Hymns From My 20s
Created by Ally Morgan and a part of the Bondi Fest, “Hymns from my 20s”, is an inventive and creative work filled to the rim with humour. Morgan takes the audience members on a quest through the stages of life from her 20s – musical style. With personally created songs dedicated to the various phases of her life; the audience is encapsulated with all the tropes that she divulges in, almost as a memoir as she embarks on heading into her 30s. From understanding the depths of feminism through the power of sex toys; to beautifully written queer heartbreak songs – Morgan reveals it all. Whether you know of Morgan’s music or not, it’s not a necessity for having fun and experiencing the performance to all its potential.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I entered the dimly lit space of the Badlambs Barbershop in the middle of Bondi. Utilising the space towards the back of the shop, a very intimate set-up was created. All that was in front of the audience seats were two microphones, a wooden stool and a keyboard. It was an inviting and small-scaped area. As the show opened, Morgan made her entrance into the space behind the keyboard with her partner, Jack Michael Angwin following suit and perching on the stool with a guitar in hand. I was hooked from the beginning with their dry humour off the bat and quirky introduction. The introduction then bled into their first song; a Bo Burnham style piece about Morgan’s life and what the audience will begin to understand as the chaos of her 20s. Full of idiosyncratic, fast paced writing, she pulls you in from the beginning.
Morgan communicates to the audience that there is no chronological order to the songs – a very reflective aspect of what it’s like to actually be in your twenties; messy and confusing. Morgan further resonates in this by the manner of which she performed her songs. Attention never lacks with the rollercoaster of emotions and stories that you’re guided on. Whether it is the heartfelt love song about peering onto Parramatta Road on a sweltering day from the apartment you share with your lover. Or perhaps it is the rendition of ‘Apart of Your World’ from “The Little mermaid” that comedically takes you into her discovery of vibrators and just how life changing they can be. “Hymns from my 20s” is a vibrant piece (literally) that will keep your heart full and belly laughing.
Morgan does a great job at keeping it relational and unique – like the upbeat and stochastic song in which she describes finding a bump in her vagina. She recounts how it sends her into an anxious spiral that calls her to the hospital, only to find out it was…. her cervix. It's a very “I’ve been there…” moment for a lot of the audience members. Even for the audience members who don’t necessarily have a cervix, the creativity and comedy of the piece is entertaining even without the personal relation to vaginal triumphs.
There is something really interesting about watching someone perform so genuinely on stage – it makes for a very connective experience where audience and performer are not separate. It’s an integrated adventure with the performance space only heightening how the audience isn’t just watching Morgan act and perform out her life story, but we are a part of it.
No matter where you may be at in your life, whatever age, this is a piece that can connect with everyone. Perhaps you’re currently in the throes of your 20s and deeply relating to the ups and downs that Morgan describes. Maybe you’re well away from the times of your 20s and feeling nostalgic for the chaos of them. And if you’re someone who is about to enter your 20s, you’re able to witness just how out-of-hand, profound, and full of love they can be. It was gratifying to witness Morgan’s lively experiences play out in front of me – especially intensified as her partner, Angwin, was there accompanying her for several of the songs.
I really value genuine creation and originality and Morgan really stepped into this. She was truly captivating and genuine as she told her story through creative and individual pieces as one song was truly not like the other. A well written and heart-warming performance of Morgan’s authenticity; you witness the vulnerability of her life experiences and observe the rawness of her humanity in this show. “Hymns From My 20s” is a moving, comedic, and fast-paced journey that is truly worth the watch!
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​Hymns From My 20s was performed at Bondi Festival 2024 from 18th July-20th July
