As part of this year’s Melbourne Fringe, Joana Simmons takes to the stage as the one-woman star of her vivacious comedy cabaret ‘Tinserella – Putting the “G’day” in cabaret‘.
The eclectic surroundings of The Butterfly Club was the perfect setting for a show that was a jam-packed hour of different personas taking over the stage with the energy and enthusiasm of a speeding train! It turns out that ‘Tinserella’ is not your usual type of cabaret.
After some concern that there wasn’t a technician to help prep the stage, and a battle with iPhone’s Siri, out strode Tate the Techie to set the scene for the show with a rowdy, and slightly raunchy, rendition of ‘Thunderstruck’. After that we had bubbles and balloons, a diva and a witch, a tap dancer and a news reporter, and more. But even though the show was so diverse there was a solid transition and an underlying story that helped it all fit together and flow.
Each larger-than-life personality brought with them a different bit of Aussie. Techie Tate entered the stage with a bottle of VB and a full-on bogan accent. His introduction to the show didn’t lead you in gently. Instead he was pronounced and brutal with a loud, crass mouth. In contrast to Tate we also met a misunderstood hipster straight out of Fitzroy. When will people realise how difficult it is when your bike is only a single speed, and your parents don’t understand the importance of quinoa frittatas?
The namesake of the show was the cabaret witch Tinserella. With her magic of stagecraft she had the spectators ooohing and ahhhing within minutes. Her bewitching skills even extended into a talent of seduction, drawing a marriage proposal from one infatuated and blindfolded member of the audience!
If you still need a bit of convincing to check out ‘Tinserella’, then the quick fire round of food-based puns will surely whet your appetite and leave you ready to recharge over a bowl of fair-trade, vegan (hipster) goodies. It was grape!
– Lucie
Lucie Bradley is a scientist, communicator, and co-founder of Laneway Learning. You can keep up with her through @lucie_bee.
‘Tinserella – Putting the “G’day” in cabaret’ runs 29 September-4 October at The Butterfly Club. The venue is not accessible by wheelchair.
