Because She's Shappi...

By Amy Stow

Shappi Khorsandi is back at the Edinburgh Fringe after unreasonably taking a year off to have a child. Who apparently is locked in the car whilst Shappi does her hour-long routine. Better make it quick, then. Shappi is known for her outspokenness, her wit and powers of observation, and this year's show is no different. Except that this year, Shappi gets personal. She riffs on her family members (with a particularly heart-warming tribute to her dad, a man I'd very much like to meet) and past lovers, her sex life and obsession with pornography. She jokes about her children and best friends, and focuses on her own mistakes throughout both her teenage years and during her career. It's all utterly endearing, and makes Shappi an immensely likeable person as well as a first-class comedienne.

Perhaps my only reservation with the kind of comedy that Shappi produces, being so rooted in her own experiences, is that some of the material is - possibly - alienating to those without children (myself included) as well as much of the male population. Her set was preoccupied with gender differences, as well as anecdotes about her foray into single motherhood, which whilst being very funny, were a far cry from my own experience. It would be nice to see some female stand-up that doesn't focus quite so heavily on gender, periods or pregnancy. Still, I say this carefully and with trepidation, given the raptuous applause throughout Shappi's hour on stage from men and women alike, which suggests that for many people, Shappi's analysis of the world is bang on.

★★★★

Shappi Khorsandi: Because I'm Shappi...

Pleasance Dome

August 14-15th, 17th-24th

20:30 (1 hr)

@ShappiKhorsandi

@PostScriptJour