1979: PERSIANALITY DISORDER By Sepideh Kaav To Be Performed At Edinburgh Fringe

Iranian comedian Sepideh Kaav brings 1979: Persianality Disorder to Edinburgh Fringe 2026, a darkly funny stand-up hour about growing up Iranian, living abroad, and trying to make jokes in a world of constantly breaking news and broken irony.

With sharp jokes, personal stories, and a satirical eye on Iran, the West, war, and the performance of morality, 1979: Persianality Disorder explores the absurdity of being shaped by history while trying to survive the present.

Sepideh asks: What happens when politics isn't just something you follow, but something that colours your childhood memories? For Sepideh, it finds its way into everything, from first dates and awkward meetings with her boss to the way she sees the world. Can comedy make people look directly at the darkness they usually avoid? And is trauma funnier with a microphone?

Sepideh Kaav is an Iranian stand-up comedian based in Berlin whose work combines dark comedy, political satire and personal storytelling, often finding absurd connections between geopolitics, relationships, religion and everyday life.

At the University of Tehran, Sepideh was the editor-in-chief of a student periodical, writing critical and sometimes funny articles about the news. She was also arrested by the morality police, the Gasht-e Ershad or Guidance Patrol.

Her comedy has been featured on ARTE in connection with war and Iranian politics. She has performed her hour around Europe, including sold-out previews, and is bringing the developed hour to Edinburgh Fringe 2026.