Everything That Happened at Number 68 review (Melbourne International Comedy Festival)

Having lived on my own for the last decade, the memories of share housing are far behind me. While I don’t miss it at all, it's a rite of passage that most of us go through. In Everything That Happened at Number 68, Nick Robertson unpacks his own rite of passage through living with strangers who gradually become friends, and the random and messy antics that linger in your heart and mind for years.

There’s a cosy and relaxed ambience as you walk into the venue, some chilled Sunday afternoon tunes playing (even if it's a Wednesday evening), and Robertson already on stage, offering us cushions, blankets, tea, and lozenges. It’s fittingly homely. Once we’re settled in, he begins to recount the fateful day he interviewed for a room in a share house, and everything that unfolded in the years that followed.

While Robertson’s story spans several years, he hones in on specific moments with great detail. They're not all major milestones, some are modest, unassuming snapshots that carry unexpected emotional weight. There are time jumps, but Robertson’s flow is so natural that the transitions are smooth. It’s impressive how each anecdote threads into the next, slowly forming a bigger picture of his formative years of independence.

He keeps a calm, steady pace that works beautifully with the personal nature of this performance. It gives you the opportunity to listen, reflect, and maybe wince at your own similar experiences. This is a small, intimate space, and it's in this setting that Robertson thrives. Despite his dysregulated nervous system (Robertson's words, not mine), he holds eye contact, engages with the audience, and for 50 minutes, makes us feel like we’re not just spectators, we’re guests. Friends, even.

Everything That Happened at Number 68 isn’t a laugh-a-minute show, but there’s plenty to be charmed and moved by. Robertson is a warm and perceptive storyteller with a unique turn of phrase. It’s a heartfelt, quietly captivating tale of learning how to live with others and in the process, figuring out who you are.

Show Details

Venue: Chinese Museum, 22 Cohen Place, Melbourne
Season: until 20 April | Thurs - Sat 8.15pm, Sun 7.15pm
Duration: 50 minutes
Tickets: $29 Full | $26 Concession
Bookings: Melbourne International Comedy Festival