Abigoliah Schamaun: Namaste, Bitches

★★★
comedy review (edinburgh) | Read in About 2 minutes
Published 06 Aug 2017
33330 large
100487 original

Namaste, Bitches, in just two words, is so perfectly neat a condensation of the show's tone that it's almost not worth turning up to see its delineation. Abigoliah Schamaun makes it worth your while, though, in an hour brimming with enthusiasm (if not laughs). 

With a persona somewhere between a giddy schoolgirl and Joan Rivers, Schamaun offers an ode to all the things that liven up her life. They all manifest themselves as vices one way or another, be they drug habits, musical cabarets, or yoga. Ultimately she plays fast and loose with the take-home morale, but it doesn't really matter. Her message is one of simple hedonism in any form, and if we could all have as much fun as she seems to be having, it'll catch on fast. 

It's not quite a set of memoirs but there is surprising emotional depth, as she documents the phases and fallacies that have sparked her into life. Underpinning it all is a genuine love for the craft (both standup and showbusiness). It's not all sunshine of course, and her hoarse voice (a physical token of her larger-than-life mantra) pairs well with her occasionally prickly turn of phrase. 

Material-wise there are shortcomings, and some of the anecdotes are crying out for a properly constructed punchline. She's funny, but often her stories aren't. With FIERCE GRACE emblazoned on her top, though, and a natural rapport with her audience, it doesn't matter all that much.