Kay Proudlove cracks open her teenage diary and finds plenty of amusement, nostalgia, and life lessons in its pages as she takes us on a trip down memory lane in Dear Diary, her solo storytelling show now playing at the State Theatre Centre as part of their State of Play program for FRINGE WORLD.
Kay’s mum needs her to clear out her childhood bedroom to make way for a sewing room, so Kay has to sort through her childhood possessions to decide what to keep, donate, or throw away. As anyone who has gone through this process will know, it is fraught. As anyone who kept extensive diaries as a teenager will know, looking through them with adult eyes can bring up a huge wave of mixed emotions and introspection. Kay uses songs to work through the highs and lows of her teenage self’s take on life. She looks back on who she was and connects the dots from that girl to the woman she is.
Proudlove is a relaxed, assured storyteller who spins yarns that she weaves into a big comfy cardigan made up of her memories. There are no loose threads here, and even when she takes us on a side-trip for a reunion with an old school friend, she uses it to add another line of colour to her story’s overarching themes. She uses understated humour to poke gentle fun at herself as the young girl making plans for her future, and the woman whose plans have changed.
If you enjoy local legends like Andrea Gibbs of Barefaced Stories, Lucy Peach of My Greatest Period Ever, and Libby Klysz of the Big HOO-HAA, you’ll see touches of all three in Proudlove’s style of delivery and songsmithery. I think a lot of women will relate to her story and find kinship with her humour, thoughts, and feelings, especially about the act of letting go of constantly comparing ourselves to each other and seeking external validation for our own self-worth.
CICELY BINFORD
Dear Diary runs at the State Theatre Centre of WA until 4 February as part of State of Play at FRINGE WORLD. For tickets and more information click here.
