COMEDY REVIEW: Vampires, Werewolves and Harry Styles
24.05.2023 at Basement Theatre
This review is part of the 2023 Comedy Festival Lineup!
Vampires, Werewolves and Harry Styles is a love letter to Liv Parker’s teenage self, but I’m still not convinced she didn’t somehow find my personal teenage diaries in an opshop while writing. Opening with an iconic Twilight scene and moving through successive obsessions - from Shakespeare to One Direction and back again - Liv brings all the energy of a teenager discovering the joy of fictional romance. The hour-long show is made up of a series of hyperbolic (yet relatable) skits, punctuated with outfit changes and outbursts of enthusiastic lip-syncing. The skits escalate in energy and silliness, reaching a crescendo with an audio track of admissions of love from so many recognisable classic and teen romance movies, which almost overwhelm Liv and the audience.
I feared when the show began that the secondhand embarrassment would be too intense: Liv does not shy away from shouting, play-acting, singing, reading poetry, and detailing the depth of her former love for Edward Cullen and Harry Styles. Having shared both of these same obsessions, I remember the overwhelming feeling I had about them as a teenager, and just how strongly I reacted when I felt even slightly judged by those around me for my intensity. I didn’t expect how cathartic it would be to watch someone refuse to shy away from her feelings, even when people laughed. Of course people laughed - it’s a comedy show! The whole point was for us to laugh at her obsession, and yet at the same time you can’t help but respect her commitment to these (mostly) fictional men, as you begin to understand what each crush means to her.
A third of the way through the show, Liv receives a ‘call’ from an imaginary Harry Styles, making very literal the pull of a new obsession away from an old one. She pulls off the layers of plaid (as any diehard Twilight fan will remember, a staple of Bella Swan’s closet) and pulls on a Harry’s House t-shirt, which is also a subtle signal to the audience of how current and longlasting her obsession with Harry has been. She’s bubbly on the phone to her fictional crush, and as the call ends she launches into stories of the depth of her commitment to One Direction and Harry Styles - queuing up for their concerts, fantasising about being picked from the crowd. It’s a fantasy I also remember from my Tumblr days - which directioner didn’t imagine what a reciprocated connection would be like with these guys? These guys who seemed so relatable, somehow so within reach? It’s absurd looking back as an adult, but from the perspective of teenage Liv - the character Liv Parker inhabits onstage - it’s entirely possible that Harry Styles would call you and tell you he loves you.
As the show concludes you feel strongly that these experiences helped Liv understand love, and would be fondly remembered even if they had faded into the past. Vampires, Werewolves and Harry Styles allows the audience to feel silly and laugh at the silliness of obsession, while highlighting the power of teenage emotion and its role in our lives. You’re carried through the story as Liv moves through each skit, with the feeling of a full stage production. This was Liv Parker’s first solo show, and it showed her ability to elevate comedy beyond the standard format and expectations of the audience. Liv embodies the lovestruck teenager, exploring cultural references that are familiar to all of us. She then ends with a dash of realism; Liv now has a real boyfriend (of 8 years!) and she steps off the stage in plain black clothes, waving goodbye to the fictional men of her youth. It’s a nice reminder to embrace our inner teenager and all that those teenage feelings taught us.
■
Check out more about Vampires, Werewolves and Harry Styles here!