When Lou Wall was a child, they were very good at hide and seek. So good, sometimes they got lost and wondered if they would ever be found. Perhaps the other kids went home and went on with their lives and forgot all about Lou. Lou admits that they have spent much of their life hiding certain aspects of themselves, which often seemed like the safe thing to do. But then they started thinking about tall grandmas and where to find them, and their sense of self started to unravel.
Lou Wall’s
shows are often chaotic and unhinged (complementary). They start with a simple
premise, like the time Lou joined the Illuminati or when they released an album –
Bleep Bloop, performed live. And then, through the use of video, we dive deep
into their mind which often pairs well with Lou’s internet addiction. Lou versus the Internet lead to The Bisexual’s Lament, which was not just honest
but more openly raw.
Lou’s
previous show, Breaking the Fifth Wall, felt like a crescendo; the apotheosis
of that particular hectic style being undone by brutal honesty. It
deconstructed their style and I wondered what they would do next. Hunt Tall
Grandmas, it seems.
As always
with Lou’s work, the buy-in works on a number of levels – it’s absurd, but it’s
intriguing. Do all grandmas shrink or are they hiding? If they are hiding,
where might they lurk? Lou is tall at 6’5” and wants to eventually be a
grandma. But maybe it’s impossible. Maybe it’s not something for the very tall.
Where
are all the Tall Grandmas is more restrained that their previous shows. I came out of Internet
and Lament feeling completely overwhelmed. This show, while it still jumps
around, finding connections and detours you won’t expect, is more contemplative
and considered. There’s a letter from Lou (at nearly 30) writing to their future
grandma self. It’s hilarious, no doubt, but it had me thinking about ageing and
life. Earlier shows often required you to run to keep up. Not this time.
“Living
with the patriarchy is like a rollercoaster and there’s a heigh limit,”
Lou says at one stage, while referencing an experiment by scientists seemingly
concerned by the ostracization of tall women. There’s an inherent cleverness to
all of Lou’s work, but this one is sneaks up on you and once you understand where they are coming from, it crystalizes beautifully.
Where Are All The Tall Grandmas is hilarious but
pointed in its commentary. Lou is open here because they know that hiding is no
good on the road to seeking yourself.
- Keith Gow, Theatre First
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