Assume People Like You
Perth audiences looking for a unique and touching experience will be able to enjoy Brisbane based circus artist Melon the Human's show Assume People Like You during its Western Australian debut at The Parlour, Perth Cultural Centre.
Assume People Like You is “the circus interpretation of that feeling when you're at a party and you don't know anybody, ” explains its creator and sole performer Melon the Human, aka Australian sometime teacher and street performer Thomas Stewart. In it, we meet “the person I think I am, the person I want to be and the person I inevitably end up being because I've overthought the whole thing.”
Assume People Like You is a subtle character piece as much as anything, in which Stewart’s clowning skills come to the fore. Many parts of the show are deliberately slow (whilst being hilariously funny), pretending to be unsteady; his awkward addresses at the mic and slow, conversational sharing of an ice cream build the impression of a character who is loveable but incapable of assured human contact.
In amid all this he performs a wildly amazing circus tricks, and their calm assurance and often breath-taking execution sit at odds with the understated character he’s developed.
Melon the Human (Thomas Stewart), has performed audiences around the world. Specialising in street performance, he premiered this new work at the inaugural CIRCFest Meanjin in Brisbane before taking it to Edinburgh Fringe Festival last August. “I’ve performed for Cirque du Soleil and Circus Rio”, says Melon, “but there’s nothing quite like the risk and reward of presenting something you’ve made from the ground up”.
“Assume People Like You is geared towards those who want to see amazing circus and comedy in a style they’ve never seen before… It’s a unique experience”. Object manipulation, contortion, and a spectacular spinning cube all feature in the quirky 60-minute work, challenging the struggles of modern connection.
Melon the Human creates a Wes Anderson aesthetic - both on stage and off. Perth audiences might catch Melon arriving into Perth holding his infamous carry-on luggage and props for the performance – contained in a small wicker picnic basket.
“Whether it’s a weird skill, something dangerous or just me embracing collective human awkwardness, I hope there’s something in there that stays with audiences. The show is about connecting, so maybe people can use the things they see in my show to connect with others?”.
ASSUME PEOPLE LIKE YOU will be staged in The Parlour, Perth Cultural Centre from 20 January – 5 February 2023
Cast: Thomas Stewart
Producer: Cluster Arts
Season Detail
VENUE The Parlour, Perth Cultural Centre
Date: 20 January – 5 February (Not Mondays)
DURATION 60 mins TICKETS From $22 + transaction fee, concession rates and discounted preview available. BOOKINGS qrco.de/MLFW23