THERE are several Fringe shows this year that promise to deal with “darker” subject matter.
Well, if there are any shows darker than this one, I’d be hugely surprised.
But that darkness is dealt with using an incredibly light and unexpectedly hilarious touch in a hugely-entertaining hour from the Asian-American comic making her Edinburgh debut.
I always think there are some shows that benefit from you going in knowing as little as possible about the content but there are two things you need to know about Anna who, though a Fringe rookie, is a hugely experienced Stateside stand-up.
Firstly, she was forced into a six-year “retirement” by a deranged stalker who threatened to shoot her and once sent 613 abusive emails in a week.
The full story which Anna reveals makes Baby Reindeer, the huge Fringe true-life hit about a comic and his stalker, seem like a walk in the park.
And, secondly, Anna lost her younger sister to suicide. This prompted her to not only pursue stand-up but to become, as she jokes, “Most passionate about suicide…prevention.”
Talking about suicide destigmatises it and can therefore reduce risks and, as Anna jokes, “My unique superpower is that when horrific stuff happens to me, I can monetise it!”
This is one of several lines that coming from a less-deft and engaging performer could jar but Anna’s masterful delivery keeps everything on this side of the darkness, albeit only just on occasion.
Put it this way, I went with a woman who is here with her sister and when she wasn’t howling with laughter, she was sobbing in recognition of a lot of what was being said.
Some of Anna’s Americanism’s meant a joke didn’t quite land with an Edinburgh audience, and she does say some quite shocking things while stunning us with revelations about her dysfunctional family – wait for the video montage at the end! – but I’m not gonna lie, I’m stealing her, “Let me play Devil’s avocado” line.
Anna Akana: It Get’s Darker is on at the Pleasance Courtyard – Upstairs from July 31 – August 26 (not Mondays). For tickets visit www.edfringe.com
