‘Lesbian Innit?’ Review by Emily Moore
★★★★
Within less than a minute of the finale of Lesbian, Innit?, members of the small but enthusiastic crowd surrounded Barcelona-based Ben Pabla and Esther to congratulate them on their split hour’s Fringe debut. In retrospect, it was only a matter of time before someone asked: “Where’d the title come from?”
“It’s British slang for when something’s going really well,” Esther replied. “Everything’s all lesbian, innit?”
But before you could be tempted to believe the mononymous comic’s explanation, she revealed the truth.
“Ben and I saw a comedian a while back open his set with, ‘My girlfriend’s a bit of a lesbian, innit?’ and we couldn’t stop laughing,” Esther shared. “I told him I’d only do a split hour if that could be the title.”
The anecdote was a fitting microcosm for the show as a whole. Watching the two comics, you get the distinct feeling that their debut split hour was not written for anyone’s amusement but their own — in the best possible way.
The UK born-and-raised comics consistently take the road less traveled, eschewing tired premises and predictable punchlines in favor of sharp personal introspection and authentic observations.
Ben, Barcelona’s most recently-crowned Roast Battle champion, exudes a genuine likability despite the occasional bout of cynicism. A natural storyteller, he’s just as comfortable delivering tried-and-true material as he is improvising — which, that night, took the form of an extended riff on lying about his dad’s death to excuse a last-minute work absence and his penchant for persimmons (or as he calls them, Sharonfruits).
While he does, on occasion, veer off into the unfocused, Ben largely manages to successfully weave between everyday musings (bizarrely-named Indian restaurants) and the absurd (talking gorillas). Throughout it all, he joyfully flouts the rules of standup comedy — “you’re not supposed to do this, but there’s a joke coming up,” Ben advised at one moment, just after setting his premise.
Esther, Barcelona’s inaugural Roast Battle champion and recipient of the 2023 Clubbie Award for Newcomer of the Year, further proves herself as a singular talent with her unexpected punchlines and deadpan delivery.
While much of her subject matter is heavy (an ex’s addiction, parental estrangement, suicidal ideation), Esther manages to wrestle laughs out of even the most disconcerting topics. As a result, her set — while indeed dark — never manages to feel bleak.
Despite Esther’s best attempts to come across as off-putting — clad in a shirt that says “We Are Not Friends” as she bemoans her lack of resting bitch face — one can’t help but root for her.
As it stands, Lesbian, Innit? is a thoroughly enjoyable split hour that demonstrates the formidable talent of two of Barcelona’s most promising up-and-comers. As Ben and Esther continue to gain confidence on stage and refine their sets, they may even achieve greatness.
This review of Lesbian Innit?, written and performed by Ben Pabla and Esther, was based on their Nov. 5, 2024 performance at Imprfcto Parallel during the Barcelona Fringe Festival.
