Performed in one of Edinburgh’s longest standing cocktail bars, the Dragonfly. A fairly small and enclosed venue resulted in a very intimate feel for this show, it also made it feel a little creepy.
Sofia May is a survivor of a Buddhist cult in the Colorado Mountains where she acted as the leader’s assistant for 7 years until she got out.
From the offset she warns the audience about just how dark the content of this show will be and that just because it runs at 3pm in the afternoon does not mean it’s going to be the kind of thing you could drink a cup of tea with. She is also not supposed to talk about the cult and that her old ringleader is extremely angry that she is doing it, which made me feel like I was part of some scary secret pact.
This stand up mainly centres around how much she now hates Buddhism and everything they stand for, even going as far as calling herself a “Buddhaphobe” and slamming the ease with which the religion’s doctrines can be exploited by narcissistic endeavours.
Like most people who find themselves joining a cult, she enjoys it at first. That is until she starts working for them. The leader herself was a clear narcissist and would do anything to tear other people down if it meant she felt better about herself. Unfortunately for Sofia she was her next victim.
This performance is definitely not all sunshine and rainbows, although the cult does take credit for rainbows!
If you like true crime documentaries and toxic mother-daughter relationships, this one’s for you.
The Buddha Wears Prada, 15:15, Other Room at Laughing Horse @ Dragonfly, 6th – 30th
https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/the-buddha-wears-prada
