Love tomatoes and hate banjos? This show might just change your mind. Keith Alessi’s story is punctuated by music from some of the 52 banjos that lived in his closet for years. (He tried to learn to play as a young man but life, as it does, got in the way.) A major health scare meant things took an unexpected turn; Alessi credits the power of music and the creative companionship that comes with playing with, and for, others for giving him a second chance at life.  

This is a beautifully simple show: Alessi, a mic and some banjos. There’s not a trace of self-pity as he describes childhood knocks and family challenges. He simply believes that life is a journey filled with obstacles, detours and destinations. He’s full of one-liners too (hecklers, do not go armed with your best banjo-bashing jokes because he’ll beat you to them all), and his tales of banjo camp (it’s a thing) and classes with Mumford & Son-loving millennials are vivid. His passion for his instrument shines through, and with every song comes an explanation of its origin and the technique needed to master it. Some of the language used to describe his recovery may not sit well with everyone, but it’s his story to tell and tell it he does. This is a quietly contemplative hour spent in the company of a clearly good bloke and his banjos, and every cent of the box office goes to cancer charities. It’s a helluva second chance.