More Than the Funny Fat Friend: Ansa Edim Brings Hilarious One-Woman Show to EdFringe
Is it normal to get engaged without your knowledge...twice? Is it normal for your pediatrician to use the word "pendulous" when describing your chest at 9 years old? What about running a mile to please Bill Clinton or swimming with sharks to make someone jealous? Follow along as award-winning storyteller Ansa Edim finds out for herself in this hilarious and poignant one-woman storytelling show.
Ansa Edim’s Is This Normal? is a deeply personal narrative that delves into her relentless pursuit of normalcy as a fat Black woman in the United States. Growing up, Ansa was often the "only one"—the only Black person, the only fat person, the only fat Black person—in classrooms, workplaces, and creative spaces. Navigating the dating world after believing she had hooked a husband by any means necessary was a whole new adventure. Her stories reflect the challenges and triumphs of being different in a world that often demands conformity.
Ansa grew up with body that drew attention and scrutiny from an early age. From a pediatrician using the word "pendulous" to describe her chest at nine years old to the awkwardness of "becoming a woman" before she was old enough to shave her legs, Ansa’s tales are somehow both wildly unique and wildly relatable.
Ansa's storytelling prowess has been honed on prestigious stages like Washington, DC's John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Lincoln Theater, and the Baltimore Theatre Project. With productions like NPR, Story Collider, and Story District under her belt, she is no stranger to captivating audiences with her self-aware, self-deprecating humor.
Each story in Is This Normal? is a testament to resilience, empowerment, and the hilarity of asking, "Is this normal?" when making life decisions. From running a mile to please Bill Clinton to swimming with whale sharks to make an ex jealous, Is This Normal? is packed with anecdotes that will have you laughing out loud and nodding in recognition. Ansa’s show is a celebration of life’s absurdities and a call to embrace the unconventional paths that make us who we are. She is determined to represent women like her as more than the fat, funny friend (though she is that, too).
But Is This Normal? is not just about her personal experiences; it’s also about representation. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the largest international arts festival of its kind, stands as a stark example of global representation disparities. Despite its international acclaim, the festival sees the global majority massively underrepresented. As a Nigerian American woman, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe represents both an incredible opportunity and a significant challenge for people like Ansa.
Join Ansa Edim at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for a night of side-splitting laughter, eye-covering cringing, and heartfelt storytelling. You'll leave feeling seen and heard, and wondering where in the world her therapist was during these adventures. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll want to give Ansa the biggest hug — which she's up for arranging.
For more information about Is This Normal? and to purchase tickets, visit the show's Festival Fringe page. Performances include August 2-10 at TheSpaceUK at Surgeons' Hall at 2200 and August 15-16 & 19-21 at The Speakeasy at The Royal Scots Club at 1945. Don’t miss your chance to see this unforgettable show!
Follow Ansa's advenures on TikTok, X, Instagram, and YouTube. Contact her at www.ansaedim.com.
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