EDINBURGH 2019: Review: Maria Shehata: HERO, Gilded Balloon at Old Tolbooth Market

Do you ever worry about how a comedian is doing?

Maria Shehata's 2017 Edfringe show finished with an uncertain future for a relationship she had moved across the world for, so I wanted to check in and see how things were going for her.

It turns out that relationship did end, but Shehata found herself living with 83-year-old powerhouse Connie. A woman we can all aspire to be, as she spent her life travelling around the world with no time for men. In fact, I think we all need a Connie in our lives to berate us for whining about being single, and to watch Tipping Point with us hungover on a Sunday. She's the real HERO here.

Shehata had to deal with some pretty difficult punters on Saturday. One man thought it was appropriate to occasionally pop on stage - once for a hug and a photo, the other to tell a bizarre story about chicken wings: "I said 15 wings, not 50 wings!". Cue uncomfortable silence from the rest of the audience.

He then proceeded to chat with his friends for almost the entire show, before they all individually needed to go to the bathroom. Shehata was able to carry on like a trooper, but these distractions were probably the reason why the piece didn't flow tremendously well at times.

There also needs to be a more obvious connection to the title. In some anecdotes it's clear who the 'hero' is, and others are about spare room dealings and stupid friends from California. It's not clear how everything fits together as one stand-up show, but it's an enjoyable hour nonetheless. Mostly I'm glad to hear that Shehata's doing OK and that she's got a new place, a new basil plant and a new partner.

https://gildedballoon.co.uk/programme/maria-shehata-hero/

Photo credit: Phil Provencio

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