Stefania’s stand-up show has never been more relevant in the current news cycle. As a migrant and key worker in the NHS at the height of the pandemic, Licari has an important story to tell – and on top of that, she’s run a gruelling 160-mile marathon across the Sahara desert.
It’s surely a welcome change of pace to entertain the late afternoon crowds at Underbelly, and Stefania is in high spirits when I saw her, bobbing in and out of the queuing audience as Italian pop played.
Her autobiographical comedy takes in Italian-ness, sex drive, the hardships of a demanding medical job, and the perils of Catholicism where every major milestone is haunted by a motivational Virgin Mary hallucination. The Brazilian wax routine was especially memorable, especially the soundtrack! Much of the content will have women nodding along in particular – it was infuriating hearing of her wardrobe-based disciplining, and the everyday nuisance of bras for what turns out to be quite a light body part…
It’s a story of resilience and defying expectations: as she says herself, “The ultra-marathon is a metaphor for the various stages in my life. The moral of the story is not to give up, as you never know how close you are to the finish line! The message is even more important for women and I hope it provides the inspiration to move away from conventions and expectations.”
Stefania had a good rapport with the crowd, with some gentle verbal sparring with the front row. Dedicating her performance to her mother and grandmother who weren’t able to use their voice was also a lovely touch. What’s more, during last Friday’s power cut Stefania continued entertaining her audience outside in Bristo Square. Now that’s something Marathon Mary would give a big thumbs-up to.
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Stefania Licari: Trust Me, I’m A Comedian is at Underbelly Dexter from 1-25th Aug (not 12th)