Interviews

Shazia Mirza Why You Should Come & See … Busybody

Busybody is Shazia Mirza‘s observational comedy about growing up in Birmingham with Pakistani parents, and her life as a British Asian woman add to the mix for a unique and diverse kind of comedy. Here’s why Mirza thinks you should come and see her show.


Because everybody is a busybody, especially at the Edinburgh festival and a lot of people don’t realize that they are. There is way too much sticking your nose into other people’s business these days for some people they’ve turned it into a legitimate job, and earn money from it. Once it was just your mum now it’s everyone.

Most people just think ‘they’re trying to help’. But most people just want you to mind your own business! How about not ‘trying to help’ for once?

It’s time we all realized we are interfering judgmental curtain twitches, always poking our noses into other people’s business or just being helpful neighbours. There was a time when you couldn’t get help or advice now we’ve got strangers going out of their way to give you advice on your hair, your breasts, your cooking, your cleaning and your house.

Busybody will make you laugh at your own busybodiness, and hopefully help you to realize when you’ve poked your nose too far and why you should stop. There was a time when only teachers called you a busybody, tittle tattle, tell tale, nosey parker, lazy bones, ants in your pants, nincompoop, but now anyone calls anyone anything.

I have been sticking my nose into people’s business for a long time, and recently took it too far…
And everyone has an opinion, and everyone feels that their opinion is valid, and people are constantly asking for my opinion, on all the things I don’t know about, like the rise and fall of GCSE exam results, and the fat content of cupcakes.

If only these people realized just how much I don’t care.

Be a busybody and come and see this show.

{Shazia Mirza: Busybody::17000{ runs at the Gilded Balloon Teviot from 3-28 August at 20.15.