‘I hope this means something’ // Melbourne Fringe

‘I hope this means something’ was isolating.

‘I hope this means something’ could be said by any creative about any of their work, and this work is no exception. The Melbourne Fringe Climate Crisis Commission is a head start in meaning something, but in this case, the title is attributable to the characters in the piece. All of them have pursuits that they want to be meaningful on different levels, but then, if that is not true of everyone, it is likely true at least, of much of the audience for this show.

A single performer work, Patrick Livesey (who also wrote the piece) plays Corinthian, a young orphan who has had huge expectations dumped on them by their last memory of their mother. Other characters are also performed by Livesey, in a way that suggests they are representing Corinthian’s perspective of them.

Mental health and the climate crisis are the major themes of the piece, yet neither is overt. No characters are shown seeking help or being diagnosed with mental health concerns and the climate crisis is more of a backdrop to the piece, with no attempts at persuasion of an audience that is likely already on board.

M’ck McKeague’s set is a patio backing on to a greenhouse. Although we go to many other locations, the single set is justified by coming full circle in the story, and the weight on the protagonist of the history of that location. The greenhouse windows double as projection screens for Lara Gabor’s video design. This is used to portray moments of social media. I’m not sure if they were prerecorded, but either way, they were not synchronized with the performance, and it was necessary to not look directly at them in order to concentrate on those scenes. The rest of the time the video design worked together with Natalia Velasco Moreno’s lighting, to effectively convey scene changes and the relative mental state of the character.

Patrick Livesey’s performance was compelling as Corinthian, with effective comic relief in some of his moments as other characters. Along with director Benjamin Nichol, they kept the proceedings moving along at an appropriate pace.

While ‘I hope this means something’ can be very confronting at times, it never reaches the darkness that it suggests it might in the early stages. This is because of a surprising turn-around, which was suitably earned, but opens itself up to criticism. An accusation of holding back would be unfair, as the direction chosen results in a well implemented character study, but I think its fair to say that it breaks a promise, as the show’s own marketing offers the answer to a question, an explanation for a particular behaviour, and on that front it does not deliver.

I don’t think you need to come to this work with any particular perspective on metal health or the climate crisis, and I don’t think you’ll necessarily take one away with you either, but you will get to know the kind of character that’s not easy to get to know, and that means something. I’m just not sure whether or not that’s what the artists wanted it to mean.

‘I hope this means something’ performs until Sunday, 13 October 2024 at The Loft, Chapel Off Chapel. For more information visit their website: I hope this means something | Chapel Off Chapel