My Festival: Ania Magliano

You will learn about female contraception and cricket. There is truly something for everyone. My show is a real story from the past year of my life, so you’ll also learn a lot about that and about me, but don’t worry, as a lover of gossip, my standard is high. I’ve made it as juicy as possible.

Who or what was the biggest inspiration for your show?

I always make shows based around on what I wished I could’ve seen a year ago. That’s what’s always drawn me to comedy. When I was 18 I saw Desiree Burch do a set talking about female body hair, and it was exactly what I needed to hear as an insecure young woman with a bunch of body issues. It basically completely changed my outlook on myself and it cost way less than therapy. So I’ve always used that as a guiding principle - what would I find useful and meaningful to hear about? Usually, what I would want to see in a show is basically as much gossip as possible about someone’s relationship and their struggles, so that’s what I’ve done.

Who or what are you most excited about seeing this year?

I am excited about lots of acts doing their first shows, including Rich Spalding, Dee Allum, Katie Norris and Jin Hao Li. I think such an important part of the Fringe is going to see people who you’ve never seen before. That being said, I also have seen posters up for Shreklesque (Shrek Burlesque) and I worry that I might just end up watching that every single day.

Who do you most like spending time with in Edinburgh?

The cats at Maison Du Moggy, the cat cafe on Grassmarket. I go to the cat cafe at least once a year, in the 8 years I’ve been coming to the Fringe. They have seen me at 18, in awe as I experienced the magic of Edinburgh, at 21 when I was dying on my arse to 6 people a day trying stand up for the first time, and at 24 when I’d finished my first ever full run. They are the still point of my turning world and it is hard knowing that to them I am just a customer. I feel like when a man goes to Amsterdam and falls in love with a sex worker.

What are the best and worst things that have happened to you at a festival?

Best - ate an ice cream spaghetti bowl - where they make the ice cream look like spaghetti, from Mary’s Milkbar on Grassmarket) for breakfast. Worst - had to do a show after eating an ice cream spaghetti bowl for breakfast.

Ania Magliano: Forgive Me, Father, Pleasance Courtyard, 6:40pm, until 25 August