Miles O’Neil’s World Around Us II – Melbourne Fringe Festival

 World Around Us was one of my favourite of last year’s Fringe, and this year’s part II is just as gorgeous. Intimate, gentle and so darn beautiful, it’s impossible to watch without crushing on Miles O’Neil.

MELBOURNE FRINGE 2011
Fringe Hub, Rehearsal Room23 September 2011
World Around Us was one of my favourite of last year’s Fringe, and this year’s part II is just as gorgeous. Intimate, gentle and so darn beautiful, it’s impossible to watch without crushing on Miles O’Neil.
Everybody seems to have a story – and that’s brilliant!
So says Miles, as he shares some unlikely cans of VB. His cream brocade jacket and pink-rose tie defines Melbourne op-shop hipster chic, but there’s nothing ironic about his nostalgic collection of stories, found 8mm (and super 8 film) and original songs. This year, they’re about love.
There’s stories like of Bob, the Jetstar lost property delivery dude, who was once “6 inches away” from asking a girl to marry him and delighted in watching the sun set over a power pole. There’s a 1950s film of a nanna watching her grandchildren, who may now be grandparents themselves. There are backyard pools, animals, Neil Diamond (thank you for bringing him back) and blue V Dub that will never leave your heart.
Miles makes these stories of day-to-day life so irresistible and joyful by finding the unexpected beauty and love in each one. Love isn’t about grand gestures and contrived events; it’s really quite simple and sometimes it takes a taxi driver or a family watching performing seals to remind us just how beautiful our lives and our loves are.
Miles O’Neil’s World Around Us II is on late each night at the Fringe hub. It’s too beautiful to miss. Until 8 October 2011 
More of Anne-Marie’s writing is at sometimesmelbourne.blogspot.com