Review: THE THINGS AROUND US at Intiman Theater

At its best, a one-person show invites you into the mind and heart of its creator, allowing you to walk a little in their shoes—whether through literal storytelling, experimental performance, or (ideally) a bit of both. In The Things Around Us, now playing at Intiman Theater, Ahamefule J. Oluo lets you walk in their bright red socks, giving us an ephemeral portrait of their life through music and storytelling. A performance not-so-subtly shaped by the isolation and uncertainty of COVID-19, this experimental and earnest piece captures the disjointed quality of living through a time when the world itself felt liminal.

This show is a striking blend of live music, experimental soundscapes, and anecdotes. Oluo performs using a loop pedal, layering trumpet, clarinet, vocals, and even percussive sounds created with a microphone inside a cardboard box. The result is a sound unlike anything I’ve ever heard. It was full, complex, genre-bending, and just so cool. There is such a cleverness to Olou's compositions, creating wholly unique sounds all from pretty simple instruments. Their musical talents are really exceptional, and the sonic atmosphere they created is easily the strongest part of the show.

Between musical interludes, Oluo offers a series of short stories and musings, ranging from goofy to philosophical. They share some personal anecdotes such as when they, much to their own chagrin, got into basketball, despite not wanting to affirm stereotypes, and how they once were dating someone who, confusingly, said she didn’t like things that are funny. They also shared some fun science facts like how lizards evolved to not have legs and became snakes, or how Saturn’s rings are actually pretty young in the grand scheme of things. There isn’t a linear thread to the storytelling, but that goes along with the show’s thesis about how life is kinda random. 

The problem with this performance, for me, was the writing. As much as I admired Oluo’s vulnerability when they let themself go there, that did not happen often. They give us a lot of snippets about their life—having children young, navigating insomnia—but I found myself wishing for a little more depth and patience in the storytelling overall. Where The Things Around Us truly shines is when Oluo delves into their personal experiences. They told a great story of meeting and bonding with a beloved childhood star. But most of the anecdotes felt about two-thirds of the way finished, hovering somewhere between a story and a joke. The result was that some of the material felt adrift; a little too much like passing thoughts rather than robust reflections, leaving the audience with more of a surface-level connection to Olou than I think they intended. 

But, that said, Olou is a very compelling performer: charming, grounded, and completely unfazed even when a fire alarm interrupted the show just five minutes in (an experience I don’t anticipate most audience-goers will have to deal with). Their stage presence makes the written material feel weightier. And when they're playing music, that’s when you can feel them fully at home. They admitted, in one of the more poignant admissions of the evening, that playing trumpet in social spaces helps quell their social anxiety, so they bring it with them wherever they go. It’s a small detail, but it gets to the soul of the performance: this is someone who speaks most fluently through music.

Something about the wall of cardboard moving boxes behind Olou immediately read as “pandemic mess” to me. Perhaps the chaos, the pile-up, and sense of obligation; for me, it really worked. I felt pangs of panic looking at that huge pile of cardboard boxes. It's a simple but strong and relatable stagecraft choice, literally surrounding Olou in the physical manifestation of anxiety. We, as the audience, had to stare at a giant pile of moving boxes for more than an hour. Very clever. 

Ultimately, while the storytelling structure of The Things Around Us could benefit from some editing, the experience is still one I’d recommend—if only to witness a truly original musical talent in action. The music is tender, strange, and celestial. It bends genres, moods, and expectations, creating something that feels deeply personal and universally recognizable all at once.

While exiting, I overheard an audience member call the show “special”, and I’d have to agree. The Things Around Us closes out Intiman Theater’s cabaret series with a sonic scrapbook of fleeting shower thoughts, complex emotions, and moments that don’t always fit neatly into a story (maybe aren’t supposed to). Go treat yourself to something special and catch it during its short run. 

Grade: B

Seattle Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. REEFER MADNESS (The Spartan Theatre)

8.7% of votes

2. CLUE THE MUSICAL (Edmonds Driftwood Players)

7.9% of votes

3. JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT (Spokane Valley Summer Theatre)

7.3% of votes

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