When we walked in to the small Boom Boom Theatre my friend Rachel sat down in the seat next to her which had been allocated to Julia Louis Dreyfus. We assumed that this seat would be occasionally used by the performer, Lily Hensby, during her show.
This, however. would prove not to be the case. In a clever narrative conceit, Hensby has left the seat for the real Julia Louis Dreyfus. Her comic fantasy is that the real Julia Dreyfus will have heard about the great show she is putting on, and that she will fly all the way from California to take her seat and see the show. At one point, she opens the door to the theatre, to see if she is somewhere in the foyer.
This comic fantasy touch sets the tone for the performance. Hensby packs plenty in her fifty minutes show. As expected, there is a lot about her adulation for Julia, there are impersonations: she delivers some of her favourite lines as Elaine, even does the famous dance scene , tells us stuff about some of Dreyfus’ other shows such as Veem. Hensby also talks, with comic envy, about Julia’s private, that she is married to a loving husband, and has three beautiful children.
The show features plenty of audience interaction; like getting people to come on stage and read script lines. This is done with a light touch, and works well.
It was when Hensby goes in to her personal journey as an emerging performer that I was really drawn in. She tells us how she has always felt at home on the stage. From childhood, she has enjoyed performing and entertaining.
She tells us, this is where she belongs. With her warm, engaging, winning stage presence, I agree with her.
I,JULIA is playing the Boom Boom Room at Erskineville Town Hall between 22nd and 28th September. Visit the Sydney Fringe Festival website to get tickets.
