She’s classy, she’s fun, her brother happens to have a son – Sophie Banister is the cool aunt! Following her journey moving across the world while her brother becomes a dad, Sophie asks the real questions: how does one even make friends as an adult? Why does everyone care about gender reveals? And which of Donna’s friends from Mamma Mia is more my aunt energy? Tanya or Rosie? With original songs, looped guitar and vocals, Sophie brings high energy satire to a musical comedy hour bursting with tales from another Aussie abroad.

Following her journey of moving to the other side of the world while her brother becomes a Dad, Sophie considers the real questions: how does one even make a friend as an adult? Why do I care that I am missing a gender reveal when I am living my first #eurosummer? More importantly, which of Donna’s friends from Mamma Mia is more my “aunt energy”? Am I a Tanya or a Rosie?

With all original party anthems, jingles and looped guitar and vocals, this is a show for the overwhelmed nomads, the delulu dreamers and those not quite ready to let go of the idea of life as Fergie’s hit 2006 song ‘Glamorous’.

August 8, 2025    One4Review

This show is set in one of the most comfortable Fringe venues I have ever been in so sit back, relax and enjoy the show.

Sophie starts the show with guitar in hand and a singalong which cleverly gets the audiences attention and interaction from the off, her energy and enthusiasm is evident giving you a warm vibe and a ‘Happy to be here feeling’.

Although this is a comedy musical, the back story throughout the show Is Sophie becoming an Aunty for the first time (Hence the title), she certainly has mixed feelings about the prospect on becoming an aunt and brings those feelings out through her songs. I felt at times her singing and performance was similar to Kate Bush or Alanis Morissette, due to her catchy lyrics, rock star image and at times mentally imbalanced performance.

The Brisbane born performer moved to London and returned home to visit her newly born Niece before returning back to London, this moment in her life is captured through songs such as ‘The London song’, ‘I love you’, the ‘Ex Pat’ song, the ‘Instagram’ song and the ‘Euro summer’ song all performed brilliantly with a bit of humour included. Sophie then brings it down a bit with a brief meditation moment and another song before taking us through the process of applying for a job with the clever use of some improvised cue cards.

Sophie concludes the show with the thoughtful ‘Pregnant with myself’ song and then with the use of a Violin, she ended the performance and received a well-deserved round of applause.

Sophie is a talented guitar player with song writing skills and excellent vocals, this is part of the free fringe, and it’s a show that is certainly well worth seeing! Click Here For Review

August 2, 2025    Ed Fringe Review

Brisbane native, Sophie Banister gives an energetic one-woman performance in, ‘Let Me Be the Cool Aunt’. The hour centres around the lifestyle of an expat in London and the changes one faces when moving to a completely different cultural environment. Her love for home reinforces this notion and recurs throughout the show as something we all, perhaps, can relate to. Armed with few to no props, it gives a story of her life’s adventures through the guise of musical comedy, sprinkled with soft guitar strings and versatile vocal range, needless to say, this performance is worth the watch.

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August 2, 2025    The QR

Hopefully, I won’t offend musical comedian Sophie Bannister by saying she must number among the most adorable performers gracing this year’s Edinburgh Fringe. Brimming over with youthful energy and bright-eyed enthusiasm, she single-mindedly sets out to entertain her audience.

The back room at the Brass Monkey, dominated by huge seat cushions made for whole body sprawling, has confounded more experienced acts than Sophie’s. Much to her credit, she embraces the weirdly laid-back and intimate space, though I think she could take a little more initiative in walking amongst her audience.

The show has a simple enough concept: Sophie moved from Brisbane to London, leaving behind her ‘obviously less mature’ brother and his pregnant partner. Fated to become a ‘Cool Aunt’ she muses on what it means to be an aunt, and an adult suddenly confronted with the need to make new friends as an expat.

With her trusty guitar and looping pedal to hand and foot (not the infectious kind), she explores all the above and more. It could, of course, be highly cringey – it’s not – not in the least. She’s a strong songwriter with an ear for a witty verse, and a nice touch on the strings (she plays the violin too). Her decision to adopt the audience as her unborn nephew or niece is maybe one cuteness too far, but it’s hardly a sin.

This adopted kid was still particularly impressed when she dived into electro-house, and by her cleverly worded ‘Manifest’ chant.

However, if I were to label the show’s genres, I’d leave the ‘musical comedy’, but ditch the ‘comedy’ in favour of ‘storytelling’, because you learn quite a bit about Sophie, her life, and views on such thorny issues as immigration, FOMO, flaky suitors, and going Instagram-official with new friends.

Charming and likeable, you’ll bop along happily, chuckling now and again, whilst smiling the rest of the time. It’s neither the deepest, most meaningful show you’ll ever see, nor is it the funniest, but if it’s an 11am appointment with a thoroughly likeable and entertaining human being, Sophie Bannister will do you just fine. Click Here For Review