‘Desperate: A Beverly Hills Manny’ by Esmond Fountain

From a school lunch betrayal in Mississippi to a quiet breakdown in Los Angeles, Desperate is a solo comedy that blends sharp stand-up, personal storytelling, and emotional depth into a one-person rollercoaster of survival and self-discovery. Written and performed by Esmond Fountain, winner of Best Stand-Up at the 2025 New York City Fringe Festival, this show explores what happens when chasing your dreams starts to feel more like running from your life.

With nothing but a mic and a bottle of water, Fountain navigates ghosting jobs, trying (and failing) to be a flight attendant, and the quiet shame of disappearing from your own goals. It’s a show about failure, identity, and the lies we tell ourselves to stay afloat.

Expect to laugh hard, feel deeply, and maybe leave asking yourself: What if hydration is healing?

Audiences have called it “raw, hilarious, and way too real”, a show that sneaks up on your heart while making your stomach hurt from laughing.