Myra Dubois will be performing her show Dead Funny at the Opera House 18 – 29 February as part of 2020 Mardi Gras.
Dead Funny has received rave reviews at Fringe festivals around the UK. Ahead of her arrival in Sydney, Myra chats to The Plus Ones about coming to Sydney for the first time, Mardi Gras, and death.
This will be Myra’s first time down under. And what a marvellous reason to make the trip over – being invited to perform at the world-famous Sydney Opera House, as part of the 2020 Mardi Gras line-up! It’s an especially exciting time as Sydney has just been crowned the host of WorldPride in 2023. ‘I’ve such a strong relationship with the acronymed community back here in England’, Myra says, ‘and it only feels right to continue that bond in Australia. Congratulations on World Pride 2023! Who knows, if this run goes well perhaps I’ll be invited back to spend it with you!’
Dead Funny sees Myra inviting guests to her own funeral – the difference is that she will be there too. ‘I’m throwing my own funeral a little earlier than usual to make sure people get it right. And so I can enjoy the attention myself whilst I’m here, of course’ she says. Myra hopes that her audience will leave after the show with a head full of glorious memories of the night they said their goodbyes at the funniest funeral they’ve ever attended, with the ‘deceased’ in attendance!
The Opera House isn’t well known for funerals, but Myra is quick to point out that the show isn’t at all morbid, instead, she says, it is a jolly old laugh at the expense of ourselves. Not to be confined to the definition of comedy, she describes the performance as ‘more transcendental’. ‘There’s music, there’s poetry, I even do a little twirl at the beginning so there’s dance! In short; it’s ART with a capital everything!’
That’s more like what we’ve come to know and love from the Opera House, as well as from Sydney Mardi Gras’ Festival which runs from 14 February to 1 March and boasts an impressive array of parties, plays, family days out, and everything in between.
-Elli
Elli de Ryckman de Betz is celebrating her three year anniversary writing for The Plus Ones. In that time she has covered a whole variety of Sydney events, everything from shows at the iconic Opera House, to fancy alcohol launches; she wholeheartedly believes that Sydney has culture and entertainment in abundance.
Dead Funny runs from 18 February to 29 February at the Sydney Opera House, 8pm on opening night (65 minutes with no interval). Buy tickets now. The venue is accessible.
