Melbourne Festival – All the Sex I’ll Ever Have

Melb Fest All the Sex I’ll Ever Have - photo by Jim LeeAt the commencement of All the Sex I’ll Ever Have, the producers from Mammalian Diving Reflex have the audience stand and take a pledge.

We are to never reveal what we hear tonight – we must keep our, “Gorgeous, hungry mouths,” quiet, which means this review will have somewhat of a smaller word count than usual.

Except.

Except All the Sex I’ll Ever Have is one of the best works of theatre I’ve ever experienced. Honest, brave, hilarious – the show makes a home and settles down in your heart, and you’ll indubitably leave believing one of the six participants is your spirit animal (mine is Bea – Hi Bea, you were so beautiful).

The setup has a nonchalant feel to it. It’s less a stage than it is a performance space stripped of everything in it to leave an immense hole. Along the front of this cavern is a long table, where our six local subjects will take their seats.

From such as innocuous arrangement came such incredible memories and observations, as each take a turn to reveal something of their life, be it relationships, romance, or sex (more often than not).

The show is a wonderful blend of verbatim theatre and creative non-fiction that also uncovered truths about the audience as well. The propensity for people to laugh during uncomfortable topics, or at other times overcompensate by laughing too loud is a curious phenomenon, one certainly present in early scenes.

However, the cast soon relayed other anecdotes that were certainly nothing to laugh or smile about, which seemed to emotionally wrangle the audience to behave themselves better.

The show was a joy to watch, and a joy to be a part of. It reminds us that sex is a critical part of our development and identity. It also reminds us that everything ends, that – to quote Alan Moore –  “Beautiful and imaginative things can be destroyed. Beauty and imagination cannot.”

All the Sex I’ll Ever Have
Playhouse – Arts Centre Melbourne, 100 St. Kilda Road, Melbourne
Performance: Thursday 12 October 2017 – 7.30pm
Season continues to 15 October 2017
Information and Bookings: www.festival.melbourne

Image: All the Sex I’ll Ever Have – photo by Jim Lee

Review: David Collins