Shamaine Othman is all geared up for her solo debut show 'Oh No She Didn’t!' at DPAC on Oct 12. Photo: Shamaine Othman
It might have taken comedian Shamaine Othman more than 10 years to debut her stand-up solo special Oh No She Didn’t!, and her loyal following, who have been patient enough, have unsurprisingly made it a sold out affair.
Shamaine's Oh No She Didn’t! - scheduled for one night only - is set to play at Damansara Performance Arts Centre (DPAC), in Petaling Jaya on Oct 12.
For the lucky fans with tickets, this show promises to be a blast, with themes surrounding the life of a single woman (at 39) and the confusion that comes with being a modern-day Malaysian in these unprecedented times.
“This show is my baby! It’s quite ironic really because I actually gave myself nine months to prepare and when you reach a certain level, you see your seniors like Joanne Kam headlining major shows so I thought to myself, why not just go for it?” says Shamaine, who is so much more than just a comedian; she is also a writer, actor, director and producer.
However, in her role as a stand-up comedian, Shamaine admits, she enjoys the opportunity to crank up the noise, fun and drama. On stage, her sassy flair shines through, giving the audience a female take on comedy in a male-dominated industry.
In a positive development, Malaysian female comedians, with an amazing quality of work and experience, are now stepping confidently into the headlining slots.
Veteran comedian Joanne Kam's recent solo sold out shows (La La Lian 2.0) recently in Kuala Lumpur proved that the comedy scene here is moving along progressively, with the box office draws no longer limited to the boys' club regulars.
For Shamaine, her career - more importantly - has been to provide comedy that is relatable and enjoyable for people, and also to identify gaps in the market where her bold brand of humour can thrive.
From open mics and small club gigs to festivals and theatre projects, she has worked the circuit through the years, including being part of the “Projek Disko Baldi” ensemble, which specialises in sketch routines.
“Comedy holds such a special place in my heart, I have written so many shows on different genres – horror, romance and biographies but nothing truly beats comedy!” she says.
After this upcoming solo show, Shamaine aims to continue putting her name out there as a solo performer/headliner and pave the way for other female comedians, or she comically puts it, “girl-bossing her way through comedy” wave.
“This show definitely has always been on my mind for years now but with a busy schedule, you don’t really get a chance to explore other projects. The (pandemic) lockdown certainly presented me with an opportunity I didn’t have before – time. With the time I had, I was able to plan this show properly and plan out the way on how I want to present it to my audience,” she says.
During the pandemic, she also hit the virtual stage with her improv comedy sets alongside the AIIA Improv group.
As an accomplished content creator, Shamaine also wrote and directed three short films, Love Story and Cuak: The Couple for Garang Pictures and Polyzombies (of KL24 : Zombies) for Doghouse 73 Pictures.
Oh No She Didn’t! is also produced by Cinematic Sdn Bhd, previously helmed by acclaimed film director and Shamaine’s father, Othman Hafsham. The company is now led by Shamaine who aims to explore a new direction and is currently developing new titles for an ever-changing content landscape.
