Andi Snelling. The Bakehouse Theatre - Studio. 1 Mar 2016
#Dear Diary is no fly on the wall classic ‘50s – ‘90s romance moment filled with sighs of longing uttered by perfectly coiffed, fashionably attired, alluring teens from either five decades.
Oh, no, no. The world of Andi Snelling’s real life diary, and Snelling herself, is very well wide of classic diary romance; even if you throw in the thought, ‘what about Bridget Jones’ Diary?' Snelling’s is far more human, honest and gritty while being something neither a chique melancholic ‘50s teen nor depressed and dumpy ‘90s book editor can be, fantastically magical.
Danielle Cresp’s superbly nuanced direction utilises a mix of physical theatre on which hangs Snelling’s half clown pixie, elfish realisation of herself.
This bright, vividly costumed soul excitedly explores Designer Victoria Haslam’s dim attic space featuring suitcases stacked here and there, and a chair lying askew on the floor.
On discovering a diary, which on opening speaks words, and an old radio that broadcasts voice memory from the past, Snelling barrels right into ‘her’ story.
In this wonderfully realised place of memory at play, Snelling’s big hearted openness embraces the audience and holds them affectionately close to memories good, sad and bad in a manner that’s off side to the very real life nature of these memories, purely due to the nature of the comedic clown like role and nature Snelling has chosen to work through.
The audience felt, and truly was, at one with Snelling. Her joyfully child like, then more mature teenage to adult, musings and adventures were delivered in such a way they became completely universal, as much as they were, and are, uniquely her own; evidenced by the series of slide projections of real pages, photos and drawings from her diaries, as in ways, your diary might be too.
David O’Brien
When: 29 Feb – 5 March
Where: The Bakehouse Theatre - Studio
Bookings: adelaidefringe.com.au
