My Grandpa Doesn’t Follow Me On Instagram: A Guide To Trans-generational Road-Tripping theatre review – A worthwhile journey
Yoz Mensch turns an unlikely road trip with their grandfather into a warm, funny and quietly touching meditation on generational divides
‘Oooh didn’t you see my story?’ drone your Insta-twat pals on the rare occasion you see them IRL, almost daring you to admit you only ever hate-watch their ‘content’ when you’re half-way down a bottle of mid-Shiraz on a wet and lonely Sunday night. Well mates, it’s time to turn those notifications back on, because Yoz Mensch has finally found a use for social media: using their old Insta stories as both the jumping-off point and punctuation for this new ‘not coming-out’ show.
My Grandpa is based on a two-week road trip Mensch took with their grandfather to visit the spot where their grandmother’s ashes are scattered in the far north of Scotland. It’s something of a new direction for Mensch, who has built a name around Adelaide and the international fringe circuit as a goosey-loosey, playful, highly improvised clown. Thankfully, their trademark gentle warmth and humanity still colours every beat; while there’s a lot going on, Mensch, as always, makes it easy for us to connect. There’s also a lot of humour to mine, given it’s a story about two very different people being stuck in a car together for two whole weeks and the laughs feel unforced and born of recognition. (admittedly, an extended joke about carpets in a Scottish hotel is delightfully niche, yet still very funny and also 100% true).
Being horrified by the generations that came before us is a universal experience and Mensch Junior brings Mensch Senior to life perfectly: the bent-over physicality, the grumpy back-chat, the repetition and uncomfortable silences. But there’s so much affection in this portrayal, perhaps a little too much. Mensch never quite manages to say the thing they want to say and leaves us wondering why, because Pa does actually seem not bad, for an old bloke. A little more conflict, a little more grit in the oyster shell might make the pearl shine even brighter. That said, this is a gorgeous show that revels in its specificity and shows us that, while Chappell Roan will never let you down, sometimes neither will your grandad. And that really is not bad, for an old bloke.
My Grandpa Doesn’t Follow Me On Instagram: A Guide To Trans-Generational Road-Tripping continues at The Mill until March 7; picture: Daniel Marks.