Ania Magliano has built a solid body of work over the past few years with her thoughtful, self-reflective shows (gaining an Edinburgh Comedy Award nomination on the way), and a following boosted by her appearances on Taskmaster and SNL UK.
After her television sojourn she’s back to stand-up with Peach Fuzz (which I saw at Soho Theatre), another walk through her life, this time her relationship with her body.
Before she dives into that, though, there’s some “heat admin” in the very hot room during this blessedly warm summer many of us are having. She has even brought along some ice lollies for those that need them – although she cannily points out these are not guaranteed at every show on her lengthy tour, which bookends an Edinburgh Fringe run.
Magliano talks about being bisexual, and choosing what to wear to send out the right signals about who she is. So the jorts and shirt-and-tie combo should appeal to “women, non-binaries… and men with imagination”, she tells us.
She reveals her admiration for Sabrina Carpenter, a childhood filled with Sylvanian Families rather than Barbies, and the rate at which she’s working through therapists (seven and counting). There’s also a lengthy section on reading online about a woman who claimed to have 27 successive orgasms, which causes the comic some consternation and then prompts the revelation that Magliano lives in her head and – despite the therapy – feels disconnected from her body.
For her, Magliano explains in a clever analogy, sex is like New Year’s Eve: she likes the idea but ultimately it’s disappointing. There’s also an exquisite payoff to this gag, as well as sharp observations about our pornified world.
Along the way there are seemingly unconnected references – including to Winston Churchill, or boyfriends who are like “indoor cats” and what the Suffragettes would make of Love Island – but the clever callbacks attest to this being a well crafted show.
Magliano has always used her own experience to ruminate on bigger themes beyond her life, but Peach Fuzz doesn’t go terribly deep, while her closing section on experiencing her first sensory deprivation tank, amusing though it is, doesn’t quite give the show the big payoff it needs.
But there are some good lines – and ice lollies are always welcome.
