At the PIP Theatre 2024 Toucan Club Festival, Lucy Lucia unleashed a deeply relatable and hilarious one-woman show titled 'Ickoholics Anonymous' that hit home for anyone who's ever felt the sting of secondhand embarrassment or the full-body cringe of the ick. Armed with a sharp wit, a killer voice, and a PowerPoint presentation, Lucy took her audience on a 45-minute rollercoaster ride through the seven stages of the ick, blending comedy, music, and storytelling into a thoroughly engaging performance.
From the moment Lucy stepped onto the stage, she owned it. With just a projector, minimal props, and her dynamic presence, she guided us through her "IA meeting" (Ickoholics Anonymous, naturally), recounting her supposed "soulmate" encounter at a café. Her storytelling engaged effortlessly, her script a perfect mix of humour, self-awareness, and a Aussie charm.
Although I’m straddling the line between Gen Y and Gen Z, I related to everything. Lucy captured the universal experiences of obsessive crushes, Harry Styles fandom, and cringe-worthy moments like when a man scampers after runaway ping-pong ball. Personally, I’ve been on both sides of the "ick"—I caused one when I fell off a handrail while trying to impress my crush by sliding down it, and I’ve also felt it while watching a boy attempt to rollerblade. Lucy's sharp commentary on Aussie culture—complete with ibis/condom antics and a spot-on depiction of the Fortitude Valley train station—had the audience cackling. And who hasn't winced at a text with tragic punctuation like “your so beautiful”?
The humour hit all the right notes, from her impersonation of her mum to the brilliantly real “delulu hours,” where Lucy described those late-night spirals of Pinterest scrolling, outfit planning, and cringy texts. The use of a projector to display texts, phone screens, and PowerPoint slides added an interactive layer that kept the audience locked in.
While singing wasn’t the main focus of the show, Lucy’s voice was an absolute treat. Whether it was belting out snippets from Wicked, Hairspray, Mulan, or Taylor Swift, or serenading us on the guitar in full “Ken-mode,” her musical interludes were delightful bonuses that complemented her comedy. She made sure every element of her props and costuming was intentional. The lighting and sound were perfectly timed for dramatic and comedic effect and her use of the stage was purposeful and dynamic.
The audience was incredibly supportive, joining in with laughter, cringing, and singing. Lucy's playful charm made everything feel authentic, as if she wasn't just performing for us. By the end, I was so engaged in her journey that her stories felt like my own experiences. Word has it that Lucy is as kind, humble, and down-to-earth as she seems on stage. While I didn’t get to stick around to say hi (I had a date with my cats and my couch), her warmth and authenticity shone through every moment of her performance.
Ickoholics Anonymous was a refreshing, laugh-out-loud exploration of romance's cringiest moments. Lucy’s comedic brilliance, relatable content, and endearing personality made it an unforgettable highlight of the festival. I’ll be keeping an eye out for whatever she does next—this is a performer who’s going places!
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