Hellarious | Soho Theatre

Saaniya Abbas’ Hellarious is one hour of endearing, cheeky and heartfelt stand up comedy. It’s deeply personal, Abbas said comedy became a coping mechanism in the darker moments of her life, so you instantly feel welcomed to laugh with her, feeling enticed by her the moment she walks onstage, glaring into the audience and dancing provocatively... it completely sets the space as one to relax and allow to be entertained. After all, how can you not be intrigued by her delightful phrase ‘Hello Cuties!’

Downstairs at the Soho Theatre almost feels designed for a sense of sharing secrets and creating familiarity with a group of people. A piece filled with cultural comparisons, personal insights to love, life, divorce and more, it seems only correct that the room should be as intimate as it is, with the freedom to shout out and engage.

From the discovery of porn at 26, a disastrous Taylor Swift concert, filling out forms requesting to know if she has any links to terrorism and what our version of hell would be... we go on a spontaneous journey that despite never knowing what is coming next, it is cohesive.

An Indian-born woman who lived in Dubai for years before bouncing between the UK and USA, her anecdotes ooze the complexities of different cultures and experiences. It takes a real talent to take some of the darkest stories in the news today and create the opportunity to laugh, with a predominantly British audience the jabs at Andrew Windsor were met with thunderous acclaim.

With no set theme, you would think there is potential for a sporadic feel but with her material so solid in its message and impeccable timing, it feels new and exciting with each twist and turn. The fact that some material we saw could not be performed in Dubai only added the sensation that we as an audience in London were hearing a secret, almost an inside joke only we would understand and that she only wanted us to know.

Abbas’ rapport with the audience is incredible, she kindly approaches audience members, deciphering their vibe, culture, energy... laughing with them and bouncing back to them by name 30 minutes later, almost making an hour of stand up look like a giggly chat over a drink.

I didn’t expect to leave a comedy set feeling unified with people somehow. Through the madness of her individual experiences Abbas finds a common feeling we can all relate to. With great material and an infectiously lovely energy, she is truly ‘Hellarious’!

Hellarious plays at Soho Theatre until 14th February 2026 - tickets and more information can be found here.

★★★★☆ (4*)

Gifted tickets in return for an honest review | Photography by Alysia Knowles and Jimmy Ennis