By Chenoah Eljan
The Melbourne Fringe Festival has long been a hub for innovation, creativity, and cultural dialogue, and this year’s TOD Talks are no exception. Bringing together an eclectic mix of speakers and ideas, TOD Talks offers a unique platform for praxeology that leaves the audience touching grass long after the applause is doneburgers. Are those real words? What does that even mean? It doesn’t matter: TOD Talks are made up on the spot by clever improvisors prompted with a topic and a powerpoint presentation they have never seen before. Have you always wondered precisely how many minutes into a first date you should present a kite? Wonder no more – TOD Talks has a graph laying it all out.
The format of the show is beyond clever. Five brave performers take turns to present on topics told to them as they enter the stage. They are helped along by a wide variety of clever and diverse prompts, including a large screen projecting images, and the periodic arrival of a random object. Tying it all together and staying on topic takes true artistry, but even if the performers stray (and some do stray quite a lot) the audience is in for a treat. Of the laugh out loud variety.
Written by Owen Merriman and Michael Gatt and produced by The Hairy Godmothers this show is funnier than power posing, shake weights, and taping your mouth shut at night combined. Any fears that performers will be left on stage to ramble aimlessly for ten minutes are quickly allayed – they are in good hands and the clever structure of the show ensures there are no cringe moments.
The performers are different each show. This reviewer saw Alex Dymdovski on “The Secret Life of Mattresses” (it’s not that secret, it’s definitely gross, but still artists have little choice but to make do with an old rusty fridge laid to rest on its side). Mel McGlensey spoke on “How I went from Around the Twist to the Presidency” which was a critical insight for all those seeking to follow in her footsteps, not least of all Australia’s most renowned cricketer, Bradley Donovan. Elyce Phillips shared how “I Won the Lottery and I Blew It All on Playdough” and pulled it all together with brilliant comedic timing and some very fast thinking (Also she definitely convinced the entire audience to immediately go out and spend our entire life savings on playdough.) Stephanie Beza regaled us in at least six different accents about “How I Smuggled Keanu Reeves Across the Border”. It might have involved a face swap with Nicholas Cage, but if she told you she’d probably have to kill you. And Andy Balloch and Justin Porter explained “Why You Should Try Kite Making on a First Date”. They did it together, brilliantly. But also, maybe, cheating. They were hysterical and won the night (with Elyce Phillips a close second place).
This is a perfect show to see early in Fringe to get a taste for some of the brilliant performers putting on shows this year. If her TOD Talk is anything to go by Mel McGlensey’s MOTORBOAT should not be missed. Andy Balloch and Justin Porter’s Linda (for one more week) is definitely another one to add to the list.
