautiful characterisations of others, and cheeky props. Nor is it for a niche audience: you’d get a lot more understanding of Australia’s incredibly broad cultural mix from Maedeh’s comedy than you will from the news, whatever community you’re from.