Ania Magliano’s self aware stand-up hour follows her sellout debut from last year, and will not disappoint returning fans. The show starts with a tale of a bad haircut, which, while funny and engaging, is perhaps a slightly too traditional way to start what is an offbeat (and upbeat) stand-up hour.
But this story spins off, as we learn about Magliano’s journey of self discovery and reinvention after the horrific haircut. Magliano discusses therapy, surgery, romantic failings and mental health, as many comics do, but with a light touch that easily garners laughs and creates a relaxed and cheerful audience.
For such a new comic, Magliano appears to be confident and comfortable on stage, capable of easily chatting with the audience when they want to engage. She detours into some observational bits, often relatable and heartfelt. Magliano paints herself as the fall girl in most of the situations she tells us about, showing her humility and great ability to be self aware and self deprecating without taking it too far.
Magliano spins tales of her attempt to volunteer at a loneliness charity, her friend who is – for Magliano’s liking – far too briefly in love with her, and her accidental joining of a pro boxing group. She begrudgingly tells us of her boyfriend, saying that a bisexual woman with a boyfriend is the worst sexuality – even worse than a straight woman with a boyfriend.
All of this self discovery and thought is framed as Magliano’s recovery from the bad haircut, but in a twist at the end we learn that this is not entirely the case. This twist sort of changes how we think about what Magliano has told us over the last hour, and is a nice and really meaningful touch that allows I Can’t Believe You’ve Done This to stand out.
Ania Magliano is a stand out new stand-up, who audiences will fall immediately in love with over the course of this self aware and beautifully written hour.
Ania Magliano: I Can’t Believe You’ve Done This is at the Pleasance Courtyard – Baby Grand at 4.35pm until 27 August.
Image provided to The Student as press material.