REVIEW: Justin Elizabeth Sayre Is a 40-Year-Old Woman, EdFringe 2026 ★★★★

For any transphobes in the room, no, Justin Elizabeth Sayre does not have a vagina on their person at this very moment. But they do have one in their bag backstage and it’s doing very well, thank you for asking. What Sayre does have on their person is an incredible outfit made up of a two-piece pyjama set featuring flying tigers, clutch-worthy pearls, black heels and a black hat. They also have an incredible energy that carries us through the show.

What makes someone a 40-year-old woman? Is it really about age and what’s in your pants, or is it something much deeper than that? Is it, perhaps, a state of mind, a way of embracing the fullness of yourself when the world has often told you that you’re too much or not enough?

As many of the best entertainers do, Sayre delivers both belly laughs and big emotions in this stand-up show that feels like an homage to the many women who’ve impacted their life, from film stars to their grandmother. A clear contrast is shown between how the outside world views Sayre, the homophobia and fatphobia they’ve experienced, to who they now know themselves to be. They talk about literally hiding in their grandmother’s closet as a child, imitating an Elizabeth Taylor advert and receiving advice on how to deal with other people’s opinions of you. ‘Just because they don’t like you doesn’t mean you’re bad’.

Every story, even every joke makes it clear that the words are enriched by a life truly lived, that everything is imbued with experience and the wisdom derived from it. As a younger queer person, there is something incredibly comforting about watching Sayre, perhaps because they are comfortable in their skin thanks to being a 40-year-old woman. That’s what 40-year-old women are all about, and it’s being comfortable with who we are that Sayre wants us all to be.

It’s when they tell the story of a late friend who passed too soon that the show really hits home. Sayre talks about how always chasing your dreams, especially when you’ve been told that you’re not enough, might keep you from realising how loved and cherished you already are. How not slowing down might have you missing out on truly feeling the love people have for you. Amidst all the jokes, they make space for a wider range of emotion. They speak of the queer people who came before them, the ones who should be here but are not, and the impact the AIDS epidemic had on them growing up.

In this way, Sayre makes their show much more than just a comedy hour. Through this deeply nuanced mix of comedy and commentary, or perhaps by simply existing in their 40-year-old womanhood on stage, they showcase what it can look like to grow older as a queer person – something we still do not get to see enough of. Justin Elizabeth Sayre Is a 40-Year-Old Woman is not just a fun hour of queer comedy but a moving piece of queer art performed by a master of their craft.

Recommended Drink: A G&T seems an appropriate drink for a 40-year-old woman, paired with a cigarette and a rich attitude.

You can catch Justin Elizabeth Sayre Is a 40-Year-Old Woman at Dairy Room @ Underbelly, Bristo Square until August 30th at 18:10 (60mins). Tickets are available through the EdFringe Online Box Office.