By Saira Afzal
After selling out his debut Edinburgh Fringe run at the Pleasance Below, including multiple extra dates, rising star Jin Hao Li brought his surreal show Swimming in a Submarine to London’s Soho Theatre, September 2-7. This playful and melodic show takes the audience on a journey, exploring Jin Hao Li’s colourful subconscious through childhood dreams and nightmares. Having received a slew of positive recommendations from the Guardian, Chortle, the Scotsman, and the Times, this debut show sets Li up for an incredibly promising comedy career.
The core of Li’s show is an exploration of his nightmares and dreams, where the ostensibly mundane meets the imaginative with sketches about a ladybird and spider’s untimely meet cute, or a rap feud between a doctor and an apple. His gentle and innocent cadence lulls the crowd into a dreamlike state, who buy into every word. Some bits sweetly express Li’s desires and hopes, like wanting to join the Yakuza, and others describe slightly disturbing scenarios. Yet, he always seems to teeter on the edge of complete absurdity before reeling the audience back into reality with tales about a racist coworker or coy observations from serving in the Singaporean military as a boy.
The best aspect of Li’s show is his pacing–every word is carefully planted into the place it belongs, and he maintains a steady and practised rhythm throughout. No syllable feels wasted, and Li keeps the tension tight with awkward audience participation throughout the show. The expertise demonstrated by Li in meticulously crafting and performing a perfectly paced show proves he deserved his Best Newcomer Edinburgh Comedy Awards nomination. Having seen this show in multiple WIPs and now the finished thing, I’m excited to see where this gifted comedian will go next.
Jin Hao Li, Swimming in a Submarine, 3-8 February 2025, Soho Theatre.
