Something In The Water @ Black Box Theatre, Adelaide Botanic Garden 02/03/2021
From birth society assigns us our gender as well as the stereotypes of each gender but what happens when someone doesn’t fit into the boxes that we are supposed to fit into? Something in the Water is a fish out of water story where Grumms who at birth was assigned a female transforms into Squidy a squid like monster trying to fit in a stereotypical world.
The show is cleverly performed with the use of Ken and Barbie dolls and a document projector making the show interactive on the big screen as well as live in person. It created a multi-layered visual experience where audience participation was expected. Being told to shout what was ‘normal’ and ‘not normal’ you questioned what we considered normal in society and how ingrained it is without giving it a second thought!
S. E. Grummett is a trans-Canadian based artist who has been stuck in Australia since the 2020 Adelaide Fringe. Tonight was their first performance in front of a live audience. Their storytelling in Something In The Water is entertaining, innovative, full of heart and funny. It tackles the serious questions about gender normality and stereotypes in a way that is confronting to your subconsciousness but not offensive in its delivery.
Fringe review by Anastasia Lambis
For show info and tickets Something in the Water head to FringeTix