Love / Less of a Man

Getting to see two wonderfully passionate proud queer lovers give a lovely evening of romantic comedy, and to be able to hear and see stories and people I can relate to, was so important to me and I had a really really lovely time! Really splendid, really well done :)

An *excellent* double bill. Jess is a star in the making. Catch this show before both of these comics blow up!!!

With Less of a Man, Jess Elgene has managed to strike the perfect balance, which eludes so many stand-up hours and one-person shows: sharpness and sincerity, originality and honesty, comedy and confessional.

Jess has packed her half-hour (which I saw in its full 60-minute glory in New York) with genuinely fresh, hilarious jokes that only she can tell. And that’s not just because of her identity—though I defy you to find a funnier trans woman from West Texas. It’s also because very few performers of any background have the skill and discipline to skip the low-hanging fruit, as she has, and instead mine their own unique story and perspective to say something truly insightful, surprising, and universal.

But even that is only half the story—because between these jokes, and the stories they accompany, are several unforgettable songs about a few of the defining figures and moments in Jess’s life. It’s at these moments in the show when Jess is at her most vulnerable—but it doesn’t feel gratuitous. Instead, the kinds of sentiments that Jess is expressing naturally lend themselves to the form of song. It felt to me like if the same ideas were conveyed any other way, some element of the truth would be lost.

Simply put: Less of a Man is equal parts funny and touching. I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys leaving a show with a big smile on your face (and, in all likelihood, tears in your eyes).

QUEERS—GET YOUR GORGEOUS ASSES TO THIS SHOW. Isabella Pip and Jess Elgene's split bill is an intimate, inspired queer wonder of this year's festival.

Isabella's LOVE investigates the coming-of-age experience of how love challenges identity with a unique blend of queer hilarity and romantic storytelling. It reminded me that queer people possess the superpower to fall in love so wholly that it can reconstitute our sense of self. That Isabella renders this as a feature of being queer and not a flaw is the kind of nuanced, no-nonsense, and refreshingly unsaccharine queer empowerment that makes me want to fling myself into my nearest polycule with reckless abandon. I cannot wait to see them develop this into a full hour.

Meanwhile, Jess Elgene is rendering some of the most accomplished comedic work of the Fringe on a stage the size of a postage stamp in this triumphant slice of her hour LESS OF A MAN. Comedians can be so afraid of caring—how uncool!—but there's a shiny facet to every one of Jess' perfectly cut, sharp comic gems that reveals a sincerity cutting deeper than the belly laugh it elicits. It's in the look of clear-eyed conviction with which she launches into each of the (accomplished, moving, catchy pop) songs that dot her set like stars that invites us to reflect on our own journeys into ourselves alongside her. For such a masterful blend of stand-up and song executed with such commitment of spirit, it's a miracle it's so accessible and so affecting. It's work that has kept working on me since, challenging me to be more honest in my personal life and in my craft. Catch Jess now before she's selling rooms six times this one's size in years to come. I was grateful to do so this Fringe, and you can bet I'll be thrilled to follow her there, too.

A cool two in one show! First is Jess with a really funny show exploring her trans identity which is filled with legitimately good songs! And second up is Isabella with a moving piece on what queer love looks like as a kinda bisexual nonbinary person. It made me think in a good way!

A very special double bill! Laugh out loud comedy plus vulnerable and tender storytelling and music - a really perfect way to cap off any night at the Fringe!!

This show is a lovely time. Fun stand up, nice stories, nice music, end of review.

You're missing out if you skip this show! Hilarious stand up, great storytelling, and songs that will bring tears to your ears.

This show was so fabulous! Both performers were so comfortable on stage and so professional, my friends and I were laughing the whole time! Yet it was such a real and genuine account of love and different experiences that anyone could relate to. It is a must see this Edinburgh fringe!!!