In her Adelaide Fringe debut, Yasemin Sabuncu is set to take her audience on a quest for answers in her hilarious show about disability and chronic illness: The Illest.

A journey to self-acceptance, self-love and self-discovery across ten laughter-filled nights, Yasemin will celebrate and explore a life lived with endometriosis and ADHD.

In her first one-woman, long-form comedy show, Yasemin explores life growing up as a Muslim, second generation Australian who became chronically ill in adulthood and had her life turned upside down.

Mixing her love of comedy, theatre and a lust for life, she advocates for the illest people, including herself.

“There is no known cause and no cure for endometriosis, and it blows my mind that more isn’t being done about it and how much dangerous misinformation there is about it,” she says. “There’s still too much shame, fear and misinformation about things like this and I want to provide entertaining and witty perspectives about chronic illness through my show.”

With an aim to take audiences on a journey emotionally, as well as making them laugh at the absurdities of living with a chronic illness, Yasemin harnesses her extensive theatrical experience to teach, support and entertain the audience.

“There’s a fine line between tragedy and comedy and my work dances between both in a subversive way,” she says.

Yasemin’s near death experience in the back of an ambulance encouraged her to return to following her dreams of performing, and was also part of the inspiration for The Illest.

“As I was gasping for air and having a seizure, I was like ‘I don’t want to die without fully expressing myself’. I still had so much to do and promised myself to step up and do comedy even though it didn’t seem sensible,” she says.

Yasemin studied at The Groundlings Theatre LA at the beginning of 2020 where the likes of Melissa McCarthy and Will Ferrell began their careers.

Her acting and writing talent has awarded her recognition both nationally and internationally with her work featured in prestigious festivals, venues and events.

Yasemin has been selected for the AFTRS Talent Camp, and Midsumma 2020 Pathways program for LGBTQ+ participants with a disability, which she hopes to use to further break down stereotypes and celebrate diversity in the media.

The Illest will be showing at The Howling Owl and Rhino Room from 9 – 20 March 2021. Grab your tickets HERE.