Double Denim

Tucked into one of Melbourne’s laneways, Belleville has several odd little performance spaces, including the one chosen for Michelle Brasier and Laura Frew, the cast of Double Denim, a slightly claustrophobic little stage and stairway – which turned out to be perfect for their manic brand of up-close comedy, which is joyously silly. 

Take yourself back to the 90s, and Double Denim (wearing denim with denim, made eternally cool by Britney and Justin, whose picture is displayed as – well – an icon) was part of the party.  And it is a party – like every party you ever went to when you were at school, redolent with desperation, not-quite-dates, dancing, skipping ropes, Cheezels, and Shania Twain, even a board with timed activities, and some party game instructions that go horribly wrong.  

Michelle and Laura welcome you to their party and proceed to dance, skip, climb and undulate their way around the space with ease and seeming abandon, but their timing is perfect, and they have a fantastic connection with each other and their material.  Watching the ridiculous unfold is one of the best parts of the show.

Double Denim rockets between absurdity, fun, and sharply-observed set pieces, such as Michelle doing the Ultimate “Beep” Test in PE moving through each year to the finish line and out of school. One moment they are hapless teenagers and the next laughing at their younger selves.

Brasier and Frew have put together an hour of inspired lunacy and it was a joy to witness. 

Alex Armstrong