Michael James visits the last video store in Australia on its final night of trading. Yes. It’s Two Man Tarantino by Christopher Wayne, creator of The Naked Magicians.
Filing into Brisbane Powerhouse’s Visy Theatre, we discover the stage transformed. It’s littered with clearance racks, stacks of long-forgotten discs and harsh branding reminiscent of old-time video stores. It’s equal parts nostalgic and mournful. A lone figure sets the tone as he tosses old DVD’s across the room to while away the time.
Then, an unassuming young woman interrupts the shop attendant as he prepares to close for the night. The two protagonists quickly discover their mutual obsession with the Hollywood cult filmmaker. And so begins an hour and twenty minutes of pure unadulterated Tarantino love.
Though essentially a simple concept, just two geeks talking about Tarantino films for the better part of an hour and a half, the show is executed perfectly. Emily Kristopher and Stephen Hirst possess perfect on-stage chemistry. They sustain the energetic vibrancy needed to pull off over the top and often very accurate re-enactments of some of Tarantino’s most famous scenes. With perfect delivery and impressive combat choreography, the duo carries the show effortlessly from moment to moment keeping their audience enthralled from start to finish.
The Naked Magicians
Absurd, cheeky and over the top, Two Man Tarantino doesn’t take itself seriously for a moment. The show is the brainchild of Brisbane’s own ‘Naked Magician’ Christopher Wayne, along with co-writers Jack Kelly and Maureen Bowra. Together they created not just a Tarantino lovefest, but also a bold look at his highs and lows. With brash tongue in cheek humour, they take aim at some of Tarantino’s worst films. Indeed, they even dedicate an unsettling and hilarious segment to the well-documented love of feet the filmmaker litters throughout his films.
While it may seem a show that requires intricate knowledge of the Tarantino catalogue, this is not the case. As a non-Tarantino-aficionado myself, I took along an avid fan, for dual perspectives. My companion chuckled endlessly, finishing lines and laughing along with the audience. But I also found myself endlessly amused, despite not knowing the ins and outs and details of Tarantino’s various cult films. The creative team ensured a hilarious and captivating performance from start to finish.
Two Man Tarantino is pop culture perfection. A seamless stage creation that will satisfy the appetite of the most die-hard fan or entertain the most clueless newcomer with ease.
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