Comedian Mark Maier plays one of the biggest gigs of his career this week when he performs his latest show Jewvenile at the Duchess Theatre in London on Monday, March 16.

In the show Maier digs into his Jewish background with his trademark combination of razor sharp wit and dark humour. His father Werner was born in Berlin in 1930 and came to Britain in 1939 with his parents. When their boat arrived at Newcastle they got off, thinking it was New York. Two of Werner’s uncles died in Auschwitz.

The show explores his family history, but also brings his story up to date with contemporary comic observations on topics including cushions, blue badges and how Jews can't go to any event without making plans about where they are going to eat. Maier told the Jewish Chronicle: "We have an obsession with food. I really thought we’d missed a trick by not setting up a bagel stall at the 7th October memorial in Hyde Park.”

Maier was voted Jewish Performer of the Year in 2001 and was the first UK comedian to play the Jewish Comedy Festival in San Francisco. He taught and performed improvisation with Catherine Tate and has had a string of successful radio series, which he both wrote and performed in. Maier regularly hosts the monthly stand-up club at the Village Green pub in Muswell Hill and performs across Europe.

Jewvenile, Monday, March 16, Duchess Theatre. Buy tickets here.

Maier is pictured with a kipper on his head - the Jewish word for the traditional skull cap is kippah.