Esther Manito: ‘Women are often made to feel like rage is something that we shouldn’t feel’

The self-styled “Essex Arab Girl Comedian” Esther Manito is about to embark on a UK tour of her new show Hell Hath No Fury, coming to the Alma Tavern & Theatre on September 29.

Well known for her blisteringly funny characterisations of her family life, she also mines her own experience as a woman who is, in her own words, furious: “at the state of the world. At being considered dead at 40. At online comments”.

Manito’s delivery is a beguiling mix of seething anger and huge, irresistible warmth, which has won her a loyal following.

She told Bristol24/7 what audiences can expect:

What are you up to in the run-up to your UK tour of Hell Hath No Fury?

“I am writing my show, re-writing my show, and losing my rag at my husband who keeps interrupting me whilst I write my show to ask me where his shoes are….”

You’re well known for being able to channel personal rage into comedy. Do you find it liberating as a process?

“I find it a brilliant process! Women are often made to feel like rage is something that we shouldn’t feel. We should be the backbone of family life; always enduring. Losing our temper can be interpreted as being ‘out of control’. I want my comedy to be a place that recognises the mental load women take on and how important a release is!”

How does your process work; how do you decide which of your current preoccupations might coalesce into a show?

“I throw a lot of shit at an audience and see what sticks. I find if a story gets a reaction, then I can play around with it. Based on how the audience interacts I can then narrow it down to the crux of what I am trying to convey and how it relates to the crowd.”

How do you see your relationship with your audience? Is it important to surprise, challenge, to unite them, or just to make them laugh?

“I think it’s really important to make them laugh. I want them to feel seen and relate to the subjects I’m talking about. I do also like to analyse family dynamics: why is my husband called ‘good’ for loading a dishwasher, and I’m called ‘angry’ for not thinking it’s my job to call him good for loading the dishwasher? We are both in our 40s. We can both do it. It’s a dishwasher, not critical debates with Noam Chomsky r.e. the economics of war. Call me Mrs Angry….”

Finally, as someone with a busy family life, will it be a wrench, or a release, being out on the road again?

“Hmmmmmmm, both. This is parenthood! More than anything you want a second alone. I keep asking for one night in a travelodge for my birthday. I want one night of no Teen Titans on the TV… and I would love to sleep without being woken up by a small person glaring over me like a Dickensian child ghost at 6am.

“That said, I HATE staying away. So I do my best to always go home after a show, unless it’s too far to physically get back. It’s the push-me-pull-me head mess of loving my kids and also wanting to create a tour.”

Esther Manito: Hell Hath No Fury is at the Alma Tavern & Theatre on September 29 at 8pm. Tickets are available at www.tickettailor.com.

All photos: Karla Gowlett

Read more: Jess Fostekew: ‘I do love baring my soul a bit, don’t I?’

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