The Sandman in Siberia

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Who Magazine

The Sandman in Siberia
Sand's across the sea to see how long he can travel with his mum.

The Sandman is a love-him-or-loathe-him sort of comic, but if you love him, this Storyline Australia film will complete you. With the sandman, aka Steve Abbott in one seat and his mum, Evelyn in the other, one Australian branch of the Efrernoff family flies to Siberia in search of roots.

Steve and Eve can't spend 25 minutes at Bondi Junction with out arguing, as he confides to a rare family gathering before departure. He's wary about 20 days together, but there's a lure of oil supposedly being found near ancestral land and, as some rello yells, "jools!"

Flashbacks from this family party are used to effect, and even though travelling with mum has it's tense moments, good son Steve has mum laughing at his attempts to learn russian. Mastering phrases seem to include "Brass titty" and "clam".

Abbott is far from his off-the-wall comic mode, settling for a tragi-comic resignation that gives breathing room for a special family tale that sees him and Eve have a poignant reunion with cousin Nikolai. He is the son of the boy left behind when the rest of the family went to Australia in 1912.

The weather is icy, but the sentiment is warm, and a visit to a church at Shabalino is a treasure. The elaborate church is built by members of the Efernoff family, stands alone in a devasated, snowy landscape. Eve lights a candle. Sandman is happy to be there B+