A fearless, high-energy performance that blends razor-sharp wit with honesty and heart, even if it doesn’t reinvent the genre.Rating
Excellent!
Esther Manito’s Slagbomb is a high-energy, laugh-out-loud exploration of modern life, family, and the messy realities of being a woman trying to “do it all”. Juggling children, ageing parents, and work responsibilities, Manito finds comedy in the tension between aspiration and reality — and much of it lands brilliantly. Her stories, from disastrous waxing sessions to running a London marathon for a sloth charity, are absurd, imaginative, and often surprisingly relatable.
The title, Slagbomb, comes from an unlikely Skegness cocktail — a mix of Jägermeister, WKD, and Irn-Bru. Chaotic, brash, and unexpected, the drink perfectly captures the show’s spirit. It mirrors Esther’s working-class lens on family life and the absurdities of everyday living, while signalling the comedy’s unapologetic edge. Like the cocktail, the show blends surreal anecdotes, personal mishaps, and social commentary into a potent mix that is as unpredictable as it is entertaining.
Building on the success of her previous show Hell Hath No Fury, Esther leans fully into bold, unfiltered humour. She tackles awkward encounters, misadventures, and the chaos of everyday life with intelligence and precision. Her writing is remarkably smart: even when discussing serious topics — the war in Lebanon, her parents’ ill health, or her own sudden hearing loss — there is never a trace of self-pity. Instead, she balances honesty and heart with sharp wit, creating moments where humour hits hardest because it comes from truth. At the show’s end, she shares a deeply vulnerable moment about her father’s illness, leaving the audience with a mix of laughter, empathy, and admiration.
Manito’s stage presence is magnetic. Fast-paced, confident, and precise, she commands attention with razor-sharp timing, clever transitions, and vivid storytelling. When she engages with the audience, the energy lifts noticeably, adding dynamism and spontaneity.
That said, not every story feels fresh. While her surreal anecdotes and personal calamities are entertaining, much of the material treads familiar ground within the stand-up landscape. Moments of audience interaction could have been expanded, and some of the comedy, although clever, doesn’t break new ground. These are minor points, but prevent Slagbomb from feeling fully revolutionary.
Ultimately, Slagbomb is polished, smart, and deeply entertaining. Manito proves that comedy grounded in honesty, heart, and fearless self-expression resonates most. She reminds audiences that life’s chaos — much like the eponymous cocktail — is best embraced with humour, vulnerability, and full-throttle energy.
Written and performed by Esther Manito
Slagbomb plays at Soho Theatre until Saturday September 20.
