ISH NISH NARY























Ish Nish Nary is the pseudonym for Spanish avant-garde performer Elizabethez Smithez.

Elizabethez is an intriguing and captivating performer – physically deformed by a childhood bout of spinal meningitis and standing at a height of 214cm, she cultivated her severe stuttering into a vocal trademark that coupled with severe asthma and chronic bronchitis became a most unique style, described by NME as "having the mental age of an 8 year old".

Elizabethez spent the first 38 years of her life shunned by fellow villagers, who referred to her as el loco ojo mendiga bestia reina todo los sucio tonto (literally, The crazy eyed beast queen of all the filthy idiots). But in 1998, she escaped from her pit and hit the road, "performing" for food along the way.

Many have remarked on "its amazing courage", though it's not so amazing when you discover she can barely see beyond the end of the stage as a result of severe myopia. What is amazing, is that she manages to play the banjo despite missing both thumbs, and can smell any food in a 6 metre radius – despite having a wooden prosthesis where her nose used to be.

Ish Nish Nary has been a minor success in English speaking countries that can't understand her puerile lyrics. In 2004 her live act made headlines for the wrong reasons when she had an "episode", described by her agent as "an unfortunate lesson in the dangers of mixing demazin with alcohol".

Elizabethez returns to the stage this year after overcoming pneumonia, that she caught during a bout of chemotherapy. Elizabethez says the key to success, is "good health, good friends, and whole lot of luck", none of which she has had any of. She also picks her scabs.

Ish Nish Nary is touring in May, supported by Kookie Konstruktor.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

D... D... Demazin!

Al said...

This is some funny shit. I love the idea. Good stuff.