All posts filed under: Reviews

Review: Elixir

Published by thequeerav

Elixir has traveled internationally and has now returned for Perth Fringe 2018. Presented by Melbourne based company Head First Acrobats, Elixir follows the story of three scientists on a mission to discover the elixir of life. The biggest discovery of all though, was made by the audience, in the form of talent, amidst a wildly entertaining and funny performance. Through a sea of laboratory props and costumes, the three scientists perform a range of experiments on themselves. Through every stage of experiments, their circus acts get more difficult, and the audience is pulled in to the performance even more. The three scientists are hilarious as they bicker with each other and banter with the audience. The show perfectly combined comedy with skill, and the the story line was refreshing in what was not just another circus performance. Elixir is definitely worth seeing for the avid circus lover, comedy fan or anyone just wanting to have a good night out. Elixir is playing at Perth Fringe until February 25. To buy tickets before it sells out, …

Review: Hot Brown Honey, a QPoC Perspective

Published by thequeerav

As a queer person of colour, it’s difficult to find entertainment that is representative and respectful of both my culture and my LGBTIQ+ identity. It’s difficult to find content that isn’t just made to appeal to white, heteronormative audiences. Going in to see Hot Brown Honey at Perth Fringe, I knew from the title I would be in for something at least somewhat relatable and with a few laughs, but I never predicted feeling so at home. Presented by Briefs Factory, Hot Brown Honey, brings to light some really important social and feminist issues from an all female, all culturally diverse cast (with a touch of queerness of course). From topics such as “don’t touch my hair” to “where are you really from?”, I felt the show as a whole was so relatable. It’s difficult to explain to people the micro-aggressions that happen to people of colour and queer people on a daily basis. The cast of Hot Brown Honey summed everything up so perfectly with a side dish of sass and a hot pinch of empowerment. …

Review: Briefs Close Encounters

Published by thequeerav

The iconic boylesque boys from Briefs have graced Perth Fringe stages for a number of years, each time gaining popularity and selling out shows. It’s long been a known fact to avid Fringe goers that you’ll never find a last minute ticket to a Briefs show. This is because a Briefs show always makes for an entertaining and unforgettable night out to say the least. This year, not only have the Briefs boys returned, but they have a whole new show; Briefs: Close Encounters. The show is of course filled with a mix of comedy, drag, circus and burlesque that fans have grown to love and expect. Lead by comedy favourite Fez Faanana, the new show follows the boys through fun, fantasy and sci-fi, as they return from the future to communicate what is to come. In doing so they remind the audience to celebrate one another rather than tear each other down, creating a close encounter in the process. Following recent political events that saw arguments for and against marriage equality in the spotlight, bigotry …

Review: ‘Blood Relative’

Published by thequeerav

Ren Lunicke returns to Perth Fringe 2018 with a new show; ‘Blood Relative’, an autobiographical dramatic retelling involving tales of biological and chosen family, fertility and identity. (*Please Note: Ren uses they/them pronouns in present tense, and she/her pronouns when referring to their past self, Michelle.) As a queer person, I was instantly intrigued by the idea of a show that explores the concept of family. For a lot of queer people, family encompasses many more than those related by blood, as we are faced with a mix of acceptance, tolerance and rejection with every retelling of our identities. However, to say this performance is only for queer people would be doing it an injustice. We all have varied experiences and ideas about what family means to us, and ‘Blood Relative’ truly explores this in a journey toward building meaningful connection with others. The performance takes place amid conversations between three generations; Michelle, her evangelical mother, and her sick grandmother. Constantly disappointed by expectations from biological bonds, Michelle struggles with the idea of what makes …

Review: ‘Club Swizzle’ From the Creators of Award-Winning LA SOIRÉE

Published by thequeerav

The Creators of award-winning La Soirée present the Perth debut of their show ‘Club Swizzle’ at Fringe World 2018, and it’s deliciously saucy. Following it’s world premiere at Sydney Opera House, and ahead of it’s international tour in 2018, Club Swizzle has graced Perth’s hottest new venue, The Ice Cream Factory, with a bang! Filled with everything from outrageous cabaret to air-defying acrobatics and infectious musical revelry, there’s no doubt you’ll be in for an unforgettable night. The show is hosted by cabaret wunderkind Reuben Kaye, described as “the evil love child of Liza Minelli and Jim Carrey”, who uses their amazing voice and queer hilarity to introduce a diverse range of talent. This talent includes the acrobatic wonders of The Swizzle Boys (yes they are just as enticing they sound), live music from The Unexpected Perks, tap and jazz from Harlem born and raised Dandy Wellington, naughty burlesque from Laurie Hagen, and cabaret from the skating, singing and ukulele playing Amy G. This is the perfect show for a care-free and immersive night out …

Review: ‘I Am My Own Wife’

Published by thequeerav

A lone figure enters. She makes her way to a gramophone placed off centre stage, and talks about her fascination with it, and the other items that belong to her extensive museum of furniture and everyday objects. For the next 90 minutes, this is the only person to grace the stage, playing over 30 different characters throughout the entire performance. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Tony Award for Best Play, ‘I Am My Own Wife’, by Doug Wright, made its WA premiere over the weekend at The Heath Ledger Theatre Studio Underground. Set in Germany amidst the Nazi and Communist regimes, the story follows the life German antiquarian, Charlotte von Mahsldorf, played by Brendan Hanson. Charlotte, who is plagued by memories of her late father, manages to live her life fearlessly and unapologetically as a trans person in a time and place where it was not safe to do so. As she talks about her life to an enthusiastic array of different characters, a fascinating, intricate and emotive story emerges. Sourcing items …

Moonlight: Why Intersectional Representation Matters

Published by thequeerav

If you’re late to the party, Moonlight is a talented film directed by Barry Jenkins based on the play In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue. It has received a lot of buzz since its release in late 2016, and even more so since it won Best Motion Picture at the 74th Golden Globe Awards recently, the first all black cast, queer film to do so. The soundtrack is orchestral, not something most would expect if they’re about to watch a film set in a ghetto of poverty, violence, and an inescapable drug culture. The film was shot in a unique way with a very shallow depth of field making it feel unnerving, vulnerable, and personal. This is because director Barry Jenkins is taking you on an extremely tender and genuine coming-of-age queer journey, portrayed through the main character Chiron. This film doesn’t cheapen itself by following a predictable narrative. The queer characters did not die in the film because they were queer. They were not used as a prop for the dangers of STIs or …

Movie Review – Deep Water: The Real Story

Published by thequeerav

Deep Water: The Real Story is a documentary film about the gay hate crimes that plagued Sydney in the 1980s and 1990s. The hatred towards gay people and the incompetency of the NSW Police Force in this time is more than uncovered in what is an eye opening documentation of the high level of homophobia that existed in Sydney less than 30 years ago. It’s not often that the suffering of LGBTI people takes the forefront of Australian media. However, this documentary and the crime series drama of the same name are currently making sure it does. For the first time ever, the unsolved deaths from 30 potential gay hate crimes (of 80 total, as well as thousands of assaults) are being re-examined and exposed, each in more detail than the NSW Police Force ever committed to. The NSW Police Force have admitted they may have made serious mistakes while re-examining these cases, though unfortunately never made an appearance in the documentary, not through lack of trying from the filmmakers. To set some context; …

Review – The Queen of Ireland

Published by thequeerav

The Queen of Ireland is a documentary film about the life of Rory O’Neill, better known as Irish drag queen Panti Bliss. The film looks at everything from O’Neill’s life growing up gay in the small town of Ballinrobe, County Mayo, to living with HIV and his gay rights activism, particularly in the lead up to the historic marriage equality referendum in Ireland in 2015. The film is beautifully directed by Conor Horgan who, until this point, was most well known for directing the 2009 post-apocalyptic Irish drama One Hundred Mornings, the winner of many awards. After watching The Queen of Ireland though, I can’t help but feel he has reached new levels of artistic achievement, and that this film will go down as a classic in queer cinema. You see, he didn’t just lay out the facts of a story already written, he captured the honest, intelligent and quirky character that is Rory O’Neill/Panti Bliss. He showed us why Panti is a hero and an inspiration for LGBTI activists everywhere, even when, in fact …

Review: Angels in America, Part 1 Millennium Approaches

Published by thequeerav

Angels in America, Part 1 Millennium Approaches, one of the most important and groundbreaking plays of the 20th century, made it’s WA premier over the weekend at the Heath Ledger Theatre in Perth. Set in 1985 New York City, the play explores the intertwining lives of those affected by HIV/AIDS amidst the AIDS crisis of the 80’s and 90’s. Prior Walter takes centre stage, diagnosed with AIDS and left by his lover Louis Ironson. Walter is then visited by an angel who brands him a prophet, tasked with saving humanity. Tony Kushner’s iconic play, Angels in America, has won many awards including the Tony Award for Best Play, twice, and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It was made into a mini series in 2003 starring an array of well known names such as Al Pacino and Meryl Streep and for which it won 11 Emmy awards, a record at the time. Most importantly though, the stories told in the play depict the very realities of people who have been affected by HIV/AIDS. It’s impossible, for those …