Comedy review: Ria Lina: Dear Daughter
Star rating: **** Venue: Gilded Balloon Teviot (Venue 14)
Ria Lina has written a series of letters to her daughter, just in case she should die before having all those mother/daughter talks that are so important to a growing girl. By an extraordinary coincidence, the letters make perfect pegs on which to hang some terrific comedy.
We start with a look at the taboo subject of death itself, look back fondly on some Darwin Award Winners, get introduced to Ria’s own mother and then, seamlessly, it seems we are talking about sex. Most of Dead Ria’s letters to her daughter are about sex. Except the one about death. This show is beautifully constructed and Ria Lina is a punchy performer. There are songs – which are funny and catchy – and an attempt at a singalong which was hampered by the fact that there were only 11 of us in the Turret. Which is, given that this is all quality stuff up here, ridiculous. If you have children or a mother, if you have gone through puberty, if you have died or think that one day you might, then you should see this show. Discover why Ria is leaving her body to science (not what you think), and why “yellow” people experience puberty differently. There is edgy stuff here, delivered with such charm that beating your child with a dildo sounds like rather a good idea. Ria is like a funny, smart princess locked, almost alone, in a Turret for an hour each night. You could be her handsome prince(ss) and rescue her from loneliness. I guarantee you will laugh a lot.
Until 29 August. Today 9:15pm.