Playhouse East – until 28 June 2025
Reviewed by Claire Roderick
5*****
Lily Sinko has created a brilliantly bonkers survivor in this hilarious comedy, and her tour de force performance is unmissable.
Beginning as a seemingly world-weary recount of life, soon Sinko’s Magdalena is leaping and prowling around the stage, recounting bizarre encounters from Paris to Mount Everest – the Baron Munchausen of prostitutes.
Sinko’s writing and performing are sublime – clowning, skilfully handled audience interaction (and terrorising) and exquisite comic timing build a superbly realised character. A life of neglect, abuse and brutality becomes almost Enid Blytonesque in Magdalena’s memories (but with much more sex.) Magdalena wistfully recounts her childhood in Marseilles, talking about her “homeschooling” with her father and their arts and crafts sessions with charming naivety. Although her undying love for her father is never reciprocated, he remains her hero. Every callous act is changed into a fun game in her mind as she is sent to a very unusual boarding school. Magdalena encounters first love, friendships and betrayals before leaving the school in dramatic and implausible circumstances before finding sanctuary. Here, the imagery becomes more medieval Catholic guilt and fiery pits of hell. With a twisted idea of love drawn from her childhood but very aware of her potent sexuality, Magdalena is looking for love and acceptance – fighting against, and using, religion and power to find her place in the world.
That is a very brief synopsis, as this show needs to be seen to be believed. Daniel Kettle’s direction allows everything to appear off the cuff and Sinko’s inspired writing creates a roller coaster of chaotic energy that leaves the audience breathless and begging for more. Exactly what Magdalena wants.