Elf Lyons Makes her New York and US Debut in ‘The Woman on the Edge’
Voted as one of the 50 funniest comedians of the 21st century by The Telegraph, Elf Lyons will make her New York and US debut with her new show, The Woman on The Edge, running at New York’s Soho Playhouse (15 Vandam Street) this fall from September 24 – October 18; opening night is set for September 27.
Elf Lyon’s debut follows WestBeth Entertainment’s long history of presenting remarkable international artists to North America including Eddie Izzard, Trevor Noah and Hannah Gadsby.
In the show, Elf presents a completely normal, autobiographical (and in no way complex) comedy about love, blending her distinctive theatrical style with sharp comedic instincts as it leans into the absurd, the emotional and the unpredictable. Inspired by the collapse of Elf’s engagement, The Woman on the Edge finds her unable to perform the show herself; in her absence, one of her characters performs it on her behalf.
With nods to Hitchcock’s Vertigo, the Apollo 13 mission, and the opera Pagliacci, Elf creates a multi-genre work that crosses between the boundaries of comedy, theatre and live art. Expect a collision of forms as opera, stand-up, clowning, character and verbatim theatre sit side by side alongside audio recordings, bouncy castles and a fragmented mind that won’t stay in one place.
Both the press and her fellow comedians rave:
“Elf Lyons is to comedy what Vlad the Impaler was to impaling - both work with pizzazz!” Suzy Eddie Izzard
“The hilariously huge chandelier of her intelligence spangles the ballroom of human folly. Impossible to forget - and impossible to recall without smiling. Funnier than the funniest thing you’ve ever seen. Live a little and go!” Dylan Moran (Black Books)
"Elf always has me laughing one moment and crying the next and then laughing again. The prettiest idiot in the whole world. If anyone knows how to edge... It's Elf Lyons" Natalie Palamides (Weer, Nate)
"Elf Lyons is an incredible performer, and it is always a transformative experience to spend an hour in her world." Hannah Gadsby (Nanette, Douglas)
“Elf Lyons is one of the finest physical comedians in the world right now. She blends an incredible and athletic physical presence with a strange sense of fun and near-perfect clowning.” Starburst Magazine
“This is comedy as enchantment, a show so beguiling that you don’t just love it, you somehow fall in love with it.” The Scotsman