Mary O’Connell review: A thrilling show about money, joy and success

Mary O’Connell is too hot for comedy. She addresses this important fact early on to make sure everyone is comfortable and aware.

It’s one of many contradictions throughout her debut hour, Money Princess: she has a love for buying things despite hating capitalism, and she’s pursuing a job as a comedian despite feeling like earning money is more important and always takes preference over enjoying herself.

The anchor around which this all revolves is her participation in OnlyFans’ first ever comedy competition, which has her and nine other trauma-bonded finalists trapped inside a Hilton making viral videos and performing to antisemitic pensioners. Alongside this and the £100k prize money offered by the competition, she explores whether or not she can feel joy outside of financial success.

I’ve seen Mary performing as part of alternative comedy line-ups, so it’s interesting to hear her talk about this in what is definitely a more mainstream stand-up show. She bridges the divide between alternative and mainstream comedy, but there are limits to how “alternative” she’s allowed to get.

There’s room for white comedians to do freaky shit, because being white is the norm and they’re starting from a “neutral” place. It’s not as simple for comedians of colour to be weird. Some industry person once told her that comedy allows you to be three things; and between Brown, Queer and Woman, she’s already maxed out the options before even getting to being funny, let alone weird.

But Mary has total command of the stage, such a sharp sense for a surreal turn of phrase and a wonderfully chaotic yet controlled style of storytelling. Her absurdist streak shines through at so many moments (in the way she describes waterfalls, and questions like: “would Gertrude Stein have enjoyed the Barbie movie?”). As she says, she’s way more nuanced than an hour lets her share with us.

She’s thrilling, practically bubbling over with energy and handles the contradictions she brings up deftly, while recognising that they’re pretty much unsolvable as long as capitalism exists.

Considering how Mary reminds us she doesn’t value joy as much as money, the main contradiction of her show is just how much of a joy she is to watch. (But just in case you’re worried too, it’s also worth every penny.)

Mary O’Connell: Money Princess is at the Pleasance Courtyard (Bunker Three), 6pm, until August 27th. Tickets here