Kiss Me x works best imagining Franklin telling her bestie about dating escapades laid in her teenage bedroom, legs curled upwards and twirling a phone cord in her hand. Her enthusiasm for dating is infectious, especially as she’s now on the dating scene as her most authentic self.
The show straddles pink, fluffy and something nerdier (though who’s to say women can’t do both). Breezy and memey is where Franklin feels right at home. There’s songs about beavers, and one about the differences between men and women which would make Two Hearts proud. She also leaves secrets for the most astute audience members to find; a nod to previous shows.
Franklin’s best material is the sweet and quickfire gags (she has an impressive joke count). Exploring her gender identity and Chinese heritage brings an extra dimension to the hour, but could easily be a show in itself. Here, her lived experiences add vital context to her dating glee but feel too glossed over to be weighty or thoroughly examined in this stand-up style.
But in a world where trans women are so unfairly vilified, Franklin’s outlook is a refreshing, upbeat and, most importantly, hopeful one.
Alex Franklin: Kiss Me x, Underbelly Cowgate, until 30 Aug (not 17), 2.25pm