Celya AB brings a warm, Parisian sensibility to the Edinburgh Fringe as she takes you on a journey through her wonderfully idiosyncratic, frenzied mind. Her quips are slick, her one-liners razor sharp, and her caustic wit and pithy anecdotes dazzle the mind. She’ll leave you in occasional hysterics as she struts about, taking you through her struggles with mental health, her fatigue with dating, money, and esoteric cultural references, all told with an infectious and relatable charm.
One of the most endearing elements of her show is the juxtaposition of the quaint character she portrays and the sometimes off-the-wall absurdity of her comments and observations. She plays into her weirdness, and it not afraid to shock, however warm the atmosphere she creates is. She doesn’t rush things, she will take her time through stories and allow her lines the space they need to ferment in the mind, which is why it takes you so off-guard when she turns the weirdness up.
Her crowd work is also quite refreshing, rather than poke and tease the audience, she wants to find out about your life, make you feel valued and included in the joke. In a few instances, her tales and witty bars don’t totally play out, but it’s never too noticeable and she manages to maintain her show’s easy pace.
Celya AB: Of All People, 17.20, Pleasance, Until August 25
https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/celya-ab-of-all-people
