A new chapter in the Jewish MILF universe
Audiences can expect a high-energy mix of stand-up comedy, storytelling and songs. Leder said the show draws on her own experiences of marriage, divorce and dating, when Marilyn Leder takes to the stage again.
Melbourne comedian and film and television lecturer Marilyn Leder is returning to the stage with her new solo show, MILF and Cookies, as part of the 2026 Melbourne Fringe Festival.
The show is a follow-up to Leder’s 2022 debut, The MILF Next Door. This time around, the self-described 50-something Jewish mamma is cheekier and more politically charged.
“It continues my escapades as a 50-something Jewish woman navigating marriage, divorce, dating and the expectations placed on women,” Leder told The AJN. “But this is three years later, so this time I’m taking my story further, with a particular focus on dating, antisemitism and challenging the male-dominated comedy world. It’s a new chapter in the Jewish MILF Universe.”
Audiences can expect a high-energy mix of stand-up comedy, storytelling and songs. Leder said the show draws on her own experiences of marriage, divorce and dating, as well as sexism she has encountered in the Melbourne comedy scene, explaining that she relishes the chance to challenge cultural assumptions about women, particularly mature single women.
“Women have evolved to be so much more than just caregivers and ego boosters and some men find it challenging to give up being the one who always calls the shots,” she said. “I also challenge some of the cultural assumptions around Jewish people, whether we’re seen as victims, oppressors, high achievers or secretly wielding influence. I like to point out the absurdity of it all, make people question some of their attitudes and prejudices and have a bit of a laugh about it.”
But, Leder said, it also reflects what has been happening in the world around her.
“The rise in antisemitism, particularly since October 7 and the Bondi attacks, has inevitably found its way into the show,” she said. “I wanted to explore some of these experiences through comedy because, for me, finding the funny is the way I make sense of things that are difficult, hypocritical or just plain absurd.
“Humour is a great survival mechanism.”
MILF and Cookies runs October 3-15 at Classic Southside in Elsternwick and Festival Hub: Trades Hall in Carlton. For tickets, visit melbournefringe.com.au