One day, a man in a coffee shop asked Ria Lina where she was from. Luckily for Festival-goers, the answer resulted in a fully formed show. The half-German, half-Filipino, British-born musical comedienne with an American accent explores what it’s like to be torn between so many identities and whether this point in question is actually relevant to, well, anything. Refreshingly, unlike so many comedians who base shows on their nationalities, Lina does not rely on stereotype jokes. Of course, there are the odd references to German efficiency and ping pong balls, but these are only presented in order to be deconstructed later. Her charming songs are wittily constructed, if not entirely politically correct. But then again, isn’t that the point?

The Voodoo Rooms, 3-26 August (not 6, 13, 20), 7.00pm.
tw rating 4/5 | [Anna McDonald]