29 September 2011

FRINGE review: World Around Us II

MELBOURNE FRINGE 2011
23 September 2011
Fringe Hub, Rehearsal Room
to 8 October 2011


World Around Us was one of my favourite of last year's Fringe, and this year's part II is just as gorgeous. Intimate, gentle and so fucking beautiful, it's impossible to watch without crushing on Miles O'Neil.

Everybody seems to have a story – and that's brilliant!

So says Miles, as he shares some unlikely cans of VB. His cream brocade jacket and pink-rose tie defines Melbourne op-shop hipster chic, but there's nothing ironic about his nostalgic collection of stories, found 8mm (and super 8) film and original songs. This year, they're about love.

There's stories like Bob's. He's the Jetstar lost property delivery dude who was once "6 inches away" from asking a girl to marry him and delighted in watching the sun set over a power pole. There's a 1950s film of a nanna watching her grandchildren, who may now be grandparents themselves. There are backyard pools, animals, Neil Diamond (thank you for bringing him back) and blue V Dub that will never leave your heart.

Miles makes these stories of day-to-day life so irresistible and joyful by finding the unexpected beauty and love in each one. Love isn't about grand gestures and contrived events; it's really quite simple and sometimes it takes a taxi driver or a family watching performing seals to remind us just how beautiful our lives and our loves are.

Miles O'Neil's World Around Us II is on late each night at the Fringe hub. It's too beautiful to miss.

This review originally appeared on AussieTheatre.com


I missed this a couple years back...