This show had all the promise of something great. Political comedy, performed by a seasoned professional, who also volunteers as a human rights lawyer and has won four cases at the Supreme Court. Singh, an Indian American living in the UK, was talking about these respective nations' colonial roots, and the impact that has on the identity of their inhabitants today. Singh even opened the show by saying that 50% of people wouldn't enjoy the show, but it's written for the multiracial audience — of which I am a part. It should have been great.
Yet, somehow it just didn't work for me, and I can't really pinpoint the moment he lost me. The show started incredibly strong, with Sid casually dropping perhaps my favourite joke of the Fringe so far. But as the set progressed, the jokes became more prolonged, less punchy, and more predictable.
There were some topical comments around the current EDL situation parts of the UK are facing, and some commentary on the titular American colonisation. However, a large section of the show was actually reserved for Indian colonisation, and the role of his family in the colonisation and subsequent independence. Spoiler - they weren't the good guys.
All of this should have been interesting and engaging, and perhaps in a different setting (not the dungeon of Cabaret Voltaire), and with a different audience not occupied by two particularly obnoxious people performatively fake-laughing, it might have worked better. Instead, I found myself checking my watch. I’m woefully ignorant of Britain's role in colonising India, and this show could – should – have been the opportunity to learn more, but I was instead compelled to learn in my own time.
There was a smattering of good jokes throughout the rest of the set, and his closing section was just sublime, and probably saved the show.
'American Coloniser' is a free show (unless you book a ticket in advance), and 50% of whatever you pay or put in the bucket goes straight to Center for Gender and Refugee Studies. Certainly, a worthwhile cause, otherwise I’d really struggle to recommend the show – and that’s gutting.
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