If You're From Africa? review (Melbourne International Comedy Festival)

Lukas Meintjes was born and raised in Zimbabwe but moved to Australia in his teen years. He traces back to growing up as a gay, closeted child in Africa amidst the political upheaval taking place. Incorporating dance, clowning, storytelling, and a whole lot of energy, If You’re from Africa? is a love letter on finding your home and finding yourself.

The show can appear erratic and haphazard due to the boundless exuberance Meintjes possesses, but it’s all carefully executed to hold our attention so we don’t see the turns the story takes coming. He displays strong skill in switching from being ridiculously laid-back to emotional and serious in the blink of an eye.

There are a few instances where the stories are a bit disjointed or end abruptly - mainly in the early part of the show - and some of the Zimbabwean political commentary is too brief to fully grasp the circumstances that led to Meintjes moving to Australia. But overall, he has a great flow to his storytelling and the confidence to know when to drop a punchline into the act. He tackles heavy subjects, but you don't come away weighed down by it, and when the tone shifts - even while wearing a wacky wig - you feel the vulnerability and despondency in his voice.

As much as he relies on his voice, Meintjes also leans on dance to explore his identity, his homosexuality, and his sense of belonging. Even if it's a humorous movement that last three seconds, it is done to highlight who he is and where he’s come from. His symbolic dances representing his Zimbabwean heritage and Australian arrival are an entertaining, complementary pairing, and his flashes of choreography are a nice reminder of his delight in dancing. Beyond his song selection, the score and sound effects are effectively applied to build the environment, and the lighting does a lot with very little. This is especially clear in the “Australia” dance, with the stage lit up in red light, signifying this desert island.

If You’re from Africa? is more than a cheeky reference to a (very good) 2000s film - it’s a heartfelt, high-energy journey through culture, queerness, and coming of age. It’s Meintjes’ way of grappling with what was left behind when he had to leave Zimbabwe, and what he’s gained since arriving in Australia.

SHOW DETAILS

Venue: The Motley Bauhaus, 118 Elgin St, Carlton
Season: until 20 April | 5.45pm
Duration: 60 minutes
Tickets: $29 Full | $25 Conc
Bookings: Melbourne International Comedy Festival