Before age ten, Marina di Marzo was an unstoppable romantic force. After eleven? A cautionary tale. This New York comedian digs into her early 2000s childhood — armed with MS Paint, Sharon Stone, and her Italian heritage — to figure out exactly when and why it all went wrong. Expect real stories of Austen-level passion from primary school, Dickensian heartbreak from middle school onward, and a Disney-channel inspired pop song you didn’t see coming. Oh, and at some point she flashes her bra. It makes sense in context. Mostly.

Love in the time of Fifth Grade debuted at the New York Comedy Festival in 2026. Marina was inspired to write this show after a five year period where she didn’t go on a single date (yikes!). After getting back into the world of adult dating and relationships, she realized she was desperately searching for something once possessed. Young Marina had big dreams, but more importantly she was unashamed to chase them. During puberty many people, especially women, are taught to shed parts of their personality to become “adults.” We think “to grow up” is to accept what’s in front of you, and stop dreaming of what you doodle about in the corner of your journal.

This show is a hilarious, nostalgic romp that promises to leave Fringers feeling more connected to their inner child than ever before — and don’t we need that in these trying times?

SHOW INFORMATION
Venue: Braw Venues @ Hill Street – Venue 41
Stage: Muse
Dates: 7-20
Ticket Price £12 (£10)
Time: 14:30
Length: 1hr

Bio: Marina di Marzo is a writer and performer based in New York City who uses humor to explore her 1st generation Italian upbringing and pop culture. Her solo show, “Love in the Time of Fifth Grade”, premiered at the New York Comedy Festival. She is also the creator and star of the award-winning web series, “Whala Whala: An Italian Dad Talk Show.” With her comedy group “Sister Pigs,” Marina plays the video game Baldur’s Gate 3 as the four women of Sex and the City, and has garnered more than 230K views on YouTube. She’s created Time Out NY recommended shows and has performed at venues all over New York City including Upright Citizens Brigade. In her spare time, she’s a producer for NBC News..