As far as popular Australian native animals go, the pink and grey feathered galah doesn’t rank highly on people's lists, but for Gemma Caruana, this obnoxiously loud bird shares a striking resemblance to how she’s been described by many throughout her life.
Caruana recounts the various memories and experiences of her growing up in a Maltese family in Adelaide, sharing the good (and not so good moments) during her schooling and early career days, such as a school project which didn’t adhere to a perfectionists plan, the pursuit of reaching peak coolness, kicking literal and figurative goals, and the consequences of always speaking up.
The audience gets to see some iconic photos and memories throughout these times, acting as key prompters to signal a shift between each of the segments. You may also get to listen to a personal insight of Caruana’s very own journal.
Consistent with her self-imposed expectations about being a higher achiever in all aspects of her life, Caruana’s audacity, and self-deprecating humour deliver all the galah themed madness you could ever want in a show, tying this all in with pink and sparkly outfits.
A range of rap and acoustic melodies also feature throughout the performance, delivering a wide variety of mediums for each segment. A strong highlight of the show are the wacky galah-themed songs to draw many parallels between Carunana and galahs.
Love them or hate them, the various amaetur-esque style PowerPoint presentations used are an absolute hit. They’ll make you uncontrollably giggle and cringe at the same time, all whilst you're trying to keep up with Caruana’s antics on stage.
There is a vulnerable moment though when Caruana shares her personal experience of having her first anxiety attack on a houseboat in the middle of a river, and her reenactment of this feels like you’re reliving this moment with her.
Reaching the climax of the show is a last-minute outfit change, before she breaks out onto the stage with an expressive squawk and song-rant about the power of being a loud being in this world.
Caruana and Galah Galah are a wave of nostalgic Australian childhood and pop culture memories, delivered by a solo performer who never steps down from an opportunity to spread her big pink wings to anyone who dares listen.