Abigoliah Schamaun: Subtle @ The Caves

Loveable sideshow nutjob Abigoliah Schamaun is back in Edinburgh with another in-your-face hour. Without a central theme, she has free reign to talk about her favourite subject: “Me!” A subject she knows and shares intimately. Very intimately. On the night this reviwer attends, she ditches the mic, stands up front and just shoots the shit - she’s enviably self-assured, expertly pulling gasps and horrified chuckles from the room as she walks us through her exploits.

It’s the sort of balls-out material rarely tackled by female comics, and Abigoliah owns it. She’s not afraid to speak her mind, and blasts us with all the things we think but never say. It’s the sort of thing you experience, and immediately want to hunt down and ceremonially burn every Sex and the City boxset disgracing our gender; she’s the unapologetic voice of young, confident women, and we need to hear more of that. It’s refreshing to see a show so radically different to the usual fare.

She’s defiant, edgy and generally awesome company, though at times relies a little too much on shock factor to score laughs; she’s fascinating to watch, if not always side-splittingly funny. Towards the end of her set she hits us with a hilariously insightful skit about cake, demonstrative of just how great her material can be when she really goes for it.

Her hour is a hoot. It’s peppered with the some freaky circus stunts that will amaze, and certainly hold you for 60 minutes. Brilliantly filthy, she’s definitely one to watch.