FILTHY | Connections Nightclub | til Feb 12 | ★ ★ ★ ★
Well, OMG. What a way to spend a weeknight. I haven’t that much excitement on a school night since my 20s. The cast were on fire.
I learned afterwards that this show is in its third year and I’m not surprised as it is awesome. It did ruin my illusion that it was named as an homage to the Scissor Sisters’ milestone 20 years since their debut release, but it was certainly the perfect song to open with. What a bunch of sassy, gorgeous fruit.
MC Veronica Jean Jones got us in the mood with some filthy gags and then they were off – lip syncing BarbieQ, dirty songbird Cougar Morrison, sexy bendy Matthew Pope and the rest.
The revolving cast must be a nightmare for them to manage but it keeps it interesting for the audience. I loved the soundtrack – it felt so 90s/00s Perth and that was so fun. I feel like I didn’t breathe for the whole hour unless I was whooping applause.
Ruby Lai’s pole work was too sensual for words, and Karl Kayoss. Well. The way that human moves is extraordinary. I can’t take my eyes off him. They warned us we would be questioning our sexuality by the end of the show (been there, done that) and my straight companion for the evening certainly did!
They take you to a world of fantasy that is a welcome escape from day-to-day life, but upon leaving it, the thump back to earth is a bit of a shock. I found myself grateful for the beauty and art that this genre provides but also very aware that it is not representative of the standard human experience.
FILTHY is an experience to immerse yourself in and stop thinking for a short while. Other burlesque/cabaret challenges the mind but this is not what I was there for tonight. This was an hour to just ‘be’. They were amazing. And they had extraordinary shoes.
See FILTHY at Connections Nightclub until Saturday Feb 12. For tickets and more information, head to fringeworld.com.au
Dr Kerry Manera is a psychologist working for, with and within the queer community. She is also a musician and a parent. She loves to watch anything live and misses the drag queens of East London, where she used to live.
You can support our work by subscribing to our Patreon
or contributing to our GoFundMe campaign.
