Is it possible to ‘conquer’ the Edinburgh Fringe? Of any success story to date, Ania Magliano’s comes pretty close. All three of her shows (including her 2022 debut) have enjoyed sell-out runs, culminating in a Best Show nomination at 2023’s Edinburgh Comedy Awards. From there she’s ticked off Taskmaster, Off Menu and has become the inaugural co-host of SNL UK’s Weekend Update.
While the 28-year-old’s new show Peach Fuzz doesn’t concern itself with any of these successes, it does follow the same trajectory; a quicker sell-out time, a bigger room and a shorter run (a sign she can now afford to work smarter, not harder). The show has grown in sophistication too, proving Magliano’s star can continue to rise even when she stays true to her no-frills traditional stand-up format. Despite the building pressure, her delivery is precise and effortless.
Containing her signature revelatory undercurrent, Magliano, yet again, masters the art of packaging heavy subject matter in sugar-coated jokes that dance between observational, deadpan and whimsy. Her writing follows a Chekhov’s gun level of intention, with every new idea serving its purpose, whether that’s for the current joke or for one being fired later. Until she’s back staring down the barrel of an SNL UK camera, Magliano is making the Fringe look like a breeze.
Ania Magliano: Peach Fuzz, Monkey Barrel Comedy, until 22 Aug (not 18), 1.25pm