Love/Hate Actually was an absolute nostalgic ball of fun as part of the 2018 Wonderland Festival. And I say that knowing that the material that they reference is also referred to in a nostalgic spirit, but looking back on the show so is the ACT/REACT performance expertly performed by Amy and Natalie. Nostalgia in the sense that you get the warm and fuzzy feelings thinking back on it and wish you could have dragged more people along to see it.
Not only do you get given a squishy love heart stress ball, if there’s one thing that sums up this show this would make the perfect metaphor. Stressed if you squeeze it and happy to just look at it - how do you view the pop-culture classic film Love Actually? Does it make you feel stressed inside, panicky even, as you begin to dissect its flaws? Or do you get puppy-dog eyes and feel a sense of joy just thinking about it? A bit like a crush. But do you crush on the enemy?
Natalie and Amy have set up the ultimate dichotomy, love versus hate and hate versus love. But who will win in the end? Maybe it’s not about winning, maybe it’s about pie charts and logic as Natalie states early on in the show, or it’s about being the evangelist that Amy is and maybe worshipping this iconic film is just a fun festive thing to do, surely.
It’s up to you to decide as the audience member and you will be guided along by Amy and Natalie to make that very decision. They will be featured as part of the 2019 Brisbane Comedy Festival if you haven’t already caught sight of these lovely ladies, so be sure to do so. Not only is there show an absolute treat but so is their presence. You can't go wrong when Amy and Natalie are on the stage whether it be battling it out for who is right and wrong in regards to Love Actually or anything else, because it's ultimately about this wonderful friendship these two women share and that opinions really are just opinions at the end of the day.
22nd - 25th Nov, 2018
Turbine Studio, Brisbane Powerhouse
Joanna Letic