BRIGHTON FRINGE PREVIEW: Abi Roberts: Anglichanka

Abi Roberts, the 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 became 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 is minus 17 degrees outside!

Her return to Moscow was a crash course in new Russian culture, and like most long journeys, it started at the airport where they probe more than you might expect.

Noticing signs of wealth everywhere and cars much evolved since the days of the Lada, she found the return bewildering and a steep learning curve.

Brilliant, funny and charming. True comedy genius…..GQ Magazine

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.

The show climaxes with a spectacular finale where Abi recounts almost performing opera for the Russian President and dignitaries and how she narrowly escaped with her life during the attempted military coup of 1991.

Raucous and incredibly funny…..Daily Telegraph

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 professional stand-up comedy she 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.

She 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.

Abi is also co-writer and co-creator of Frankly On..Tuesday, a double act with ITV’s Gayle Tues- day (Brenda Gilhooly – Friday Night Live, Saturday Night Live, Harry Hill’s TV Burp, The Paul O’- Grady Show, Gayle’s World) playing BBC Radio Culture host Ginny Frankly, interviewing reformed Page 3 “stunna”, Gayle Tuesday about her book, They Call Me a Woman, Because I Am One.

♦ unstoppable charisma…a one-of-a-kind stand-up show….. ★★★★★ Edinburgh Festivals Magazine

Abi also hosts her own chat show MUSICAL CID where well-known comedians talk about their music collections, featuring comedy stars such as Al Murray, Romesh Ranganathan, Seann Walsh, Mark Dolan, Jo Caulfield and Jarred Christmas.