Virginia Ironside

When an agony aunt reaches seventy, she can lie like a trooper, jump off a bridge – or take to the stage. In Virginia Ironside’s case, she’s still an agony columnist for the Independent – and writes a column for the Oldie, but she also performs her own one-woman show, Growing OId Disgracefully.

The show arose out of performing at literary festivals to publicise her book, “No! I Don’t Want to Join a Bookclub!” which was then followed by “No! I Don’t Need Reading Glasses!” Now, a few years later, her new book “Yes! I Can Manage Thank You!” has come out, and she’s still on the road. In her show she explains why unlimited free drugs, fun funerals, grandchildren and sex – or, even better, no sex – make the seventies the best (and funniest) time of your life.

Directed by Nigel Planer, this “grannie stand-up” premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and last year (2014) she did another stint at Edinburgh to sell-out audiences.