Avital Ash is one of the most genuine comedians on the Fringe scene. Her latest show Avital Ash Workshops Her Suicide Note is a deeply vulnerable hour of stand-up comedy and storytelling. It is an incredibly important piece of theatre and one that I hope many will get the chance to enjoy.
Strikes the perfect balance between earnest, sarcastic and tongue-in-cheek
Just like it says on the tin, Ash hilariously brings out her notebook as she informs the audience that she will be workshopping her suicide note with us. It needs to be hopeful, absolve anyone of guilt and deliver on the funny front, just to keep things light. Immediately, Ash cleverly flips the narrative of those who contemplate suicide: they are not to be feared or avoided, and confronting the issue can be a great source of healing. But this heavy subject matter is surely too dark for stand-up comedy, right? Wrong. Avital’s delivery is whimsical and calm which allows for her comically blunt professions of trauma to land in the audience as successfully as any lighthearted joke. Ash strikes the perfect balance between earnest, sarcastic and tongue-in-cheek, which warmly invites the audience to laugh out loud about subjects they never thought possible.
Ash tells of her restrictive upbringing in a Hasidic Jewish family, poking fun at her experience of entrenched misogyny that had no basis in logic. Her orthodox past provides her with ripe material for jokes about sex and queerness. Ash demonstrates clever craftsmanship with her one liners, so much so that some of her jokes are almost too considered as it takes a moment for the audience to piece the clues together. She shouldn’t be penalised for being smarter than us; however, Ash could slow her pace and relish the jokes themselves more. This might help both the audience and her by evoking bigger laughs.
Avital Ash rewrites the narrative of the pain inflicted on her from a young age as she learns to boldly confront her shame and reclaim control. Her story is incredibly powerful and I would be lying if I said it didn’t join Ash in becoming emotional towards the end. There are some important content warnings to take note of, as some of the themes could be upsetting for audiences; but if you can, I strongly recommend watching the impactful Avital Ash Workshops Her Suicide Note.
