Saaniya Abbas: HELLARIOUS! at Soho Theatre Review
Written by Cathie for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
Saaniya Abbas returns to Soho theatre with kitty ears and an impish smile for her new show HELLARIOUS. As the title implies, this show is a rather cheeky and irreverent exploration of Saaniya’s experiences as a “cultural muslim” and why, by her own reckoning, that places her firmly on a fast track to hell.
Originally from New Delhi, working in Dubai and now visiting London, this is a show which traverses continental differences in humour with ease. The topics meander across many areas. We learn about her upbringing and family relationships, her attitude to her faith, her marriage and divorce to a middle-class Brit and life in New Delhi versus the UAE. Sprinkled in between are jokes on the afterlife, the horrors of dating apps and the advertising rules of flashing armpits.
Her comedy style is sharp, acutely observational and deeply profound. Saaniya is brilliant at tackling difficult and light topics with ease and switches effortlessly between them while gently guiding the audience along to the punchline. She is fearless and does not shy away from dark improv jokes if the opportunity is there. The nuance with which she balances these themes is especially enjoyable, though deeply religious audience members may find her playful “haram vs halal” discussion of her life too flippant and irreverent. The pacing worked well at only an hour’s length, yet there is never a long time to wait for side-splitting laughter and a mix of large and small punchlines.
The change in topics shifts constantly, yet come back to ease, so the audience never feels lost in the set. I was especially impressed by her crowd work and the ease in which she delighted and controlled the audience. Whether calling everyone "cutie" to using the front row and their experiences in rapid-fire callbacks to add to her routine, this was warm-hearted, fiendishly clever, and remarkable to experience. She genuinely appears very excited to see her audience and this forms a good third of the comedy created. At its heart this is a show about the resilience of the human spirit.
Despite the challenges, failures and significant pain Saaniya has gone through, she is still persevering to alchemise it into joy. This is a powerful and profound attitude that takes great strength of spirit and Saaniya showcases that in spades. She is true to herself no matter the cost and brings the audience along for a warm, witty and truly hilarious ride. If you want a “hellarious” show that will brighten your very wet February, make you laugh heartily and leave you feeling encouraged and uplifted, then this is the perfect show for you.
At Soho Theatre until 14 February
★★★★
