Mi$fortune – Golden Goose Theatre, Camberwell

Reviewer: Christine Stanton

Writer and Director: Aaron-Lee Eyles

“Engaging Storytelling“

3.5 / 5

~This review was originally written for The Reviews Hub ~

Devout Christian Billie-Bob Harrell Jr lived a simple life in Texas, spending his days working at the local Home Depot, spending time with his family and worshipping at the local church. So when his luck came in on the lottery and he won $31 million, he knew his life had changed forever – but as they say, money doesn’t buy happiness, which is certainly the case in the re-telling of this unbelievably true story.

Aaron-Lee Eyles hit the jackpot when discovering this shocking tale of luck, love and loss, doing a fabulous job of piecing it all together and presenting it to the audience with numerous different techniques. Utilising audience participation during a talk show, performing multiple musical numbers and having a narrator (Linseigh Green) guide the audience through the story are all effective ways that Eyles and the team behind Mi$fortune keep the audience on the edge of their seats during this riveting story. Although some parts could use a little polishing, the overall execution of the show is very well done, especially considering the sparse stage and minimal use of props or costumes.

The success of this show is not only down to Eyles’s creative vision, but also to the brilliant cast who perform their engaging storytelling so well it is almost hard to believe it is genuinely a true story. Linseigh Green has an impressively powerful singing voice that captivates the audience during the musical numbers, alongside her clear concise narrating. Matthew Metcalfe realistically portrays the varying emotions that his character Billie-Bob Harell Jr goes through, bringing his personality to life. Thomas Crichton (the children / TV Presenter) and Grace Price (Jean Harrell and others) are fantastic comedic performers, both delivering each of their characters with variety and contagiously fun energy.

This scintillating story has a sombre undertone throughout, leading into a harrowing final scene, yet due to the sensitivity of Eyles and the cast, they do a great job of paying respect to the people involved, while still keeping it light and entertaining. A winning formula for a winning show.

Runs until 22 April 2023