Nostalgia is very much alive and kicking … and Grant Busé has made a thoroughly entertaining, hour-long show about it. He sings, dances, plays instruments (guitar and piano) and chats up a storm. He is funny, clever, risqué and endearing. He pokes fun at the fact that the world seems to be all about remakes, reboots and remixes. He bemoans that “nostalgia just ain’t what it used to be”. No longer does it seem personal, but “weaponised against us”.
By far the lion’s share of the tunes are originals, such as “Take Me Back to the Good Old Days”. Then he does a super rendition of Leonard Cohen’s masterpiece Hallelujah … accompanied by a hand-picked audience member. Absolutely loved it! To knock the top off Grant’s performance, there’s an extended mash up of some of the most popular songs the world has known … with some seriously impressive dance moves.
With long, flowing curly locks, he’s a 31-year-old who worked in the UK before returning home to live with his parents in Brisbane after a decade on his own. He deftly works that experience into his repertoire, including an ode to his mum. And then two months ago, he moved to Melbourne … just in time for our latest lockdown. Naturally, COVID-19 isn’t far from his thoughts.
Popular fancies from bygone days, including the world of entertainment, favourite sounds and experiences are grist for the mill. He readily transports us back in time. Audience participation is a given and his easy-going, larrikin sense of humour makes that a no brainer. At one point, he even prevails upon us to take out and switch on our mobile phones and video him … complete with surprising interloper.
Busé crams a lot of material into an hour-long package … and lands it. There is so much to like about how he goes about it. To find out what’s next on his life’s journey, go to https://www.grantbuse.com
Alex First
Other reviews you might enjoy:
- Tomfoolery (Melbourne Fringe) – theatre review
- Bigger & Blacker (La Boite) – Theatre Review
- MARVELous The Show (The National Theatre) – theatre review
Alex First is a Melbourne based journalist and communications specialist. He contributes to The Blurb on film and theatre.
