“Quick witted, with lines to make you think as well as laugh out loud”
I have just survived a very Italian evening. I say survived because the portions of food and the bottle red were extremely generous, and left me struggling to reach the third floor of the Soho Theatre. I’m glad I made it though! It’s been a hectic week so the chance to unwind was not only appealing to me, but I’d dragged along a slightly stressed colleague to help me with the wine, and to enjoy a bit of stand up comedy to kick start the weekend.
To be honest we weren’t entirely sure what to expect. We knew there’d be jokes but would we laugh? But as we were ushered to our seats as soon as we arrived we had little time to wonder. However Francesco de Carlo did not disappoint. He delivered a strong and confident set, full of political satire, a few home truths and maybe just a little over sharing of personal thoughts! We laughed out loud all the way through.
Brexit as seen through the eyes of a newcomer/immigrant; the national characteristics of Italians, Americans and the Brits; the life and laughs of a stand up comic; language barriers, cultural differences … all rang true and elicited belly laughs from all around the audience. The idea that the right or wrong of pineapple on a pizza is judged solely from the point of view of the pizza and NOT from the perspective of the pineapple is a hugely untapped metaphor for accepting migration into society as the norm, and one that will stay with me for quite some time! As is the mental image of Nigel Farage as a poster boy for immigrants as his successful bid to bring about Brexit lowered the value of the pound enough to make migration possible for many.
Quick witted, with lines to make you think as well as laugh out loud, this show made the evening even better – even more Italian! Bravo!
“it’s refreshing to see an invigorating female comedian using comedy to directly address universal issues”
Award-winning Australian comedian and storyteller, Sarah Kendall, returns to the Soho Theatre with her latest show which involves a compilation of stories from various periods in her life. From vet appointments for a hamster to near-death experiences at an early age, Kendall walks us through the emotional rollercoaster of life condensed into a one-hour show.
Kendall has shifted from her previous stand-up persona, which won her the first of two Edinburgh Comedy Awards nominations, and now focuses more on using anecdotes and past experiences towards cultivating an incredibly unique and compelling style of storytelling, a perfect balance of tragedy and comedy.
One-Seventeen is a show comprised of various moments from Kendall’s life, often ones she deems herself as ‘life-changing’ such as watching Halley’s Comet as a child with her family in their back garden in Australia. Kendall presents these memories to the audience with a concoction of brilliantly timed jokes, an atmosphere of vulnerability and a deeply profound message within. What makes Kendall’s show so memorable and emotional at its climax is that it is riddled with anecdotes that relate to more than your average Anglo audience. Whilst the majority of today’s most popular comedians focus on the humour of the mundane, Kendall takes this comedic tool and, with her captivating storytelling, creates an underlying narrative of oneness and humility.
Kendall is a model example of comedian, tired from the already over-crowded stand-up scene, who has constructed her own unique comic style that appeals to a wider audience and doesn’t totally depend on minute cultural references. In the run-up to the Fringe it’s refreshing to see an invigorating female comedian using comedy to directly address universal issues we all will experience throughout life. Her show is carefully written so each story blends with the other, all weaving together as part of a rich narrative tapestry, with a great deal of depth embedded within.
