Brilliance
Reviewed At The A Club: The Loft 22/02/2019
The extravaganza that is Fringe Festival; every year it grows, glows and enlightens South Australia to an inconceivable level. There is undoubtedly the “headline” highlights that whisk into our part of the world, showcase brilliance and vanish until the next year. However, it is the hidden treasures which decorate the outskirts of “The Garden” where true talent lies; so if devotees to this amazing experience that Australia is privileged to annually are willing to undertake the duty of exploration, well, English novelist George Eliot summarises it best: “The reward of one duty is the power to fulfil another”.
Becca Hurd‘s The Other Side Of 25 exists in a beautiful little room located on Waymouth street at a venue known as “The A Club” in “The Loft” – it is quaint, humble and flawless for her musical theatre dramedy. However, do not take this description as a representation of what this show entails; it is far from it. Size is not the portrait; it is the story she tells that honestly, has no bounds and emits grandeur phenomenally.
Playing as a character in her mid 20s called Amarie, who has agreed to be a surrogate for her older sister, the story actually articulates the idea of “becoming adult”. Originally Amarie is almost a brat, a know-it-all who actually doesn’t really know that much at all. She comprehends life, enjoys it, writes funny folk songs about it involving safe sex, penis size and general sexual-orientated comedy that is undoubtedly hysterical. Although this is just a “safety blanket” and the real world is going to make its impact with little awareness and to essentially hurt the ill-prepared.
Becca has constructed a brilliant “one person show” here where she acts as multiple characters when needed, or utilises a backing track of script to fulfil the other characters’ obligations to her tale. What truly fascinates her audience, is her multiple changes of emotion which enforces empathy, sympathy and laugh-out-loud awkwardness. I mean who doesn’t like spontaneous karaoke?
There is an unease that runs through the performance which entrances her crowd; it initially starts as a project Kristen Wiig would be proud of being involved with, but what it becomes is a story which Amy Adams wishes she knew about. It is whole-heartedly encapsulating and sometimes difficult to observe; the genius is that it is impossible to not pay attention.
This is a human piece – it involves opening all the senses into what this cruel world is capable off; we as humans are not invincible and Ms. Hurd has made this point magnificently. This writer won’t reveal the plot in great detail; personally though, I was more enlightened about life after experiencing it.
Becca Hurd is an American currently residing in Sydney and performing nationwide; if this scribe could recommend anything to Australia, its is be more than aware and prepared for Becca – be ready for illumination.