Presented by Sameena Zehra/Monski Mouse Media
Reviewed 04 March 2014
I appreciate an artist who introduces herself in the third person. It smacks of resourcefulness, modesty and a hint of temerity. It was a taste of things to come, as Sameena Zehra then settled in to commence the retelling of the life journey that led her to have tea with terrorists.
Casual interactions with the audience in the intimate space of The Piglet put us swiftly at ease, and the quick-witted Zehra (and her quicker-buttoned audio engineer) did a stellar job of accommodating the opening night technical challenges as everyone from the Lion King to Abba fought to get on her stage.
The charismatic Zehra dipped into her deep pool of tales to entertain and delight, and left me wanting more; with many questions about the logistics of the back-stories and characters we meet. For the audience that was perhaps not intimately familiar with both of Zehra’s two cultures, she guided us confidently over the divide to take us into her different worlds, with hilarity and amazement resulting in equal measures. Her astonishing tales enthralled and resulted in my very strong wish to meet her praying/cursing Grandmother.
Zehra is sassy, personable, and above all, very interesting. She has clearly led a charmed life, and retells sections of it with good humour and the wide-eyed incredulity of only the most authentic of bullet-dodgers.
Highlights include her impersonation of a sheep, and the tips on how to commit the perfect murder for those who are experiencing homicidal daydreaming. Find out what happens when London’s East End meets Kashmir’s Srinagar, perhaps what Nike has to do with the local mullah, and how being multilingual might just have made Zehra a racist.
I look forward to the next chapter; more tea please, Sameena Zehra.
Reviewed by Gordon Forester
Venue: The Piglet, Gluttony, Murlawirrapurka/Rymill Park, cnr East Tce. & Rundle Rd, Adelaide
Season: 04 – 15 March 2014
Duration: 55 minutes
Tickets: $14.50 – $20
Bookings: Book through FringeTix online or phone 1300 621 255
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