Njambi McGrath returns to Edinburgh Fringe with a hilarious hour musing on the concept of giving, especially to Africa. Everyone wants to give Africans aid. Water, food, vision, sanitary towels, indeed everything except visas. Poverty porn, white saviours, kids on a gap year, missionaries, volunteers, IMF, World Bank, international development and 3,000 charities, sounds like one hell of a rave.
Tell us about your show.
When 19 year old Renee Bach proclaimed to her family that God had appeared and sent her on a mission to save Africa’s children, they didn’t bat an eyelid. In fact, the right-wing evangelical Christians helped her to raise funds so she could realise her dreams of opening a hospital for sick babies. There was not an ounce of outrage when she embarked on the mission carrying out complex medical procedures on very sick babies with nothing more than a first aid certificate and Google. She killed 119 babies and 900 near misses and roamed free in the streets of Virginia, a celebrity. They hailed her as a heroine.
What’s it about? Benevolence scrutinises the concept of giving. Why do people give? Some give because they are sympathetic, others give for the tax relief, whilst others seek to launder their tainted image. Maybe some can’t be asked to go to the tip.
How does it feel to be returning to the Edinburgh Fringe?
Performing in Edinburgh always feels thrilling at the start of the season. It’s like spring with all the promise of the summer. It’s a chance to create a whole body of work.
Have you got any tips for comedians going up to the festival for the first time?
It’s easy to feel down beat and dejected if you don’t have a good gig or good review. It’s always handy to set out your objectives right at the start and see what you want to get out of it. Take it within your stride and plan how you are going to eat well. The first time I went up, my diet was terrible. Now I make sure I think about food and how I’m going to get a balanced diet.
Njambi McGrath: Benevolence 1st-12th and 14th-26th August at 3.00pm, Gilded Balloon Patter House (Blether). Book tickets here.
Photo credit: Steve Ullathorne
