VHS review | Alexei Toliopoulos | Melbourne International Comedy Festival | Melbourne Town Hall

Having worked in a video store, a Video Ezy to be specific, I was hit with a wave of nostalgia the second I took my seat for Alexei Toliopoulos’s VHS. On stage sat an old-school VHS player, not a DVD/video combo, just pure VHS. Scattered around it was a pile of tapes, many of them films I had watched endlessly or once owned. On the TV, instantly familiar old classification ads played. I’d seen that family on my screen countless times, gathered at the video store, only to dwindle one by one as the rating crept closer to R. It sent me straight back twenty years, no rewinding required.



But this comedy show isn’t just about a love of movies, it’s about what makes them resonate, like a film’s score or that one piece of music that can completely reshape how a scene is felt. Take “On the Nature of Daylight” by Max Richter, his stirring 2004 composition that has become synonymous with emotional weight on screen. Here, Toliopoulos delivers an engaging and insightful discussion on film scores, how they are chosen, and the way they are woven in. He balances this with a great dose of wit, particularly when reflecting on its use in Hamnet, drawing out both the impact and the familiarity of such musical choices. I could have sat there and listened to him talk about this for a whole hour, but there's a lot that Toliopoulos has to get through.



The show is structured around genres like action, horror and romance, but it never settles into a predictable rhythm. Each category becomes a launchpad for something different. Toliopoulos links them to the films on display, including my favourite, 2002’s A Walk to Remember, but the tone shifts from one to the next. Rather than simply revisiting personal picks, he uses each genre as a gateway into from his own experiences. What emerges is less a rundown of films and more a series of responses, shaped by memory and time. It keeps the show fresh, with each turn offering something new.



The humour in VHS comes from Toliopoulos’s perspective and the way he frames his anecdotes. Much of it lands in the relatability of his observations, the kind of conversations you’ve probably had with friends or situations you’ve found yourself in without even realising how absurd they are in hindsight. The horror segment is a highlight, tracing the way our minds operates when we become fixated or (rightly) paranoid about something. There's a wonderful balance of storytelling and resonance that keeps the laughs coming with ease.



Anyone can make a show about their favourite films, but when your own DVD collection doubles that of Netflix's catalogue, it carries a certain authority. Toliopoulos’s VHS goes beyond sentimentality or film trivia, becoming a captivating, almost immersive, journey through life that captures the power of escapism and the lasting imprint of cinema. It’s a reminder that films are not just watched, they are lived with, influencing identity and the way we understand the world.

SHOW DETAILS

Venue: Melbourne Town Hall, corner Swanston Street & Collins Street, Melbourne
Season: until 19 April | Tues - Sat 9:15pm, Sun 8:15pm

Duration: 60 minutes
Tickets: $32 - $34 Full | $28 Conc & Tightarse Tuesday

Bookings: Melbourne International Comedy Festival