Written by Emily Kelsall
4.5/5 stars
Brought to you by Hey Boss, three-time Barry Award nominee Damian Callinan brings his parent’s love story to life in his fringe show, Double Feature, at the Kingfisher in Gluttony. Presenting the show as a film pitch, Damian convinces the audience that the diary of his 19-year-old mother from 1946 should be made into a movie. He hilariously presents the ‘stakes’ of her potential suitors as they are mentioned, and it quickly becomes clear which one he is rooting for!
His film pitch manages to be both hilarious and a lovely tribute to his parent’s love. The juxtaposition between his mother’s diary and his father’s retirement diary, and the integration of his own memories of his parents, is brilliantly executed. Frequent mentions of his ‘creative team’, consisting of young members of his family, are also very amusing.
Image sourced through Adelaide Fringe website: https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/damian-callinan-double-feature-af2023
Media is used wonderfully to support this show – a screen with illustrations, photographs of his parents, and clips from his ‘film’; narration of his mother’s diary; lighting and sound – all of which bring his film pitch to life. Callinan interacted well with the audience which further aided his storytelling. The audience were very responsive and engaged which added to the positive atmosphere the performer created.
This show also features some more sombre themes, as his mother’s diary is written in the year following World War II, and his father’s retirement diary documents the end of her life. These moments are well-delivered and very touching, and some of the time you don’t know whether to laugh or cry.
This combination of comedy, romance, and history has something for everybody, and is certainly not one to miss this fringe season!
On Dit 