Review: Sean M Whelan’s ‘Everything all the time’

Words by Hannah Monagle

The discomfort of observing the intricate conversations between two lovers. This is my initial feeling upon watching Sean M Whelan’s ‘Everything all the time’. Set in Melbourne gorgeous bookshop ‘Hill of Content’. Whilst initially an unnerving setting, as two ghost like figures walk slowly before you, the play soon develops into the ‘everyday’ between two protagonists, Tully (James Tresise) and Patience (Kali Hulme). The pair go hurtling from nauseating loved up cinema dates towards the irritable monotony of the everyday. Amongst the super natural themes is something so heart wrenching and so relatable, the quiet breakdown of a relationship, perhaps occurring before either party is quite sure it is there.

Sean M Whelan’s script is laden with visual and pop culture references, a homage to his amazing spoken word and something which enriches the play to no end. The two actors play their roles with compassion but also a firm grip on the ‘everyday’, it feels as if you’re sitting across from two friends watching them interact.

For me Hulme was a clear stand out, polishing her performance with a harrowing rendition of Mama Cass’s ‘Dream a Little Dream of me’ at the end. Tresise without quite so much to work with (the poor dorky besotted hipster) still manages to stand his own. The Script is lyrical and rich, painting a picture of modern day Melbourne and the two lovers embedded in it. The super natural elements are pulled off with out any sense of kitsch as the two lovers watch themselves from afar, stating “we were so happy then” and weren’t we all?, At some point? reminds ‘Everything all the time’.

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Annie Solah

Annie Solah is a writer, poet, spoken word artist, activist and the Director of Melbourne Spoken Word. She grew up in Western Sydney before calling Melbourne home in 2008, where she's performed since 2010 around Melbourne's regular spoken word and poetry nights including Passionate Tongues, The Dan Poets, Voices in the Attic and House of Bricks as well as the NGV and White Night. She's released a chapbook, broken bodies, and two spoken word albums, Duel Power with Santo Cazzati and The World Doesn't Make Sense EP.