Liz Kingsman’s all-conquering show is a reminder of the often cynical nature of showbusiness: a concept rises to mainstream success, gets pounced on by circling commissioners and reproduced until it becomes all-too ripe for parody. The most recent take on ‘one-woman shows’, propelled into the mainstream by a certain writer and performer of Fringe fame, is the latest trope in need of subversion. Or so believes this comic, actress and writer (formerly one third of the Massive Dad sketch group).

Kingsman opens with a disclaimer that immediately puts her in control and the audience on the back foot, before delving into a performance of Wildfowl, the one-woman show that exists inside One-Woman Show. But the meta layers don’t stop there. She narrates the story about ‘a woman stumbling through her twenties in a fiercely honest, darkly comic way’ while simultaneously unpicking the narrative as she goes, exposing its seams until the whole thing deconstructs (just as she wants).

Wickedly funny writing paired with highly nuanced acting from its star and creator avoid One-Woman Show ever falling short as simply cruel mockery; instead it poses more questions about female success and the portrayal of modern women on stage and screen. Of course the irony is that this production, which points out the success-hungry intentions of past performers, has already earned Kingsman her own critical acclaim, having collected a cloud of hype and a South Bank Award well before its arrival in Edinburgh. 

^{Pictures: Matt Stronge (above) / Will Bremridge (top)}

The praise is, of course, warranted, as One-Woman Show succeeds in being a highly entertaining slice of observational comedy and satire, cleverly utilising lighting, costume and choreography to mock jarring tonal shifts and unsubstantiated references to the protagonist’s past trauma (a clear Fleabag reference there). But if Kingsman is expressing disdain for a lack of variety in widely-celebrated stories about women, then her version isn’t exactly contributing a new narrative. 

As the final moments of her monologue make clear that she is all-too aware of her show’s problematic undertone, the exponentially more self-referential One-Woman Show leaves its audience unsure of what Kingsman’s intentions really are. One thing is for certain, though, this piece provides audiences with enough food for thought to keep them satisfied for some time.

Traverse Theatre, until 28 August, 10pm.