Emmanuel Sonubi @ Pleasance Courtyard
Life After Near Death is a charismatic, if safe, new hour from award-nominated Emmanuel Sonubi
It isn’t a unique premise: a health scare shakes a performer and forces them to reevaluate their life, but very few performers have the intense charisma of Emmanuel Sonubi. His personality carries a lot of the more conventional material, spread thickly at the top of the hour. These laughs are plundered early, providing an easy ‘in’ for what promises to be a hard-hitting night addressing the heart failure that nearly cost him his life.
Unfortunately these seldom become fully realised, with much of the show covering low hanging comedic fruit, such as drug trips or struggles with parenthood that never seem to get off the ground or say anything new. However, Sonubi has an unbelievable stage presence, and his likability is what keeps these thinner routines above water, as a cheeky smile can instantly refuel any audience. He exudes a saucy, audacious energy that becomes the lifeblood of much of the show, until we finally get to the literal heart of this, Sonubi’s third hour at the Fringe.
Arriving at Life After Near Death’s core, Sonubi offers unique perspectives on loss and pain which sees the comic exercising the same muscles that kept the weaker material moving, now keeping these increasingly darker passages light and accessible.
The tense themes of the show never feel perilous or morbid. The comic is a natural storyteller, and although the narrative itself could be tightened, his commitment to the show never falters. When we reach the ending, there is no great message or emotional takeaway, except to be happy and grateful. It’s a simple but earnest sentiment that is delivered with so much love and conviction that you cannot help but commit to it.
In Life After Near Death, the jokes often feel safe and a powerful experience is somewhat skimmed over in favour of a cheap laugh, but when he hits his stride, you’d struggle to find a comic with more gravitas than Emmanuel Sonubi.
Emmanuel Sonubi: Life After Near Death, Pleasance Courtyard (Cabaret Bar), until 25 Aug, 8.10pm, £9.50-17.50