In December 2023, Sam See left his home country of Singapore and moved to London because clearly, now's the best time. Why would anyone choose to leave the warm beauty of Asia and come to the damp and the cold of the UK? Find out about his world of propaganda movies, speculative fiction and Exceptional Promise, all in this hour of stand-up that's not as long as the title of this show.

August 31, 2024    Theatre and Arts Review

Sam See: And I Can’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore.

When your native home no longer feels like a safe place for you to live and be yourself there, then it’s understandable why comedian Sam See a native of Singapore created his latest comedy show called And I Can’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore about his thoughts and feelings about leaving to pursue his comedy career abroad.

Previous shows by Sam See have been focused on his sexuality and growing up in Singapore where until two years ago it had been illegal. He felt pushed out and wasn’t going to hide who he was at risk of being arrested and who could blame him, so he decided to hit the international comedy stage.

Sam See offers an informative and energetic show. Explaining how the immigration process works and all the forms he has faced filling in the name of comedy and seeking to make a home in the United Kingdom. However, some of the questions on those forms should have their own comedy set!

And I Can’t Feel at Home in this World Anymore is billed as a part-comedy and part-storytelling show. See explains to the audience that if “you’re not laughing then that’s the storytelling part” it’s up to the audience to decide which parts of the show fall into the comedy section! It will be a different show for everyone.

With everything that the Edinburgh Fringe has to offer it is hardly surprising that Sam See feels like he has found his tribe and can “feel at home” amongst all the other talented comedians during August. If he returns to Edinburgh Fringe next year then I highly recommend fitting the show into your timetable.

The Fringe has a way of accepting everyone who feels slightly on the cusp of life and the range of comedy across the festival has something for everyone’s taste.

For more information about Sam See please check out the links below.

Four Stars. Click Here For Review

August 29, 2024    One4Review

The hidden gem of the Fringe.

From his trap door entrance you realise Singapore comedian Sam See is going to be different. 24 shows on the Fringe bootcamp down, the energy of this bow tie pixie like sprite is infectious. Lots of the audience arms are starting to be uncrossed, they are onboard already.

Sam explains the title show comes from a Christian song covered by The Carter Family because he wanted the whitest title ever to confuse people. It hasn’t, he has the right crowd tonight. Let the ceremony begin.

Describing his show as Storytelling and Stand Up, the main framework is his life story, from his early life in Singapore, his love for old movies and watching British shows like ‘Allo ‘Allo! which inspired him to do comedy.
He describes the Singapore comedy scene a hard sell, and being gay means he would more often get a staring ovation from hostile crowds.

Deciding to move away he has a few options, Australia “Brits invented racism, the Aussies perfected it”, USA – An Asian assailant Chinatown shootings in LA put him off due to what he thought was cultural appropriation.
His comedy peers tell him tales of a magical city that for a month sprouts up like a cultural Brigadoon, where anyone can perform and be themselves. He comes to Edinburgh and decides to move the UK.

The next part of the show is his journey getting a Global Talent Visa and the trials, tribulations and hoops to jump through. We also get stories of the way of life in Singapore, the description of highest grossing movie in Singapore propaganda movie called Ah Boys to Men (2012) is a highlight.

His stories of life in the UK are brilliant, shining a light on accents, food and inadvertently being invited to a Polyamorous orgy at New Year.

What is so good about this show it seems so fresh. Comparisons could be made to another great Asian comedian Nigel Ng but this a new voice which needs to be heard.

Overall, it’s a show about hope, but as he says “life is like marmalade, we all need to get sticky sometime”

A must see. Click Here For Review

August 16, 2024    The Real Chrisparkle

Edinburgh Fringe 2024 Reviews

Sam See’s new show, And I Can’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore, is an account of how he decided to uproot from Singapore where he had lived for 30 years and start a new life in the UK. He explores the reasons why he felt he needed to leave, why he chose the UK over anywhere else, and what his hopes are for his new life in Britain. His is a fascinating story, both hilarious and sad; and his hugely likeable stage presence has us all rooting for him from the very beginning. A sparky, effervescent and dapper chap, Sam sets a tone of affable inclusivity, very much at odds with the homophobic experiences he had as a stand-up comic in Singapore. Only time will tell if he’s made the right move, but this most entertaining hour of comedy is a delightful mix of funny stories and personal confession. Click Here For Review

August 14, 2024    EdFringeReview

Sam See: And I Can't Feel At Home In This World Anymore Review

Sam See starts his set. There is a flat screen behind him with the show title in a small but flashy graphic which he stands in front of, at the end of a small room, slightly unassumingly.

What follows is not a comedy set with somewhat of a story, but more so a vast story that occasionally has a joke. This is by no means an insult, in fact, quite the opposite. Sam See is a humble and captivating figure who can hold your attention whether there is a punchline waiting or not.

In their hour set, Sam delivers an odyssey of what it’s like being an openly queer comedian from Singapore, as well as the 'adventures' that being a queer comedian gets them in. But then again, with infectious happiness, he talks about his experiences of Fringe’s gone by, the comedy circuit, and how much fun that they bring him.

‘No nonsense.’ Sam says when recounting a story of him and a friend unintentionally stumbling into a pub that most definitely was not the kindest to foreigners. Quipping, he goes on, ‘We are the nonsense.’

Continuing, he chats about another story of his almost published book, a book in which he wrote about his experiences at previous Fringe festivals and was long listed for a prize. When he met with a Singaporean publisher they told him his comedy book was 'speculative fiction' for suggesting that in the future there would be more Singaporean comedians.

I will not spoil any more of the set but just as it started, Sam says this is his new show and that with his old show he had a slideshow with stats and figures that went with it. It did well in Edinburgh but when he performed it elsewhere he was told that 'it wasn’t real comedy.' I must admit, when I saw the graphic on the flatscreen behind, I wanted more slides to appear, and was slightly disappointed when nothing did.

If Sam this year has changed his style to accommodate this criticism, then I hope he changes back. He shines when he is unabashedly himself, telling stories brilliantly. I argue his style would fit better in spoken word or theatre or perhaps that is why it works well at the Festival Fringe because the show itself is on the fringe of comedy, in the best kind of way. It refuses to be put into just one box and sit idly.

And I Can’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore fittingly flutters across the world, taking culture stops in places not often seen and making observations not often properly heard. I hope to see Sam See again. Click Here For Review

August 8, 2024    Binge Fringe

The trials and tribulation of immigration are made funny but remain heartbreaking in Sam See’s new show about his recent immigration to the UK. As recent as December 2023! Get ready to learn about Singapore Propaganda films, how NOT to find the best pub in Birmingham and whatever a ‘New Year Cow’ is.

Did you know that a Grammy is not considered a high enough award to be used as evidence for an “Exceptional Global Talent” visa by the British Government? Well, Sam found out the hard way during his immigration to the UK, though Sam is exceptional. As the only openly gay stand up in Singapore, he stood out, and he looked to the UK a place he could fit in. Yet over here he’s seen as an exception in his foreignness, so it seems he can never win.

From false promises of headlines, a particularly dodgy New Year Party and general racism – Sam tells the tale of his rocky first few months in London as well as all the reasons he chose to leave Singapore behind. Ever optimistic, he tries to find the joy and hope in the trials of immigration and assimilation, but that task feels insurmountable at times and his optimistic facade begins to crack as his journey evolves.

His frustration grows and he does everything perfectly to no avail. To Sam, immigration not only about finding oneself in another culture, but also about evolving within a career, within a community and the loneliness that can bring. Sam talks about comedy as a way to feel accepted, but there are pitfalls to this, allowing others to use homophobic slurs to introduce them onstage in Singapore, for example. It hits quite close to home and a fear I think many comedians outside of the norm can relate to, the pressure to make light of one’s differences and struggling not to dehumanize oneself in the process.

Sam is brilliant on stage, and although the show is billed as stand up, it reminded me of the Hannah Gadsby special Nannette, in that it sometimes felt more like a one-hand show with a humorous tone than full stand up. There are a few long moments of darkness and raw emotion, where Sam allows the tension and emotion to build without breaking the atmosphere with a cheap joke. Good storytelling is integral to comedy, and Sam is a fantastic storyteller as well as a comedian, so even when the jokes die down during the darker parts, the audience is still enraptured with the tale itself.

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It’s a rough diamond right now, but Sam’s talent shines through and I think this story will speak to anyone who’s felt the need to perform perfection to be accepted. Click Here For Review

August 5, 2024    Chortle

Much of Sam See’s previous work has revolved around his sexuality, which was, until two years ago, illegal in his native Singapore. For that, and many other reasons, he increasingly felt like he didn’t belong there, and so has sought to make the UK his home.

With its unwieldy title, And I Can’t Feel At Home In This World Anymore – the name of a gospel song that’s also inspired an indie comedy-thriller film – is therefore See’s immigrant journey. One he made because of the opportunities on the British comedy circuit, as well as sharing our sarcastic sense of humour, unlike so many of his ever-businesslike countrymen.

Where the dapper, elfin See might not quite fit the stereotypical British personality is that he’s relentlessly upbeat. While he’s always impeccably dressed in suit and bow tie, the one accessory he nearly always sports is a broad smile, emblematic of his charming, welcoming style. It’s a bone of connection that he was always the host, never the headliner back home – but it’s understandable, given his affable personality would be a boon for any gig he was compering.

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the lesson he draws from his experiences is one worth learning, and hints at greater depths beyond the effusively warm demeanour that makes him such good company, especially when coupled with an authenticity he’s increasingly seeking in his work. Click Here For Review

July 23, 2024   Fest Mag

Edinburgh Fringe 2024 – Top Picks: Comedy

From mistaken identity to medieval saints, these comedy shows will have you in stitches:

Sam See: And I Can’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore
Laughing Horse @ Counting House, 1-25 Aug (not 6, 13, 20), 5.45pm

Once a government-mandated sex educator, Sam See's latest hour is more personal and will strike a chord with anyone who’s felt a disconnect between where they grew up and where they feel at home. Click Here For Article

July 22, 2024   BroadwayWorld

SAM SEE: AND I CAN'T FEEL AT HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE - Q&A

BWW caught up with Sam See about bringing And I Can't Feel At Home In This World Anymore to the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

How did you first get started in the world of comedy?

I started when I was eighteen going on nineteen in Singapore. At the time I really wanted to be a jazz singer/crooner, no one else was really doing it and I thought I could get in that market. Trouble was, I never had really done it live. I did covers on YouTube and such, with not much traction or interest. Then, I found out that a local gay interest group were running a talent competition, which would be a great way to get out there and maybe show some folks. Also, everyone who participated would get a year’s free entry to the local gay club, so I was already a winner.

The issue was I needed to fill eight minutes of stage time, and my song only ran for four, so I needed to fill that extra four minutes. I really loved watching stand-up on YouTube as well, so I thought “What the heck, let’s do some stand-up.” I wrote a godawful four-minute set, performed it to no reaction in the audition, but thankfully the singing was good enough to get me in. Funnily enough, one of the other competitors, a drag queen, also did stand-up and invited me to an open mic, which was genuinely the first time I ever heard the term. I followed her a week later and watched the best comedians in Singapore perform, some bombing, and I thought “What the heck, I can do better than them!” I signed up for the following week, which was serendipitously also April 1st, and enjoyed myself so much that I just kept coming back. The dream of singing faded in the rearview mirror, as my love of stand-up started to shine in the distance.

I did come in second in that talent competition, losing to that very drag queen. So I suppose singing is the fallback career.

What made you want to create And I Can’t Feel At Home In This World Anymore?

Honestly, a bit of spite. My last hour show, Government Approved Sex, was something I really enjoyed, but I got flak for it behind my back for not being “real stand-up.” The show used slides, crowd work and education to make something I’m proud of, but comics and audiences did turn their nose up at it. I’m also known as a crowd work comic back in Asia, so I didn’t get respect from some acts for my work. I wanted to write this show as proof and also a “take that” to those acts, to show I can do the general stand-up hour, but I just choose not to so I can have fun in my own world of creativity.

Thankfully in the end - and after some performances of it - the show has now become less about bitterness and more about positivity, which I think makes better art in my case. Also, it makes me drink far less whisky when writing the show.

What is your creative process like for a show like And I Can’t Feel At Home In This World Anymore?

This has been a show that has been cooking in the background for years - bits of material I’ve always wanted to do or stories I wanted to tell, but couldn’t when I was still based in Singapore. I sketched out the core story elements first, then slotted the bits I wanted to do in-between, where it makes sense energy and flow-wise. Adding in more jokes and stories to flesh it out, and then once it was finished, I then went in with a large razor and cut out any jokes or bits that I felt were just not up to the mark. After, it was the WIPs, where it’s more testing, removing, adding in riffs that work and make sense, and then a few more shows and it was done. There’s still more to iron out, but I feel you only have a proper hour show after 30 performances, so we’ll be there before the middle of the Fringe.

The best part is looking back at early notes and seeing weird lines like “seven inches” and trying to figure out what the heck that was about. Do I need to add in seven inches to my show? Oh crap, now I’m really wondering if I have to.

What is it like sharing your own story as a comedy show?

It’s really strange, especially for this one. I wrote in the emotional, pathos-inducing moment at the forty-minute mark, because I do like having those moments of honesty in an hour show, and it became REALLY personal. I haven’t been that honest and raw on a stage before, even if it’s more a minute. It’s so wild to do it and then have to get back to the comedy afterwards, but I really need that, I suppose, as a performer and as a human. I love sharing my life in jokes because I very rarely make up stories for the stage. For this hour, it’s really about the comedic honesty, hopefully with enough comedic in it.

You’ve performed in over 25 countries - what is it like performing internationally?

People would think it’s difficult, but for me, I thrive in it and on the road. My stuff has never been too “local” for Asia - I’ve always written for an international audience, so there weren’t many translation or reference issues. Plus, I love to create stuff just for the city, town or just for the gig itself. I feel it adds that “something something” to a show, the feeling like you’re watching something happening in the now and here, a club show that can’t quite be repeated 100%, so I spend time writing, walking around, and writing some more. I also love seeing people from all over in their own space, what they eat, where they go. An artistic voyeur of sorts, if I can make it sound not so creepy.

What is it like bringing a show like this up to the Edinburgh Fringe?

It’s a thrill for me. A festival where every day and every show is different, with audiences ranging from the fans to the bored, drunks and druggies, kids and pensioners, and it’s my job to entertain them the best I can. With a show like this too, it’s hopefully showing people the journey I’ve taken to literally get up on that stage in that festival, all the way from Singapore. It’s going to be cathartic by the end of it. I hope. I could also have a dreadful festival, but I know I’ll find a positive spin to it.

What do you hope audiences take away from And I Can’t Feel At Home In This World Anymore?

My merchandise.

Also, the want to look for their own home, a place where they enjoy, a place where they belong, and fighting for it with positivity and optimism in a difficult world.

But mostly, my merchandise.

How would you describe And I Can’t Feel At Home In This World Anymore in one word?

Hope.

As in I hope you people buy some tickets to this show.

Sam See: And I Can’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore runs from 1 to 25 August (no performances on 6, 13 or 24 August) at Laughing Horse @ The Counting House - The Lounge at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Click Here For Article

July 4, 2024    Lilithia Reviews

Sam See: And I Can’t Feel At Home In This World Anymore Review

Have you ever felt that you don’t belong where you live now? That your country, where you have lived all your life, is so familiar to you and yet you still don’t fit in? Have you ever thought maybe you’d be happier and prosperous elsewhere? This is how Sam See feels.

In his new show – And I Can’t Feel At Home In This World Anymore, Sam shares about his birth home, his home to be, and his aspirations.

Taking to the Jade Room, Chinese Museum stage in Melbourne, neatly dressed in a snazzy coat, collared shirt and his signature bowtie, Sam See beamed at his intimate and attentive audience, ready to wear his heart on his sleeve and showcase his most raw and honest show yet.

And I Can’t Feel At Home In This World Anymore is worlds apart in comparison to Sam See’s show predecessor Government Approved Sex. This new show has no hilarious power point presentation, scientific facts, or eyebrow raising instructions. Instead, the show is just him with a microphone stand that doubled as a coat rack. With a microphone in hand, Sam See is left with nowhere to hide.

Taking us on a journey, we follow Sam through his life in Singapore, his frustrations about an Asian propaganda movie he can’t stand, the process of applying for a special visa, an interesting night out at a New Year’s Eve party, a dodgy pub in the United Kingdom, and his desire to relocate his presence, his craft and his dreams to London. His descriptions are so detailed, sometimes you can even picture these scenes happening in your mind as Sam is telling them to you.

Sam See is the best storyteller when he’s at his most vulnerable. Listening to Sam in an intimate room felt like being reacquainted with that familiar friend you had every intention on catching up with for coffee but the plans never eventuated. Everyone has different layers that they hide behind but Sam is fearless, unfiltered, and he peels these layers all back so that you can see and understand who he is, not only as a determined artist but as a person.

There’s just something special about Sam See’s shows that always makes me want to know more. With And I Can’t Feel At Home In This World Anymore, we’re only at the beginning of Sam’s journey with the story constantly evolving. This is not to say that the show feels incomplete. Instead, And I Can’t Feel At Home In This World Anymore seems more like the first few volumes of an exciting saga.

Sam See is a rare comedian that glows with style and sincerity. His content is super relatable but is especially significant for anyone who has ever felt lonely in a crowded room. We’re very lucky to have this well-spoken talented comedian and his heartfelt new show come to our shores, and I genuinely look forward to the next chapter of his self-inflicted solo adventure. Click Here For Review