Action Figure Archive Volume 2
A sweltering basement next to a busy kitchen is not the most obvious or welcoming of Fringe venues, but Steve McLean knows his audience, the geeks, the nerds and the collectors, the fans who take unashamed joy from their knowledge of their chosen and the associated memorabilia they have gathered, individuals prepared to endure hardship for their devotion, all celebrated in Action Figure Archive Volume 2.
The followup to his 2018 show, his original plan for the season having been rerouted to a cul-de-sac, McLean returns to what he knows best, starting with Transformers and the realisation that as times change even that which is made of steel and aluminium cannot be relied upon, Optimus Prime’s alternate form as a big red truck meaning he is likely a Trump supporter.
While an argument could perhaps be made that as one of the “robots in disguise” he only poses as a Republican while searching out misappropriated classified papers, a surprising guest appearance by Postman Pat leads to something less easily defended in the aspirational “you can be anything” range of Barbie dolls – a doctor! A scientist! A chef… Apparently the only thing Barbie has not been, aspirational or otherwise, is Kevin Costner.
The approach scattershot, it suits the premise: everyone has a collection, from books to China plates, from football kits or vinyl LPs, but few are complete or pristine, instead assembled from what was available, affordable and not subsequently lost down the years, worn out and discarded or simply misplaced, possibly even some later acquisitions of rarities inherited or obtained through the specialist market.
The structure less a smoothly flowing river than an earthquake and its unpredictable aftershocks, the mocking of certain fandoms has a precision which speaks of inside knowledge, and the justified ridicule is for the gatekeepers and those who deride popular culture; Action Figure Archive Volume 2 a celebration of the silly little things which bring us disproportionate joy, what kind of a person would sneer at happiness?
Action Figure Archive Volume 2 runs at Roti on South Bridge until Saturday 27th August
