Abi Roberts: Anglichanka* [*Englishwoman]
First UK comic to perform in Russia (in Russian) tells all.
In 2016, Abi Roberts became the first UK comedian to perform in Russia – in Russian! Now, in 2017, the centenary of the Russian Revolution, she’s here to shed some light on our continental neighbours and tell us what side of a blini is buttered.
Just pipping Eddie Izzard to the accolade, Abi’s world first came at the bilingual Moscow Comedy Bar and Club. This was her first visit since an intensive period of trips to Moscow in the 1990s that came about because of her studies and because her dad was a diplomat.
During this time, Abi become an opera singer at the Moscow Conservatoire, a member of the Russian Orthodox Church and an expert on how matches and sawdust are vital to the country’s plumbing when it’s minus 17 degrees outside!
Abi’s return to Moscow was a crash course in new Russian culture. Noticing signs of wealth everywhere and cars much evolved since the days of the Lada, Abi found the trip bewildering and a steep learning curve.
Join Abi as she tried to get to grips with a heady mix of being monitored, crossing the paths of gangsters, overwhelming hospitality, fear of Putin and the strange disappearance of street kiosks.
Anglichanka (Englishwoman) climaxes with a spectacular sequence where Abi recounts almost performing opera for the Russian President and how she narrowly escaped with her life during the attempted military coup of 1991.
Abi Roberts and her big hair exploded onto the stand-up comedy scene in 2011, after a number of years as a session vocalist and cabaret performer. In her four years in profes- sional stand-up comedy, Abi has supported household names such as Michael McIntyre, Sarah Millican, Jack Whitehall and Tom Stade and is to be found performing at many of the UK’s leading comedy clubs, such as The Glee Club, Komedia and The Stand.
Abi was a Finalist and Runner-Up in the London Comedy Store’s Costa Light Comedy Competition in 2012, a Finalist and Runner-Up in the 2012 Harrogate Theatre’s Comedian of the Year and took the Audience Award at the same festival.
Underbelly Cowgate (White Belly)| Edinburgh 3 – 27 (not 14) @ 6.40pm
