Sarah Roberts opens her current stand-up show at the Edinburgh Fringe with the revelation that she ate her twin in the womb and finds herself cursed. Scary Movie 7 covers her digital footprint, first words, neediness, and why being 34 and single is scary.
Roberts uses the audience extensively for material from greatest fears to going viral. She has a form of delivery that is slightly nervy while friendly, and her set is both personal and impersonal.
Body image is on the agenda with chat about her “boobs and arsehole”. It’s a signature style that covers the accumulation of nits and dodgy men in chat rooms.
Playing the show in a venue at Monkey Barrel usually used as an escape room (“but not tonight”), this late-night show grabs the interest from the start. It’s incredibly funny, very dark, and very immersive.
Roberts is a bright performer who doesn’t really work within boundaries. She’s happy to push the audience to find material to jump off, suggesting that each show has a slightly different vibe around its set pieces.
When I spoke to Roberts about her show earlier in the summer she described is as “gory and gross and creepy as hell” – it certainly delivers on the final count although the promotional pic might suggest a little more gore than we see in reality!
Sound effects and tall stories make Scary Movie 7 a worthwhile pick for your comedy viewing. A little left-field, a lot bizarre, there’s significant love in the room by the time the show ends.
4.5*.
Sarah Roberts: Scary Movie 7 is part of this year’s Edinburgh Fringe until 30 Aug.