The award-winning YUMMY cabaret is back on the menu with an all-new show for Fringe World Festival 2025.
Led by the fabulous Valerie Hex, the show brings together some of the most exciting performers from Naarm/Melbourne, showcasing their extraordinary range of talents.
This year, the team are bring Joy Machine, offering high-energy entertainment, gag-worthy moments and of course, a whole lot of joy!
We caught up with Valerie to find out exactly what’s making the Joy Machine purr.
“Joining us in Perth for our FAVOURITE festival is the they/them causing may/hem Jandruze, the bendiest b*tch of them all Bendy Ben, the queen of camp Hannie Helsden, the hometown diva Milo Hartill, and some crazy person called Valerie Hex…”
Valerie tells us she first served up YUMMY in 2015, a decade ago, to create a space for mixed gender drag performances and bring drag and burlesque together.
“I always saw burlesque and drag as two sides of the same coin – it’s all gender expression, amplification, or subversion. So I created YUMMY to have women, men, trans, and non-binary artists all in the one show.
“It’s taken us around the world now, and I’m amazed at how far it’s grown and how much the original cast still love it.”
YUMMY’s shows have an ever-changing cast, blending cabaret, acrobatic and comedy talents together for a more fulsome flavour.
“YUMMY is camp af, kooky, but it has a sense of attention to detail that really makes it stand out.
“I also think we champion conceptual drag while still being really fun!”
When pulling together a YUMMY show, Valerie says she’s looking for commitment to the artform, willingness to work in an ensemble, and mega high-level talent – and Joy Machine promises to serve it all up in this all-new show.
“There’s only one act that has been seen before! Bendy Ben won Mx Burlesque Victoria last year, and their winning act is in this show.
“There’s a Chappell Roan tribute, a Charli XCX tribute, and the strangest Houdini escape you’ll ever see!”
For her parting message, Valerie shares some sound advice for up-and-coming artists looking to make their mark on the scene.
“If you have similar interests and are part of the same community, then SUPPORT your community.
“Go see shows, buy merch, and promote other artists. Avoid being bitchy and competitive, there’s honestly room for everyone. And when it comes to crafting performance… never stop growing!”
YUMMY: Joy Machine is running until Wednesday, 22 February. For more, head to fringeworld.com.au
