Journey of a Thousand Smiles – Melbourne Fringe

I know that it’s totes unprofesh to whoop loudly during a show that you’ve been sent to review, but Jess Hackett did name-check a family member, so I hope I can be forgiven.

Journey of a Thousand Smiles is the story of Jess’s walk from Melbourne to Canberra to deliver a petition calling for more humane and fair treatment of asylum-seekers, and from the moment she steps on stage it’s clear how she amassed the 17,000 signatures for the petition. Jess’s personality shines through as a beacon of positivity, even when the going gets rough.

Belleville’s back bar is not the most conducive space for a theatre piece, but Hackett makes good use of the tiny stage, and the audio-visual element is well considered and effective.