Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe fundraiser brings together stars of UK comedy

One Night of Freedom hosted by Shappi Khorsandi saw the likes of Al Murray, Mark Steel and Sara Pascoe take the stage in Conway Hall on the two-year anniversary of the British-Iranian charity worker’s arrest in Iran

It’s not easy to enjoy a party when the guest of honour is in prison.

Yet some of the biggest names in British comedy did just that at London’s Conway Hall this week to mark two years since Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was arrested in Iran and later sentenced to five years. Her crime? Taking her young daughter to the country to meet her grandparents.

One Night of Freedom was originally conceived as a welcome-home party for 39-year-old Nazanin, who has been falsely accused of plotting against the Iranian regime; separated from her husband Richard and daughter, Gabriella, now three.

But with the UK government so far failing to secure her release, her husband Richard Ratcliffe, who has campaigned tirelessly since the day she was arrested, thought it was “profoundly important” to press on with the night of standup in solidarity with his wife and all political prisoners being held by Tehran authorities.

Ratcliffe and Iranian-born comedian Shappi Khorsandi took matters into their own hands and planned the event with Amnesty International and anti-torture charity Redress. The objective of the night: to raise a smile for Nazanin.

Richard Ratcliffe and Shappi Khorsandi (Marie-Anne Ventoura)

Hosted by Khorsandi, comedians Al Murray and Mark Steel raised the roof with blistering takes on a range of topics including Brexit. They topped side-splitting performances from Sara Pascoe, Tom Lucy, Lou Sanders and the poet Luke Wright.

Speaking at the event, Mr Ratcliffe said: “We were hoping Nazanin would be home by Christmas. But it also felt like if this was still going – and it is a marathon – we really would need something to cheer us up.

“I don’t know how it’s been for you but I’ve had a wonderful evening so far, and it’s not often I say that these days.”

In addition members of the audience had the opportunity to write down their own joke, as part of a campaign to collect as many as possible, to compile a calendar for Nazanin which will help bring some laughter to each of her days.

Speaking backstage, Mark Steel said: “It’s a very British thing in a way, isn’t it? A woman is in jail, she’s got a young baby, for no reason she’s being held by Islamic revolutionary guards… gotta laugh though ain’t ya!

“With these cases, the higher profile it’s kept, the more chance you have of doing something.

“It’s easy to laugh about the Iranian government being scared of four or five hundred people coming to Conway Hall for a comedy gig, but it isn’t just that. It’s part of a bigger campaign.”

Proceeds from the event will go to Amnesty International and Redress. You can share your own joke here – the 2019 calendar will be sent to Nazanin, Gabriella and the families of other prisoners, and will also be used as a fundraiser for organisations which have supported the #FreeNazanin campaign.

Highlights from the event can be viewed above.