Riley Nottingham is here to make you fret less about life. Through songs. Presented as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival, musical comedy show Manifesto is an opportunity for Nottingham to let us know that it's ok to be happy and it's ok to be sad.
After a memorable (and convincing) entrance as RaptorRiley, evolution takes place and we fast forward through time to the very human and highly advanced creature that is 2022 Riley Nottingham. Nottingham’s charming stage presence and playful nature help immensely in getting us onside and creating the personable environment that a production like this requires.
However, while this works in his favour, Nottingham’s interactions with the audience and storytelling could be further developed. There are instances where we were asked questions but Nottingham's reactions felt heavily rehearsed and that he wasn't actually responding to what we were saying. Adding in a little off-the-cuff banter or acknowledgement would increase our engagement with the performer and the performance.