Review: Melancholipedia presented by Ludus Performance

Review by Kathy M.

4 August 2024 at 7.30 pm at Paint Factory

Unfortunately, I attended the last performance of Melancholipedia as part of the 2024 Anywhere Festival so you’ve missed out this time but highly recommend you look out for future performances of this show and others performed by Bob O’Brien from Ludus Performance.

The introduction gave rise to anticipation I was about to see a TED talk and started with reference to a poem by “Ode to Melancholy” by John Keats. It progressed to a Wiki search on John Keats until he got caught up in other references in the blurb to end up at Einstein’s theories on energy leading to the definition of work – we’ve all succumbed to that process! 

This was one of many examples to highlight the distraction of the internet, how we think we are gaining knowledge and power but are we really? Are we just controlled by the algorithms that make us feel we are getting what we want – like a personalised drug? Or is it just making us melancholy because we can’t be perfect – like everyone else we see on-line?

He questions the internet risking our needs and desires for lifelong learning and it’s control on what we want to think about. There were some great improvisations as a result of comments from the audience.  I loved how he made light of the internet, the absurd things we come across and how it seriously affects all our thought processes. 

There were lots of laughs and examples we can all relate to with flashes of articles, photos, memes on a screen. Despite the laughs, I left feeling challenged and questioning the world we live in along with the influence of the internet on our lives, our well-being, how it makes us feel and what is real for now and in the future.

Bob O’Brien was thoroughly engaging, and his presentation was energetic. The dry wit and satire about serious issues and complex questions has inspired me to look out for more productions by Ludus.