Isabelle Farah

Isabelle Farah
BornJanuary 1986
Westminster, London, England
Other nameIsabelle Waddy
Education
Years active2016–present
Children1
Websitewww.isabellefarah.com

Isabelle Rose L Waddy (born January 1986), known professionally as Isabelle Farah, is an English comedian, presenter, actress and writer. Her solo comedy shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival include Ellipsis (2021), Irresponsabelle (2022) and Nebuchadnezzar (2024).

Early life

Farah's mother worked as a nurse in Beirut during the Lebanese Civil War before returning to London, where Farah was born and raised by her mother and stepfather in Archway and Muswell Hill. Her Lebanese biological father passed away when she was 15. Farah is a descendant of James Spittal via his daughter Etheldred (wife of Percival Stacy Waddy).

Farah graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in French literature and film from University College London (UCL). She took a foundation year at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts and also trained at the Drama Studio London.

Career

Farah started attending the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2007, where she recalls first being inspired by stand-up comedy. She later joined the Jill Edwards Comedy Workshop in Brighton, through which she had her first stand-up comedy gig in 2016 MC'd by Angela Barnes. Since 2018, Farah has regularly featured in the comedy line-up of Arabs Are Not Funny.

Farah performed her debut solo comedy show Ellipsis at the 2021 Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Soho Theatre before embarking on a tour. She described Ellipsis as a "theatre/comedy hybrid about comedy and grief and how we process and show/hide it". This was followed by Irresponsabelle in 2022, which was just "silly jokes, anecdotes… with no tears at all". In addition to the 2022 Edinburgh Fringe, she brought Irresponsabelle to the 2023 VAULT Festival. Farah also guest starred in an episode of the BBC One medical soap opera Doctors.

Also in 2023, Farah started workshopping her third show Nobu and Amytis at the Glitch and in Henley-on-Thames, which became Nebuchadnezzar at the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Farah also narrated the 2023 Documentary Ukraine's Stolen Children and 2024 Channel 4 documentary series To Catch a Copper. After having her first child, Farah returned with her next show about the experience titled Mothermorphosis in 2025.

Personal life

In summer 2024, Farah revealed she was expecting her first child with her partner.

Stage

Year Title Role Notes
2014 Waiting for Summer: Lubna/Ensemble Et Cetera Theatre/Old Red Lion & Tour
2021 Isabelle Farah: Ellipsis Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Soho Theatre
Tour
2022 Isabelle Farah: Irresponsabelle Edinburgh Fringe Festival
VAULT Festival
2023 Isabelle Farah: Nobu and Amytis (WIP)
2024 Isabelle Farah: Nebuchadnezzar Edinburgh Fringe Festival
2025 Isabelle Farah: Mothermorphosis Camden Fringe
2026 Isabelle Farah: Bint Arab British Centre

References

  1. 1 2 Farah, Isabelle (1 August 2024). "My show's about to open at Edinburgh Fringe – but I'm hiding a huge secret". The Independent. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
  2. ↑ "Isabelle Farah - Actress, Comedian". e-Talenta. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
  3. 1 2 Flint, Hanna (2 August 2024). "British-Lebanese comedian Isabelle Farah brings Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar to life at Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2024". The New Arab. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  4. ↑ Farah, Isabelle (3 November 2026). "Ode to Finny P, my first and longest love". Irresponsabelle. Retrieved 6 November 2026.
  5. ↑ Hawkins, Si (5 October 2021). "Isabelle Farah - Random 8". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  6. ↑ "Isabelle Farah - London, United Kingdom". About.Me. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
  7. ↑ "2011 Graduates". Drama Studio London. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  8. ↑ "This show is my most raw self laid bare..." Chortle. 8 August 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
  9. ↑ Hawkins, Si (13 March 2022). "Isabelle Farah - First Gig, Worst Gig". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
  10. ↑ Gill, Joe (20 March 2020). "Corona comedy: Arab women comics laugh in the face of adversity". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
  11. ↑ Fox, Lou (18 August 2021). "Isabelle Farah: Ellipsis". Broadway Baby. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
  12. ↑ Innis, Tom. "Interview with actor, comedian, and writer Isabelle Farah". Voice. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
  13. ↑ McCarthy, Sean L (8 August 2022). "Isabelle Farah: "Irresponsabelle," at Edinburgh Fringe 2022". The Comic's Comic. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
  14. ↑ Niala, JC (27 February 2023). "VAULT Festival Review: Isabelle Farah: Irresponsabelle". Theatre Weekly. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
  15. ↑ Timblick, Simon. "'Doctors' spoilers: HOW does Emma Reid land in hospital?". What to Watch. (Future plc). Archived from the original on 12 March 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  16. ↑ "My show is like Monty Python meets Aladdin". Henley Standard. 2023. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
  17. ↑ Laraki, Nora (13 August 2024). "A Non-Exhaustive List of Arab Art and Talent at the Fringe 2024". Shubbak. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  18. ↑ Newman, Sam (23 August 2024). "Edfringe Comedy Review: Isabelle Farah: Nebuchadezzar". Entertainment Now. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  19. ↑ "'To Catch a Copper', narrated by Isabelle Farah, nominated for BAFTA!". Sue Terry Voices. 27 March 2025. Retrieved 11 May 2025.
  20. ↑ "Isabelle Farah: Mothermorphosis". Broadway Baby. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  21. ↑ "Isabelle Farah". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 7 August 2024.