Saaniya Abbas has a joke about the Aussie who broke her heart, and the man in question has already heard it.
He took it in good stride two years ago. Saaniya Abbas says he was a terrible date but an excellent punchline.
Until now the New Delhi-born, Dubai-based comedian has only told the joke to Australians in her overseas crowds, teasing them from the stage. Later this month she delivers it on their home turf, when she brings Hellarious to Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. It’s her first visit since she was 14, 23 years ago.
Hellarious, Saaniya Abbas’ debut hour, goes after religion, divorce, identity and internet fame, and follows sold-out runs at the Edinburgh Fringe, Soho Theatre and across the US. It earned her The Skinny’s One to Watch Award, and she describes it as a Trojan horse for the topics people are told not to talk about.
The show is a riotous trip from sheltered beginnings to full-blown defiance, and she plays Just For Laughs Sydney on the same trip.
Saaniya Abbas: Hellarious
- Brisbane, 17 November, Sit Down Comedy Club
- Sydney, 18 November, The Comedy Store
- Melbourne, 21 November, The Comic’s Lounge
- Tickets here
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around Melbourne here.
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You’re New Delhi-born and Dubai-based, with a global following. How has living between cultures shaped your comedy, and does your material land differently depending on the room?
Growing up in India gave me an anchor for my identity, but moving to Dubai exposed me to different cultures from all over the world.
When you start comedy in a room full of expats, tourists, and locals from twenty different countries, you learn very quickly how to write for the human being, not just the background.
I like to think my comedy invites people into my world rather than making them feel like outsiders looking in. That doesn’t mean the material lands identically everywhere. What gets the biggest laugh in the UK might get a completely different reaction in the US, so I do make little adjustments depending on where I’m performing.
But at our core, I think we’re all far more alike than we realise.
Hellarious tackles religion, divorce and identity, topics people are often told not to talk about. What do you find about the nature of comedy that allows for these things to be looked at closely.
Everyone everywhere seems to be so polarized right now.
Subjects that absolutely need to be spoken about are being avoided in social settings because everything instantly turns into a bloodbath.
Comedy is essentially a Trojan horse. People come to a show to relax, laugh, and let their guard down. They aren’t walking in with their dukes up like they would at a political debate or on the internet.
Once they’re laughing, you can actually slip some truth past the bouncer.
The show description mentions “becoming the devil you know” and a journey from sheltered beginnings to full-blown defiance. What did that shift look like for you personally?
It takes an immense amount of courage to go against cultural norms and stand up for yourself, for the life you believe you deserve. And I think that courage ultimately comes from self-love.
Over the years, I’ve learned to love and protect myself quite fiercely.
Your show promises a joke about the Aussie who broke your heart, and that you’re “mostly over it.” How are you feeling about bringing that bit to Australia, and has he been warned?
Haha! Oh, to be immortalised in a joke.
He was a terrible person to date, but at least he made an excellent punchline.
Has he been warned? Yes. He heard the joke two years ago and took it in good stride. We haven’t been in contact since, as he has served his purpose.
I’m particularly excited to bring this bit to Australia because I’ve always used it to tease the Australians in my audiences. Now I get to do it on their home turf.
Your bio mentions “feline mischief.” Where does the cat energy come from, and is it part of your stage persona or just part of who Saaniya Abbas is?
Oh, the cat energy definitely spills offstage as well.
Much like most cats, I try very hard to be elusive, mysterious, and a little intimidating. But in reality, I’m just an idiot who keeps finding herself in ridiculous situations.
I think that’s probably the most feline thing about me. I have all the confidence of a creature that thinks it’s a majestic apex predator, with absolutely none of the dignity.
You’re playing Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, including Just For Laughs Sydney. What are you most looking forward to on this tour, and what do you hope Australian audiences take away from Hellarious?
I last visited Australia when I was 14 years old, which was 23 years ago! I’m excited to come back, this time through the eyes of a comedian. Hopefully I’ll understand the accent better this time. I’ve been practicing!
Performing at Just For Laughs Sydney and bringing Hellarious to Brisbane and Melbourne is an absolute dream.
As for what I hope audiences take away, I hope they enjoy a hilarious rollercoaster ride through my world, my experiences and my questionable life choices. But beneath all the mischief, I hope the show challenges a few preconceived notions along the way.
Because sometimes we get so caught up in what makes us different that we forget how wonderfully ordinary most of us really are.
We’re just people trying to live our lives.
For more information, head here.
This article was made in partnership with Bohm.
