one4review | On 10, Aug 2025

Sharon Wanjohi has written a self-help book – in her debut Fringe show, she shares some pearls of wisdom from it. An hour of delightfully entertaining chaos and complete silliness ensues.

While the show is arranged around this familiar device, the hour is not limited to the topic of self-help – there is insight into Wanjohi’s love life, a slam poetry performance and the appearance of an (almost infamous) character who will be well familiar to those who have heard her recent appearance on the Off Menu podcast. In some ways, the self-help sections are ultimately outshone by Sharon’s other material and her excellent crowdwork. She is incredibly confident and commanding in her audience interaction, disarming them with intrusive questions and quick to mine the comedic potential. Although the format is somewhat muddled and chaotic – the self-help element sometimes seeming an afterthought – her charming and energetic personality totally wins the crowd over.

In the show, Wanjohi shares that the creation of her ironic book served as a necessary distraction during a difficult period in her life. Behind the extreme silliness and whimsical antics onstage, she is grieving. In the face of such tragic life events, Sharon is inspired to indulge more in the ridiculous and encourages the audience to do the same. I imagine Thursday night’s audience certainly left feeling compelled to embrace more silliness. I’m sure many also felt similarly to me: I could have watched hours more of her comedy. No doubt it will be exciting to see what Sharon does next.

***1/2

Reviewed by Niamh O’Hara

Pleasance Courtyard (Bunker Two)

18.55 (1hr)

Until 24 Aug (not 12)