Sarfraz Manzoor: The Boss Rules

Some people have heroes; people they admire, look up to, and even try to emulate sometimes. But I’d never seen living proof of it ‘til now. For every twist and turn Sarfraz Manzoor’s life has taken, there is a Bruce Springsteen lyric to match.

The concept of the show is perhaps fairly self-indulgent, but not in a sickening way. It is about his life, yes, but his life hasn’t exactly been run-of-the-mill and it makes for interesting and, at times, emotional listening. And it’s about his favourite artist, yes, but you’ve got to admit, the lyrics he selects could easily have been written about his experiences.

Manzoor’s show is about race and religion, life and love. He acknowledges early on that he’s a journalist, not a comedian, but there’s no shortage of laughs. He is a confident yet subtle performer, while his self-deprecating, natural sense of humour, combined with his witty intellect, make him extremely likeable.

The show is a little ray of sunshine: very uplifting. And though it’s by no means the funniest thing you’ll see this year, you’ll come away with a great big smile on your face, a new-found respect for Mr Bruce Springsteen, and a feeling of total satisfaction.