by ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
What could’ve remained a simple sight gag has evolved into a powerful, personal and punchy clown musical.
What a pleasant surprise!
What genius choices Maya Ricote has made, turning this caricature into a distortion of her true self (Ay Am! after all, is but a Bizarro version of Maya!), complete with a video montage break revealing her past life as a young telenovela actress (with dozens of episodes to her credit across two series on Mexican TV network Las Estrellas in 2021). Her decision to sing — this is a musical! — showcases her vocal talents, without sacrificing her silly side.
And this show is quite silly. From the moment she emerges out of a deep freeze, somehow still 25 years old yet maintaining the same theatrical agent for three-quarters of a century, we’re with Ricote in her ridiculous situation. A blood oath sacrificing her time and her body, all in the quixotic quest of auditioning for just one vital part? Ricote wears many hats and wigs, literally, committing entirely to the parody of it all.
In the end, of course, we come to learn as she does, that’s she perfect just as she is. To hell with so-called beauty standards or what anyone in show business might want to tell her.
Directed by Dan Lees, Ricote makes a thrilling Fringe debut here. It’d be difficult to see her truly failing any audition in real life. I can’t wait to see her back onscreen, but next time as the star of the show that she most certainly is.
Maya Ricote: Ay Am! plays the Cellar at Pleasance Courtyard during the 2026 Edinburgh Fringe.
