There’s a lot of rhetoric around your 20s being ‘the best years of your life,’ but for some, it’s more terrifying than terrific. For those of us who seemed to miss the boat on some unspoken deadlines in life – first kisses, first dates, firsts in general – Olivia Mcleod’s high-energy monologue PASH at Melbourne Fringe Festival perfectly distils the experiences of late bloomers everywhere.
I wanted to go into this performance blind. I read the show’s blurb, but apart from knowing it was about a 24-year-old Melburnian who had never been kissed, I was in the dark. I expected a Fleabag-esque romp, some on-the-nose social commentary that would leave me chortling in my chair, but what I didn’t expect was to feel so seen. So validated. At so many points throughout the show, I felt main character Max was more me than I was; a creative writing grad with burnout who still takes driving lessons with Mum, has a smaller-than-desirable group of real friends and a unscratchable itch for the unrealistically romantic.
Though PASH is a one woman show, Mcleod inhabited – no, breathed – so many different characters that the stage positively overflowed. Her characterisation of key figures in Max’s life – upbeat bestie Maisie, slovenly love-drunk sister Joey, cool girl crush Cara and Mr. ‘I’m a Feminist’ first date Theodore – made the show sparkle with vitality. Mcleod was unwavering in her confidence, gravitas and presence. The ambiently lit Speakeasy Theatre felt as intimate and raw as a tell-all FaceTime call between friends.
PASH effortlessly hit emotional highs and troughs. At times laugh out loud and at others achingly sombre, PASH navigated the turmoil of Max’s roaring 20s with the ease of dowsing rod seeking water; pulled by Mcleod’s inner magnetism to a truly bittersweet end. It was funny, quirky and quintessentially Australian but also managed serious topics with grace.
Though Max does eventually get her dream kiss – not the first but definitely the best – it’s the lessons she learnt on the way that really kept me thinking long after the velvet curtains fell shut. If you can see this powerhouse of a show, I highly recommend it.
