The Perth Fringe World Festival returns this month and with it comes Briefs, a show full of beaus who know a thing or two about ‘boylesque’. We think the pictures speak for themselves but just in case you wanted to learn a bit more, OUTinPerth spoke to Briefs performer and reigning Las Vegas King Of Burlesque 2011, Mark Winmill.
What is Briefs?
It’s an all-male circus-infused boylesque show. It’s pretty much, you know, to the old variety shows of the ‘60s and very Australian in its content with political satire… there are six boys in the whole show who all perform. It’s just pure entertainment.
Where did you get the idea to just wear underwear?
We started Briefs three years ago and a couple of us came up with the name, as in underwear and then as in brief acts, so we started a club night called Briefs…
How do you keep fit?
Most of us are circus boys so we all train in our own circus discipline which is aerial, trapeze and handstands and tumbling acrobats. Then there’s a couple of the boys are dancers so they are more dance-based performers.
Where have you taken the show?
It’s been crazy. Last year we did Melbourne Fringe Festival, Adelaide Fringe Festival, we recently got back from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and then we did a season at the Brisbane Powerhouse. This year is lining up to be pretty crazy, so we’re going to Sydney Festival tomorrow and then to Perth to see you guys and then later in the year we go to the UK for a tour of regional England and back to Edinburgh Fringe Festival and a London season.
What advice would you give someone who was interested in boylesque?
A tip would be to see as many performers as possible in that genre and then I reckon if they’ve never done anything, to do training in dance or theatre or clowning or anything that would help them in their skill set. You know, when you go to do a strip tease, it can’t just be taking your gear off, there’s got to be an element of theatre or comedy or circus or dance. All the burlesque performers from the hey day were all trained dancers and they were quite acrobatic.
Briefs is in The Speigeltent at Fringe World from January 27-31
Benn Dorrington
