[CABARET, THEATRE, MUSIC, PERFORMANCE ART & MORE]
[CABARET]
Two Brunettes AndA Gay…
The show:From the presenters of 2014 and 2015 Adelaide Fringe sensationThree Brunettes And A Gay…this hilarious cabaret-comedy starring three sensational performers is set to ruffle the feathers of show-goers from all walks of life.Two Brunettes And A Gay…is willing to go where no show has gone before, guaranteed to have you laughing and singing along in your seats.
The talent:Aaron Collis, Celeste Carbone and Deanna Kangas have been working the local circuit for years. From Adelaide to Port Lincoln and every gutter and gay bar in between, these three divas have been around the block, and now they are here waiting for you at the Sydney Fringe.
Price:$22 adult / $19 concession / $19 group
Where:Knox Street Bar
When:Friday September 4 – Saturday September 5
[THEATRE]
The Mannequint
The show: A black comedy play about a well-meaning man in a family of compulsive liars, who must deal with his father and half-brother masquerading as private detectives, while he’s just trying to win back his elusive fiancé who’s just run off with the wedding photographer. Audiences can expect a fast-paced farce with plenty of absurdism and laughs.
The talent: David Todman, the writer and one of the actors, is an award-winning stand-up comedian from Brisbane. The other actors, Matt Hendry, Becky Morgan and Noel Thompson, have all been heavily involved in comedy and theatre throughout South-East Queensland. Director Clay English has been directing and choreographing shows all over Brisbane and the Gold Coast for several years to great critical acclaim.
The crowd: Fans of theatre and/or black comedy (think Arrested Development meets It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia) are sure to enjoy this show. There’s a lot of laughs even as it touches on some darker topics in a light-hearted fashion.
Price: $25 adult / $20 concession
Where: Kings Cross Hotel
When: Tuesday September 1 – Sunday September 6
A Snowflake On The Tongue Of Oberon
The show: A sequel to Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, this fantastical rhyming comedy transports the audience to the magical land of Faeries. Mourning his wife Titania, King Oberon plunges the forest into an eternal winter, leaving its fate in the hands of loyal elf Puck, and his duplicitous split personality Robin Goodfellow.
The talent: An eight-person all-female ensemble of up-and-coming local talent.
The crowd: Kids, teens, adults, anyone who loves a good yarn. Like the Shakespeare it sequelises, there’s something in the show for everyone – and of course the language is just a little more accessible.
Price: $20 adult / $15 concession and groups
Where: Kings Cross Hotel
When: Tuesday September 22 – Sunday September 27
Strip!
The show: Strip!is a play about making a choice to hide part of the self in the name of ambition. Set in contemporary Sydney, it follows Victoria, a young politician with a secret love of stripping in public as a burlesque dancer. Dominic, her ruthless political adviser, is leading her through the minefield towards preselection for the next safe seat, while Lily is coaching her to win a national burlesque competition. Her poetic friend Monty sees the dilemma facing Victoria but when he tries to help she just won’t listen. Strip! sees her making a choice on whether to lead with her heart, her head, or both, and asks if we can take our leaders seriously once we see their true selves revealed.
The talent: Strip! stars Sydney-based actors Hannah Raven Smith, Cody Ross, Bradley Stevens and Sharney Emma Nougher. The cast has a wealth of experience working across stage, film and television in Australia and overseas.
The crowd: Burlesque dancers and scenesters, young professionals, theatregoers interested in politics, anyone leading a double life.
Price: $25 adult / $20 concession / $20 preview
Where: Kings Cross Theatre
When: Tuesday September 1 – Sunday September 6
Passing Time
The show: Passing Time is a one-act existentialist play aimed at young adults who have just left high school or are going through university. It deconstructs teenage clichés and explores the sense of loss and wonder of the bigger world. Set in a street that could be anyone’s, the characters are all lost and find they have little to live for – that is, until a parcel is set in front of a postbox. Described as “Waiting For Godot for teenagers”, Passing Time is inspired by the works of Samuel Beckett and Tom Stoppard. The themes of pointlessness, questioning reason and finding meaning are all addressed.
The talent: Passing Time stars Mon Sans Productions mainstay Nathaniel Hole (Kore Productions: Jesus Christ Superstar), Lauren Blenkinship (Mad Cow Theatre Company) and artistic director and Mon Sans co-founder Liviu Monsted (Not A Word, A Broken Law, web series Sam And Sammy).
The crowd: For lovers of all things existential and absurd, Passing Time is a great experience for young and old. A relatable lesson on the importance of taking action.
Price: $20
Where: Factory Theatre
When: Wednesday September 2 – Sunday September 6
Bushfire
The show: In the foreseeable future, the world is ravaged by plague of biblical proportions. Then everyone calms down, the drugs are distributed and life goes on as normal – but with substantially less poor people, because, you know, drugs are expensive. In this post-post-apocalyptic Sydney, the Wilson family slipped through the pandemic relatively unscathed and now live a life of relative luxury in their gated, perfectly manicured community. Life outside, however, is far less glamorous and waiting just beyond their barbed wire fences a gang of interracial motley youths calling themselves the Refined Young Cannibals are advancing, ready to shake up the system, one rich family at a time.
The talent: A talented ensemble cast of various ages and backgrounds includes Paulina Faustorilla, Abbie-lee Lewis, Penny Day, Joseph Taylor, Zoran Jevtic, Isabella Jessup, Daniel Cottier, Ellen Wiltshire, Declan Clow and Caitlin A. Kearney.
The crowd: The humour is quite dark so the show is not necessarily very child-friendly, but ideal for anyone else who loves a good home invasion comedy.
Price: $25 adult / $20 concession
Where: PACT Centre For Emerging Artists
When: Tuesday September 1 – Saturday September 5
[MUSICAL THEATRE]
Sci-Fi Love Story
The show: Sci-Fi Love Story is a sci-fi/rom-com mini-musical, full of tongue-in-cheek references to many of our fave pop culture sci-fi shows: Hitchhiker’s Guide, Star Wars, Lost In Space, Futurama, Red Dwarf, Star Trek and Flash Gordon, to name a few. It’s an uber-fun tale from 2065, told through some of the best space songs of the 20th century – from ‘Starman’ to ‘Space Oddity’, from ‘Calling Occupants’ to ‘Out Of Space’.
The talent: Leanne Mangan and Cameron Withers. Magnan wrote, produced and starred in the mini-musical In Between Days for Sydney Fringe 2013. Her big claim to fame is getting married onstage at the 2005 Big Day Out in a purple PVC cyber outfit – and yes, she is still married! Withers has performed in bands ranging from pop through to experimental, metal and electronica. A qualified vocal coach and audio engineer, he has taught for years, specialising in correct growling/screaming technique and rock/metal attitude.
The crowd: Anyone who loves sci-fi, comedy, glam rock, synths, sarcasm, and doesn’t mind a bit of camp.
Price: $16-$24
Where: Sound Lounge, Seymour Centre
When: Thursday September 17 – Saturday September 19
[MUSIC]
A Russian Dream
The show: Russian music-loving concertgoers will be thrilled with A Russian Dream’s focus on the soul drama of the 20th century – the best and the worst century in human history. The Russian people contributed a great deal to this in both ways. The show is a one-hour intense musical experience of dialogue between East and West, between cello and piano, between warm sadness and cold and cynical battle.
The talent: Danae Killian PhD is renowned for her work with contemporary piano music, and has just released the complete Schoenberg piano solo oeuvre on CD (Move Records). Gotthard Killian (cello) has just returned form three years workshopping and playing in Beijing and the whole of China, where he also contributed to a CD with authentic traditional Tibetan children songs.
The crowd: A chamber music-loving audience with a love of the Russian dream drama.
Price: $32 adult / $22 concession
Where: The Sound Lounge, Seymour Centre
When: Thursday September 3 – Saturday September 5
[PERFORMANCE ART]
The 5 StepProgram
The show: Circaholics Anonymous presents to you an open therapy session for people obsessed with playing with fire. What can go wrong? Like with any ‘problem’ you need to get ‘professional help’, but when you are combined with others as crazed as yourself, the situation heats up fast and soon you have flames out the wazoo!
The talent: There is no single person who shines out, everyone in the group is as awesome as the last, and has their own areas of expertise. That said, you may have seen some of them in previous years’ Sydney Fringe Festivals, on Australia’s Got Talent, The 7PM Project, Yolanda Be Cool video clips as well as various other performances across New South Wales.
The crowd: Those who like free warmth, dangerous stunts, awesome circus skills and a good laugh (not necessarily in that order).
Price: Free
Where: Forecourt, Seymour Centre
When: Friday September 4 – Saturday September 5, Friday September 18
For more info on Sydney Fringe Festival 2015, running 1–30 September, head to sydneyfringe.com.
