My final show at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival was Alanah Parkins’ “Garage Sale,” taking place at the DoubleTree by Hilton on Flinders Street. Upon entering the room, I was immediately offered items for purchase by Alana Perkins herself, in character as 66-year-old Denise Dixon from Narre Warren South – a persona reminiscent of classic Australian characters like Kath and Kim.

The show unfolded by introducing us to the weird and wonderful characters Alana has created to tell this story. We met Denise’s husband of 47 years, Greg, whose passions include collecting old VHS tapes and glassware. We also encountered 93-year-old Margaret, Greg’s mother, living in the granny flat out back with a distinctive whinging British accent.

This seemingly simple garage sale held unexpected depth. We discovered Greg’s obsession with 90s pop star Christina Aguilera, and were also privy to the strange, ritualistic games he once played with his estranged daughters. Ultimately, everything cohered in an ending as quirky and strange as the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

I was thoroughly impressed by Alana Perkins. Their characterisation was excellent, their quirky sense of humour landed well, and the nostalgic props on stage truly brought the characters and story to life. For me, the highlight was undoubtedly the recreated VHS videos, which significantly enhanced the storytelling. Alana Perkins delivers a quirky and captivating show that’s well worth rummaging through.