From NYC, comic and musician Aarushi Agni is bringing her solo musical comedy show about emoji to Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The show, EMOJI: The Hieroglyphs of Our Time, or how I learned to stop worrying and send the risky text 🤷🏽♀️ will play daily at C Aquila at 3pm for the run of the festival this August. Ahead, Aarushi is also producing a companion web series, Emoji Expert, for the show, talking to people on the street about their experiences with these little hieroglyphs.
How did you get into comedy/writing/producing etc?
I fell into comedy ass-backwards. 😂 Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always been HILARIOUS, but in my early twenties I was the lead singer of a few bands. Comedy was NOT on my radar. Then I performed on a show called Yoni Ki Baat, a sort of vagina monologues for women of colour, at University of Wisconsin-Madison, where I did my undergraduate degree.
I had seen it the year before and been utterly amazed – I had no idea at the time that other South Asian women were experiencing similar things to me. My monologue was written from my personal experience and spoke candidly about my body, sex, gender, and my experience as an immigrant. I remember the energy of the room was so electric when I took the stage. Everyone’s eyes were on me. Every word I said landed with a thud. This wasn’t like, normal. I was talking about ideas that I was previously afraid to explore even in private. But I was honest and funny, and the jokes I said in the beginning of the piece would later become haunting, and implicate the audience.
A friend told me that I should obviously do stand-up, but I wasn’t sure if I could handle the white men of it all. A comic of colour overheard me talking about this at a bar and interrupted to tell me he would take me to open mics and help me get into it. Then eventually through trial and error I got pretty good at it and performed in some pretty sick rooms.
Tell us about your comedy style.
It’s a little shocking: at times flowery and other times punchy and guttural. I’m trying to relate to high energy and emotions and keep these lil’ ones paying attention. I like to use contrasts, the element of surprise, and raw, unadulterated sex appeal to get my audience all buttered up. I often say that I developed a sense of humour as a means to get people to listen to me. I speak on issues that are taboo or “too real” for quotidian conversation.
Humour gets people into a receptive mode; they’re suddenly down for real talk because they can hide behind the fact that it’s “not serious.” I love my jester’s privilege; it also makes me a huge flirt. (Did you know that if you flirt and it’s a joke, you don’t have to acknowledge it? Don’t do it.) I just love to play; with language, putting high and low brow ideas next to each other, by pointing out the absurdities all around us everyday and making crazy faces. For me, comedy and music are pretty similar; you’re playing with surprise, rhythm, and you’re delighting the listener. The other thing I would say is that my material is welcoming and doesn’t rely too heavily on self-deprecation. I love making my audiences feel safe to learn and grow. Maybe that’s because I’m also a teacher.
What’s your show about and where can we see it?
EMOJI is a TED Talk/musical about modern communication and human connection. In 2025, EMOJI sold out its debut run at NYC Fringe Festival. The creation and writing of this show felt fated – like it was an extension of my purpose here on Earth. I’m so serious. I would honestly compare it to Everything Everywhere All At Once but with significantly fewer dildos, and zero fight sequences.
It’s mostly direct address to the audience; there’s light audience participation. It’s like a lecture and a sketch comedy show and a sermon and a concert all wrapped into one. I’m a phenomenal singer and a pretty delightful songwriter, and I’m so proud of the songs I wrote for this show. The songs are funny and deep and get to the heart of what it means to be human.
EMOJI is as stupid as it is serious; it’s as funny as it is haunting; and it’s lowkey my grand theory of everything for those who choose to notice the details.
You can see it at 3pm at C Aquila at C Venues.
What do you think makes great comedy/content/sitcom/etc?
A basis in reality. Emotional stakes. Food. Sex. Schadenfreude. Well-timed physical comedy. A normally desexualized person saying something sexual. Nuance. Exaggeration. Escalation. And when in doubt, singing things you could just say.
Any advice for those starting out or taking their first show to a festival?
Hmm, I don’t know if I’m a success story or anything, but develop your voice. Listen to your inner voice. Especially if you do stand-up, form community with people who are real with you. Be kind to people. Hype other people up. Don’t assume ill-intent. Don’t keep score. That’s a huge one. Every new standup comic somehow feels they are uniquely not chosen. Girl, if people chose us, we wouldn’t be here. Stop second-guessing yourself! If you’re really doing bad, someone will tell you. Also – you look good in those pictures. And even if you think you look bad, the world still needs to see you. Hotness is not the price of visibility. Humanity is. Just post the video or the photo. I’m trying to remember to do this all the time.
What have you been working on?/Any interesting upcoming projects?/What’s next for
you?
I’m making a web series about emoji “Emoji Expert” – where I hear peoples hot takes about emoji. 🤓
What do you love about comedy/writing/producing/etc?
Imagine the world works the way you want it to, if but for an hour. I love that. That’s freedom. I like creating a unique space where my rules apply to everyone. 🦹🏽♀️
Just because you make people laugh and smile and high five their seat-mate in the show doesn’t make it not real. We all are experiencing something in real-time together. People are learning along with you. You’re going through the experience together. That’s so powerful. That can bond you for life in the right room.
The other thing with live theatre too is that it’s possible to say things you couldn’t say outside the room. And if you have a loud laugh, you’re basically in the show.
And if I want the audience to sing “Free Palestine” to the tune of “Sweet Caroline” well, they will if I stare at them for long enough. Or they’ll leave. Either way. 🤷🏽♀️
Tickets for the show are available here!
