Theatre - Homoneurotic - Judith Wright
I always have the feeling of trepidation when attending cabaret. And I’m not referring to the Mediterranean-style brothel variety of cabaret, but a cringe in the mixing comedy, song, dance and theatre. However I was pleasantly surprised with Homoneurotic Cabaret, a one night only production as part of the Brisbane Pride Festival at the Judith Wright Centre.
In line with Queensland celebrating 150 years of history and culture, producer Christopher Maver and co-producer Ruth Gardner showcased a variety of performers, celebrating gay history and culture, journeying through the sexual orientation of Queensland’s first Premier to contemporary personal stories and commentaries.
Egg attired Stacey Boyd, the frontwoman of the ‘New Albumen’ (with silent member Louise Oldfield ), performed a hilarious and dark musical comedy, exploring the plight of a country girl lesbian egg new to the city, commenting on social issues such as ‘that’s gay’, forbidden love between a woman and a pussycat (“Miss Muffet”) and how “We Don’t Need Our Ovaries”.
Evelyn Hartogh performed a comic exposé of her politically confused and disenfranchised South African family roots. Besides an overemphasis on her family’s significant obsession with ‘farting’ (you try spelling fighting in a South African accent) it celebrated the joy of survival and family issues.
Exploring the sexuality of Queensland’s first Premier Robert Herbert, Chris Piggott McKellar performed dramatic excerpts from his play, Letters To No First Lady, based on Herbert’s diary accounts of his relationship with the former Attorney General. Could it really be true?
Cabaret wouldn’t be complete without showtunes and drag. Broadway bear David Dellit performed revamped Broadway songs, about queer beauty and neurotic diva’s, (with Parmis Rose on piano) and Cinnamon Brown (Thomas Unsworth-Smith) treated the audience to a tribute to activist and artist Lena Horne Now Is The Time.
For me, the sheer beauty and talent of the Princess of Parody, all the way from Mt Mee, Trasey Chambers (Sue Drummond) accompanied by Rhonda Paradise made the show. Including singing the real version of the song made famous by her younger sister Are My Teeth Too Broken she provided us with a unique insight into the private life as a Chamber. And it has been quite a while since I have seen a kazoo on stage.
Posterboy Jacob Diefenbach, accompanied by Helena Redmond on Cello, delivered true to form compelling original songs and demonstrated his prodigious piano skills, including a sweet personal acknowledgment to Anthony and Kobi’s anniversary.
The backstage footage of the private conversation between Matron Homoglobin (Christopher Maver) and Nurse Catheta Zeta Jones (Ruth Gardner) provided a hilarious and nasty critique (and a little gossip) on the performers and each other. The Lesbian Supergroup closed the show with great adaptation to well known cover songs, including The Time Warp.
The variety of acts meant mixed responses from the audience, with post-performance conversation in the bar resulting in “oh I loved that act” to “oh no dear”. At times the show was a little clunky and disjointed and perhaps a bit shy on colour, glitter and glamour, needing a little more medical attention from our hosts the Matron and Nurse. However, as promised Homoneurotic delivered an entertaining, thought provoking, subversive and funny night at the theatre, something that I think more Brisbane audiences would benefit from seeing.
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borisday
said ages ago