The actor and comedian’s new show explores mental health and death gently with a side of dark humour. Content warning for discussions around death and suicide
BY MANGANARO, IMAGES BY ELIZABETH ELDER
Anna Akana is an actor and comedian known for her online videos and acting roles such as in Marvel’s Ant-Man and Comedy Central’s Corporate. Her comedy tends to revolve around her sister’s suicide in 2007, her instances of having a stalker, as well as her family; like how her dad escaped parenting duties by fighting in the Ukrainian war.
The room is warm, there’s a buzz at the excitement of seeing a comedian many have only seen from behind their screens. She steps onstage and we’re immediately charmed. I’ve had the opportunity to chat to Anna outside of the show, and can guarantee she is just as lovely in real life.
Throughout the discussion of her sister’s death, and jokes about how she was cremated in her favourite dress, Anna passionately promotes education and awareness of suicide in hopes of saving lives. We’re told that young Asians (ages 15 to 24) who don’t reach parental expectations are most likely to die by suicide, also that an individual is 65% more likely to commit suicide if a family member has done so. Anna goes on to say how she’s found ways to battle the negative voices in her head, by giving it a name that she’d for sure not listen to; hers is called “Hitler.”
Outside of the discussions of grief, she is an iconic and relatable queer woman, buying a sword as her weapon of protection. She also says she’d like to leave her entire will to her cats and decides that when she dies she’d like an open casket, allowing her feline friends to nibble and bite her body one last time.
Anna Akana is a born storyteller and her show is filled with witty wordplay. At the end of the show we’re presented with some heartwarming family moments, but I won’t spoil them. Be sure to catch her at Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Pleasance Courtyard, Upstairs, but buy tickets quick because they are selling out: tickets.edfringe.com.
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