REVIEW BY JESSICA FANWONG
EDITED BY CHARLOTTE FRASER
In our current age of spiking inflation rates and a volatile political landscape, the second-hand market has seen a boom. We’re seeing a resurgence of trend comebacks: from Y2K to 80s glam to piratecore and grandpacore. For some of us, treasure-hunting a preloved store is nostalgic. For others, it’s out of necessity – the best place to shop that is both affordable and sustainable.
Alanah Parkin takes up this idea of recycling pre-loved relics in debut solo character comedy Garage Sale, to explore what is truly exchanged when treasured goods pass between different hands.
We are invited to the garage sale of a retiring Narre Warren South couple, who are downsizing for their move to a retirement village. Use of space was very apt. The crusty brick wall of the Motley Bauhaus theatre fitted perfectly into the suburban home vibe. The set design created a very immersive feel to the show. Scattered boxes, antiques and a giant TV on stage right that loomed over the clutter. Everything feels messy but deliberate, with the careful positioning of each object adding to the story. Walking into the theatre felt like entering the private space of a real family.
Parkin is a highly versatile and powerful performer. During the show, they fluidly switched between multiple characters, embodying the personalities and mannerisms of each with sharp precision. As Denise, Parkin created a loquacious suburban grandma who yaps at and gossips with the audience non-stop except for occasional sips of her tea. As her husband Greg, Parkin swiftly transitions into the iconic gingham and Akubra-hat wearing Aussie bloke. Greg swaggers across the stage to engage in philosophical discussions about materialism and throw snappy punchlines – “I’m not a time waster, I’m a taxpayer”. The final character, Margaret, Greg’s ancient libidinous mum, made brief appearances but served great comic relief as the carefree foil of the more serious Denise and Greg.
What was really interesting in this discussion about value, time and longevity is seeing the different approaches the three characters took to the sale, and how that reflected both their personalities and relationship with each other. Denise is on a mission to declutter her life and move into retirement without the weight of the past, objects, secrets or tension with her daughters. Greg, on the other hand, is a hoarder who bottles up what he values in life and is reluctant to part with anything.
As this is a one-person show, we never see the couple together. Instead, they are constantly switching, taking hilarious jabs at each other while the other is offstage. The audience becomes like nosy neighbours, eavesdropping on an old married couple’s domestic disputes. Except it soon becomes clear that this is not just an ordinary couple. As the show progresses, it becomes increasingly chaotic as buried secrets get excavated, horrific vengeful dolls come to life, a Martian info-clones conspiracy surfaces and a bottled-up Christina Aguilera escapes with a smashing dance number.
What impressed me was how authentic Parkin made the performance. Greg and Denise causally interact with audience members like customers in a garage sale. A highlight is when Greg introduces the 60-second sit-down workout tape he made with Denise and Denise’s now estranged sister back in the 1980s. The audience soon gets swept up into participating in this high-energy, vigorous workout that prevents them from getting too passive.
The dynamics between the bickering couple is established brilliantly, but I wish we got to see more of their relationship with the daughters, especially in the aftermath of Greg’s major secret being revealed. Parkin’s has great comedic timing and their scintillating wit drives the otherwise simple story.
Garage Sale transforms a simple decluttering sale into a comically surreal examination of materialism, domestic relationships and what is truly valuable in life. It asks us what we willing to part with, what is lost and gained in a transaction and if sentimental value can ever be price-tagged and transferred into another pair of hands.
Alanah Parkin’s Garage Sale was presented at the Motley Bauhaus 31 March – 5 April, 2026 as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
JESSICA FANWONG is a reviewer, theatre-maker and creative, currently studying Arts Management at UniMelb. Her works can be found on Dialog, Farrago and Emerging Artists Collective.
CHARLOTTE FRASER (she/her) is a writer, performer and student editor based in Melbourne. She holds a BA in English and Theatre Studies and is currently completing her Masters degree at the University of Melbourne. Charlotte is also the 2026 Dialog Editor.
The Dialog is supported by Union House Theatre
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