Jamie Mykaela: Daddy | State Theatre Centre of WA | til Jan 30 | ★ ★ ★ ★ ½
Warning: This review contains mentions of predatory sexual behaviour.
Brilliant show. Intelligent and well researched. Jamie Mykaela has crafted a very clever and entertaining show, pointing out the blindingly obvious references in music and pop culture to adult men wanting and having sex with underage girls. It’s a serious topic. Jamie describes the content as a show about “gross old men”. Yet she manages to make it entertaining with her wit, humour, musicianship and her unrepentant boldness.
Jamie has done her background work. She’s pulled facts and anecdotes about many well respected artists. She sings well known songs that you may never have actually stopped and paid attention to the lyrics of, provoking us to consider more closely the entertainment that’s served to us on a daily basis. The likes of Mick Jagger, John Lennon and David Bowie all get a mention, along with many others. It’s right in front of our faces. You will learn a few things, maybe a whole lot of things.
Jamie has a professional command of her audience, effortlessly serving up entertaining quips in response to crowd reactions. She knows how to engage her audience to create the responses she wants. Don’t worry about sitting in the front row. It’s not that kind of show. However, you may find yourself joining in a little sing-a-long and you’ll definitely have a few laughs.
She is opinionated and rightly so, because she’s pointing out a frighteningly obvious truth. There is a collective, deep river of anger that affects many young woman as they realise what this culture actually offers us due to our gender. It’s common for female teens to realise around 13 – 15 years of age that men far into adulthood are showing too much interest, like hyenas circling their prey. I reached that epiphany at that age and I’ve recently seen a friends’ 15 year old daughter expressing the very same frustrations. Nothing has changed. Yet.
We need shows like this. We need young women like Jamie. Watching this confident, brazen, intelligent feminist gave me some comfort that maybe one day our culture will achieve true gender equality. Thank you Jamie.
See Jamie Mykaela: DADDY until Saturday 30th January. For tickets and more information, head to fringeworld.com.au
Halimah Halse is currently freelance writer and marriage celebrant. She has been involved in the arts, politics and LGBTQI+ communities for many years.
Image: Fearless Minds Media
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