Review: Melita Rowston's 6 DEGREES OF NED KELLY Is A Fabulous Blend of Family Stories, Australian History And An Obsession with Shit Tourism

Friday 4nd September 2015, The Village Theatre, Erko Town Hall, Erskineville

Melita Rowston unearths a national fascination and multitude of stories that may or may not be true as she investigates her personal family connection to the legendary Australian bushranger in 6 DEGREES OF NED KELLY. Part history lesson, TED Talk, Social commentary, and family history, this comic monologue explores the myths and legends surrounding the outlaw and the connections that people will go to alarming lengths to prove.

Rowston's easy going self-effacing style draws the audience in from the start with the warning on the screen that there will be a "Shit Re-enactment". Utilizing a slide show and a relaxed lecture style format, Rowston establishes the premise for the show; the desire to determine whether her grandfather's stories of stealing Ned Kelly's bones are real or a myth and whether her great, great, great grandmother was the only woman Ned Kelly was scared of. She thankfully provides a brief history for those not as up on their Australian Colonial history, showcasing her extensive research into the mystery.

Rowston has a delightful energy as she shares her stories of asking her Grandpa for details when she was a young child and illustrating the recollections with dramatization. She explains that her research to get to the bottom of her own family mysteries unearthed an alarming number of other people that all claim some connection to the man that has risen to Saint Status in the Australian psyche despite the reality he was a criminal. She shares the alarming lengths people will go to prove their connection with an element of skepticism with regard to the veracity of their tales. The journey of her search is illustrated with an extensive collection of images from archives and her own photographs that highlight a bewildered fascination at the 'shit tourism' constructed to honor Kelly.

6 DEGREES OF NED KELLY is a wonderfully constructed exploration of two family myths presented with a lightness and humor and acknowledgment of the absurdity of the theories that are discovered along the way. An enjoyable night out where you may also learn something new about history or your own family past.

AS PART OF SYDNEY FRINGE 2015:

VENUE: The Village Theatre, Erko Town Hall

104 Erskineville Rd, Erskineville

DATES: Wed - Sat, 2 - 5 Sept, 7pm,

Sun, 6 Sept 6pm (60 min)

TICKETS: sydneyfringe.com

Full: $25 / Concession: $15

Group 6+: $20

AS PART OF MELBOURNE FRINGE 2015:

PRESENTED BY THE 86:

VENUE: The 86 Cabaret Bar

185 Smith St, Fitzroy

DATES: Wed 30 Sept - Sun 4 Oct

TIMES: 6.45pm

TICKETS: melbournefringe.com.au

or call (03) 9660 9666

Full: $25 / Concession: $15

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