Melbourne Fringe: Backwards
Melbourne’s Emily Taylor worked with primary school students to create the characters, opinions and ideas for Backwards.
In her show about understanding life backwards and living it forward, but ultimately about motherhood, she plays every character. This includes 8-year-old bffs Mia and Mia (pronounced differently) and their classmates; Maureen, Terry and their 30+ son who’s living with them at a retirement village; and a frustrated primary-school philosophy teacher.
Her character transitions are seamless and everyone is recognisable and unique in story that builds its stakes carefully and makes the most unexpected characters its heroes. The narrative could be developed, but this is a show about people and Taylor’s wonderful performance is unforgettable and the ending guarantees grins that hurt your jaw.
