Celia Pacquola’s show, Am I Strange?, begins with Pacquola herself cheerily greeting the audience at the door, ushering her audience in as if welcoming them into her home for a cup of tea and a chat. As she takes to the stage, her broad smile and upbeat tempo start the show off with a great atmosphere.

Essentially, as Pacquola explains, she often finds herself wondering if she’s strange. Do other people have the same kind of inner monologue, or her weird and wonderful thoughts? Happily for the audience, the answer is a mixture of yes and no. As Pacquola delves into the inner workings of her mind, there is plenty there for us to relate to. Everyone sometimes wonders if their brain is with them or against them, or if the strange thoughts they have are similar to those of the person next to them. Equally as satisfying is the revelation that yes, Pacquola is a little strange. Some of her thoughts are completely out of left field, and delightfully so.

Pacquola ties the show together by taking us through the tale of her truly awful relationship break-up. Unfortunately this was where the discord emerges. As Pacquola talks through the dire experience, she dips in and out of the story and how her mind reacted to it all. While the narrative draws the audience into her world, it also leaves much to be desired in terms of creating a ‘story’, often raising more questions than it answers, and leaving loose ends aplenty. It unfortunately takes us out of the intriguing world of her mind, and distracts from how and why Pacquola is strange. It was almost as if there were two strong shows; Pacquola’s break-up, and the weird and wonderful world of her mind, which she has attempted to combine into one show.

Despite this, it is to Pacquola’s credit that the show remains so strong. Director Geraldine Hickey has done a fantastic job, her deft touch is obvious, and the previous season at the Melbourne Fringe Festival has led to this polished performance. There is much more to enjoy than find fault with in Am I Strange?, and is an impressive first solo show for MICF.

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