Welcome to the GAYbourhood | The Rechabite | Until 27 January | ★ ★ ★ ½
From Basement Productions comes Welcome to the GAYbourhood, a late-night show that brings together a collection of burlesque, cabaret and drag performers for a sultry and comedic romp based around the question of – just who are the people in your neighborhood?
Getting into this show was a little challenging. As the hordes of patrons left Reuben Kaye’s fabulous show, which is playing upstairs, and others queued for Flynn V’s Fringe Freak Out Party, the door staff at The Rechabite seemed oblivious to cabaret party playing in their basement. By the time we convinced the staff out front to let us in, the party was in full swing.
Hosted by Mae Dae, who excels in dropping a one-liner and delivering some exceptional double-entendre, this show is a succession of cabaret, drag and mostly burlesque performers doing short spots.
If there’s an award for best impression of fruit at Fringe, the front runner is Burlesque performer Tangerine Dream who appeared as a tangerine. If you’re fruit maybe it’s not so much a striptease, as just being peeled. It was a fabulous costume made by her twin sister who described as the “stitch witch”.
Local drag performer Blake Cassette combined drag and burlesque to a bluesy take off LMFAO’s Sexy and I Know It, while another spot saw Busty Bubble transform from a demure housewife to vivacious vamp.
A highlight was Miss Phoria miming to Mr Cellophane from the musical Chicago. Havana Milkshake sourced sounds from a much lesser-known musical for her spot, utilising the song Show Off from The Drowsy Chaperone.
Veruca Sour was sensational, delivering a feline inspired number which was the best act of the night. There was a break from the burlesque when Aria Scarlett took to the stage to sing an operatic take on Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody.
The cast for the show changes for next week’s performances with Quadish, Vivacious Venus, Jaxon Coke, Aria Scarlett, Veruca Sour, Miss Phoria, Blake Cassette, Tangerine Scream, Busty Bubbles, and Mae Dae on the bill.
See Welcome to the GAYbourhood until 27th of January. For tickets and more information, head to fringeworld.com.au
Graeme Watson is an editor at OUTinPerth. He has a background in journalism, creative writing, dance, theatre, radio and film working as a performer, producer and writer. Graeme writes for a variety of publications and has been working as a reviewer since 1997.
You can support our work by subscribing to our Patreon
or contributing to our GoFundMe campaign.
