Fem-led fierceness

In Your Dreams (Polytoxic)

Brisbane Powerhouse

November 23 – 25

Polytoxic is an Australian collective known for creating hyper-visual, pop-inspired performance work built upon the foundations of diversity, collaboration and intersectionality, and their new cabaret work, debuting at Brisbane Powerhouse’s Melt festival celebration of queer art, artists and ideas, is very much in keeping with this mantra. Though scaled down from 2021’s “Demolition”, “In Your Dreams” still explores some very big and important ideas. Forget Aria, Oscar and Matilda… this is an awards ceremony for the future, with all the glamour, drama and entertainment you could want. It’s a utopic vision where everyone is recognised, presented as a femme led future. We appreciate this from the moment its troop of performers takes to the stage’s red carpet to take out their anger upon the statutes that line its runway.

From there, we are welcomed to the FOMOEOS awards (you will have to go to find out what this acronym stands for) by Polytoxic leaders Lisa Fa’alafi and Leah Shelton. There is a bit of a film theme running through its early numbers, which include musical nods to “Rocky” and “Grease” (with an unusual in-time audience clap along) as bros BIG M.I.C (Busty Beatz) and Young Harrison (Hope Haami) attempt a misogynistic reclaim.  

The work features a line-up of glass-ceiling smashing, system dismantling, genderqueer, fiercely intersectional artists including Alinta Mcgrady, Kim ‘Busty Beatz’ Bowers, Lilikoi Kaos, Mayu Muto, Matehaere Hope Haami Aka Hope One, Gogo Bumhole, Richie Lestrange and Rhythmology. The ensuing range of acts includes the usual mix of disciplines, only perhaps with more provocation than the company’s previous works, meaning that this is not a show for the easily offended (who may have to check their privilege), in terms of both its language and conceivably confrontational subject matter to some.

Numbers include impressive aerials, big vocals, beatboxing, hoops, street dance, lip-sync, drag and performance art and there are many highlights from within them. Fearsome warier Mayu Muto takes advantage of the lofty Powerhouse Theatre space to impress with some gravity-defying aerial rope work, while ripping apart anyone who gets in her way. In another of its circus-themed acts  Fa’alafi twirls fire sticks sans fire in a frenzy that creates an amazing visual spectacle. And Shelton shows strength and skill in a memorable sex-doll pole routine.

Nothing is off limits in this loud and proud mother of all #hellyeah take downs, which has been created and written by Fa’alafi and Shelton in collaboration with the cast. Kayne BIG M.I.C returns to the Polytoxic stage, uninvited and unannounced to steal the limelight and take home all the awards, and the ensuing 90s r-and-b boy band ‘Hot Brown Homies’ parody is absolutely hilarious in its exaggerated r-rated reminders of the genre’s dance moves and archetypes.

One of the features of a Polytoxic show is a dynamic soundscape and, in this regard, “In Your Dreams” does not disappoint. With music direction by Fa’alafi and Shelton in collaboration with Kim ‘Busty Beatz’ Bowers, the soundscape is as big as it gets and adds much to the amplified aesthetic. And when Badass Mutha Alinta Mcgrady takes gold with a late-show ‘Winner Takes It All’, her passionate delivery not only emphasises her vocal talent, but focus us on the show’s articulated spotlights on notions of body sovereignty and similar.

Unforgiving and unapologetic activism is what this company is all about and “In Your Dreams” is a fierce, in-your-face reminder of this in its essential, explosive celebration of glass-ceiling smashing and colonial hetro-normative patriarchal system dismantling. This is a fantastical VIP-style party where the queers, outcasts and political activists are celebrated and win the awards they deserve. Indeed, “In Your Dreams” is a theatrical feminist feast of disruption that (literally) rips to shreds antiquated notions of girls on film and alike. Its inclusive celebration of resilience and freedom never wanes in energy, including in its sensational slip and slide curtain call.

Photos c/o – Jade Ellis Photography

Revolutionary revelations

One the Bear (La Boite, Campbelltown Arts Centre and Black Honey Company)

La Boite Theatre, Roundhouse Theatre

October 10 – 21

In true international award-winning Black Honey Company style, “One the Bear” bursts upon the audience in an apocalyptic aesthetic avalanche as its stars, the story’s titular One (Candy Bowers) and her best friend Ursula (Nancy Denis), emerge from a rubbish skip. One and Ursula are bears attempting to escape a hunter, such is the reality of their untold herstories, which form the basis of this enigmatic work.

The abiding hyper-reality aesthetic comes courtesy of Video Designer Optikal Bloc and the accompanying explosion of fluorescent colour details down to not just performer glasses but even the eyelashes behind them. As always, music is at the heart of the Black Honey production with composition and sound designer Kim ‘Busty Beatz’ Bowers’ creation crafting a hip-hop stadium concert within the Roundhouse Theatre space that, unfortunately, initially competes with performer delivery of song lyrics.

Things soon settle beyond performance art into a story as One starts talking about her mother’s legacy and the narrative reveals the story of the two bear friends finding their relationship in disarray as One gains celebrity status. Reduced and seduced into the all-white commoditised, exploitative and materialistic world, she struggles to stay true to intention to finish what her mother began and her determination to never to become a pet.

As a fairy tale for the hip hop generation written by Candy Bowers, “One the Bear” represents allegorical storytelling at its most engaging in its representation of inter-generational colonisation and assimilation, with a modern twist. The work, which has grown out of the lived experience of its Black Honey feminist dreamer creators, has been devised with an ideal teenage audience in mind and those in the opening night crowd within this demographic certainly seemed to be engaged and empowered by its prompt to reflect critically on the impact of media saturation, culture consumption and colonisation.

The hour long show flies by in a cyclone of colour, movement and energy. This requires physical performances from Bowers and Denis as they shake their little tails all around the stage. Bowers conveys both strength and vulnerability as the titular One and Denis’ versatility impresses without detracting from Bowers’ essential presence. Indeed, Denis is hugely entertaining, not just as best friend Ursula, but as the bear enthusiast journalist who discovers One as a star whilst undercover “21 Jump Street” style.

Memorably, the story is told in rhyme. The enticing rhythm this creates, moves things along, but not at the expense of pace and pause, which is used to control not only the narrative but audience response to it. And the rhymes become entertainment in themselves, working even when (or maybe because) they don’t entirely work, with interactions like “this cereal tastes like latex …. what do you think is going to happen next?” adding an additional layer to the show’s humour and a script that is full of funny lines.

“One the Bear” is an innovative work that takes its audience on a loud, proud and powerful journey in its smash of traditional notions of political theatre and show of how all theatre spaces should be for everyone. If you like to be challenged by what you see on stage, you won’t regret giving your time to this brave, different and daring work and will not only enjoy its paw-up revolution, but be empowered to growl along and share its message about sisters never being defined by misters.

Photos c/o – Dylan Evans

Boylesque brilliance

Close Encounters (Briefs Factory)

Brisbane Powerhouse, Powerhouse Theatre

May 4 – 7

One of the typically-bad things about opening nights is that shows often start annoyingly later than scheduled (especially on a school night). One of the good things, however, is the anticipation that can build as an audience awaits the beginning. And with its pre-show soundtrack of Models, Mental as Anything, Jenny Morris, Eurogliders and Farnsy, the anticipation for Brisbane’s own boylesque troop’s “Close Encounters” is amped.

Surprisingly, the ‘80s Aussie rock continues into the iconic circus/drag/burlesque show itself, including in a contemporary dance number to the sounds of Australian Crawl’s ‘Reckless’, during which Thomas Gundry Greenfield mixes political messages with comment about pandas, courtesy of his disappearing layers of message-laden singlets. It’s a number which introduces a key and ongoingly-funny theme throughout the show… the lack of funding for independent companies that not even inclusion of a contemporary dance number can affect.

Still, while claim is made that Briefs’ “Close Encounters” has been made ‘on the smell of a drag queen’s knickers’, the result is impressive, especially in the technical aspects on display. Lighting, for example, is quite luscious in support of some mesmerising aerial rope and hoop acts. Costumes are interesting, inventive and practical, allowing for burlesques teases of flesh, especially in the Bowie-sque ‘Starship’ numbers that head the show to its finish. And thanks to Kim ‘Busty Beatz’ Bowers, the music becomes an organic and very memorable component of the show, especially with numbers set to pumping ‘Ride on Time’ type tunes.

“Close Encounters” contains no narrative thread, but rather presents a melting pot of eclectic artistic ideas and numbers with nod to the traditions of burlesque. From a Kate Bush dance showcase to juggling for science, nothing particularly fits, yet everything works well. And performers all ooze appeal as well as skill in their particular crafts. Fez Fa’anana is a wicked and witty host(ess), beared, beautiful and far from the Rugby League player of parental preference, while Thomas Worrell’s aerial performances make for some spectacular and graceful hold-your-breath moments. Dale Woodbridge-Brown, meanwhile, presents as an engaging jester or sorts, initially moving about the cabaret-seated crowd in search of some strategically placed and precisely timed old school twin bell alarm clocks.

Audience interaction is nothing to be alarmed about, however, (#seewhatIdidthere) and is all in keeping with show’s self-deprecating sense of fun. And when a raffle ticket winner is taken on stage for receipt of her ‘something very special’ prize, not only is everyone ‘jealloous’, but in fits of laughter at her antics in interaction with the Briefs boys. It’s easy to appreciate why the fiercely Brisbane group of artists (beginning in 2008 in a West End speakeasy) has sold out their season of shows ahead even of opening night.

This is a ragtag group of multi-skilled performers (especially in heels) of which Brisvegas should be proud. Not only do the Briefs boys put the tease in strip, but their skills are astounding as they deliver on their start-of-show promise to blow audience minds. Filled with spectacle and provocation, the show is far from subtle, but this is what makes it both brilliant and absolutely infectious. With vaudeville, burlesque, clowning, circus and dance, there is sure to be something for everyone in “Close Encounters”, apart from those who may be easily offended. And the style of its substance is such that in watching, you will want to be up dancing along with them…. even on a school night.

Fierce power fighters

Hot Brown Honey (Briefs Factory/Black Honey Company)

Judith Wright Centre, Performance Space

September 16 – 26

Culture doesn’t just have to be of the heightened type that occurs only in flagship venues. And “Hot Brown Honey” is evidence of this as, preshow, the Judith Wright Centre is a hive activity (#punintended) as the Hot Brown Honeys mingle amongst the audience. The anticipation is only sweetened upon entry into the theatre space and introduction to the visually dominant honeycomb-esque mountain from atop which a loud and proud Busty Beatz begins the high energy showcase of female talent. And what a range of talent it includes, with dancers, vocalists and even a beatboxer appearing as part of the show’s appealing eclecticism, harmonising perfectly despite their distinct individual styles.

For the uninitiated, Hot Brown Honey is a collective of talented beauties of all shapes and sizes, united in quest to pack a sweet punch of hip-hop politics by smashing stereotypes and exploring sticky topics. In doing so they present strength of conviction, voice and determination in shows that seem only to go from strength to glorious strength as examples of entertainment by the people for the people.

Those who have experience of their most recent Judy outing can be reassured by presence of previous crowd favourites, bogan Aussie girl in Bali (Crystal Stacey) and Polynesian basket weaver (Lisa Fa’alafi), as well as the Seymour-like finale coconut (whose favourite snack is prejudice).

Joining them are new and equally memorable moments of impressive physicality and creative invention such as outrageous parody of Iggy Azalea and Nicki Mina, and tribute to an “Eat Pray Love” yoga devotees from special guest Sammy Willians.

And there is real highlight in appearance of Miss Bogan Villea  (special guest Benjamin Graetz, last seen with the Honeys at ”지하 Underground”, (Uplate) at 2014’s WTF Festival) for a couple of unapologetically-ocker Acca Dacca and Midnight Oil numbers to have Thunderstruck audience members clapping and whooping along.

The show is not all irreverence though, including comment on a number of political issues related to nationalism, colonialisation and empowerment. Indeed, the inclusion of its domestic violence number during which Crystal Stacey performs a series of stunning aerial circus moves, elevates the significance of its themes to a new level of (unfortunate) topical appreciation. The addition of the song ‘Where are you from?’ provides one of the other most overt instances, but this is tempered by the cohesion of transformation from, for example, contemporary to indigenous dance within one of the opening numbers.

“Hot Brown Honey” is a show of contrasts and with its pulsating musical score (thanks to the wonderful reinvention and rearrangement of many contemporary pop classics), it offers plenty of bombastic moments of pure entertainment. With the help of some luscious lighting and the cleverest of costumes as layer upon layer is often shed to unfold entirely new outfits, each more elaborately realised than the last, the hyper-reality of its segments becomes infectious because never has fighting the power tasted so sweet. There is also chance that you may even be lucky enough to feature in the always light-hearted interactive segment that see audience members’ getting up close and personal with a particularly Busty Beatz.

“Hot Brown Honey” is a heightened experience on a grand scale, making it a hyperbolically great show that will leave you raving to others in exhilaration of its fierce performances, powerful messages and celebratory feel. More than just a fun night out, it includes piercing social commentary of things that should and do matter, which makes it perfect for curation within a festival program.

Photos c/o – Dylan Evans