The Twins, at The Studio at Holden Street Theatres

When opportunity meets privilege. Fans of beloved and resilient Australian stand up comedian will appreciate, nay enjoy, The Twins. But be advised this is not Fleet doing a stand up routine. Far from it.

It’s another World Premiere for Holden Street Theatres, with Fleet and long time but long lost mate and award winning documentary film maker Ian Darling resurrecting their school boy friendship over an attempt to recreate their roles in Shakespeare’s A Comedy of Errors when at Geelong Grammar many years ago. They don’t get far. Nay again, it’s the first line that proves to be a stopper and sends them off on tangents of introspection, reflection, angst and at times uncomfortable honesty.

They may have been the Dream Team at school but they are now middle aged men, and their lives have followed different paths. During the course of 90 minutes they spar, tease, laugh, reminisce, dance (somewhat awkwardly, but then they are middle aged men) and debate about who they really are and who they could have been.

Not unexpectedly, Fleet is the most natural performer of the two. Darling seems most comfortable when slipping into “actoring” – their nod to Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon’s Michael Cain impersonations highlights this.

The music of their past (if not the choreography) provides a relief, welcome at times, from the intensity of the dialogue. But interspersed with it all are touches of humour, as you would expect from the pen of Fleet.

It’s Theatre Verité at its most legitimate – two chaps playing themselves in a piece written by themselves, along with Sarah Butler.

Presented by Shark Island Institute and The Arts Lab Kangaroo Valley. The Twins is playing at Holden Street Theatres until March 21st. Tickets at Holden Street Theatres Box Office or Fringe TIX.

Helen Lewis - AAE Fringe Reviewer