Straight outta BrisVegas, the independent, queer theatre troupe Briefs has built an extravagant reputation for itself as an artist driven, no-holds-barred, circus and boylesque show that gets weird and late and dirty. For the last 5 years Briefs has owned the variety scene, and the collective (like Lucy Liu *swoon*) has simply gotten better with age.
The boys took a night from their own show to invite some of their ‘ridiculous friends’ also performing at Fringe World Festival to join them on stage. Packed with people of all ages, all comfortable with their own human obscenity, the tent was steaming and broiling like a cauldron where anything could set it wild.
Fez Fa-Anana – aka Mr. Steal Your Man – was the hilarious, fierce, sassy, QUEEN of the proceedings. Donned in lazy drag and attended to by Evil Hate Monkey, the 2010 Las Vegas King of Burlesque – she owned the ring. Frisky and Mannish, one of the first acts to ever come to Perth Fringe World Festival, bounced onto the stage to belt out 1 humorous, but drawn out, song explaining the letters of LGBTTQQIAP… (and so on) to the audience. They were followed by Dallas Dellaforce, a flawless drag queen and seamstress/costume designer for Briefs, who lip-synced through a dance piece in a limiting, but delightful gown.
Aurora Galore – furiously dancing in pink – gave a taste of her new show debuting at Fringe and ended the performance with nothing but a handful of material covering the facts of nature. Swede David Eriksson, past performer with La Soirèe, performed amazing tricks with table tennis balls, balanced a wine glass on a balloon teetering on a wooden spoon, and swallowed a lot of things. He was followed by Perth girl Dizzy Lizzy, who impressed with hula hooping skills to die for.
Fez Fa-Anana then introduced Tongan-born, Perth-based soul singer Odette Mercy, who is the WA addition to Hot Brown Honeys, the soon-to-be-touring group which Briefs is producing. She rocked the tent with a cover of James Brown’s ‘It’s A Man’s, Man’s, Man’s World’ and then brought on Broome/Briefs boy Louis Biggs to entertain with his juggling skills while she performed a second tune.
During the show Briefs had been circulating a raffle book and a bucket for ticket donations, and it was at this point that the winner was brought up on stage and blindfolded. Then, the cast of Briefs sauntered on stage, sizzling and taut. At the risk of becoming smut, the boys were nubile and sensual, and even I felt conflicted as the 4 Adonis’ savaged the raffle winner with a lap dance (and more). In the words of poetess Nicky M, “it got hotter than a Middle Eastern climate”.
Introduced as having worked with Lady Gaga and Tony Bennet, Kitten n’ Lou where underwhelming as they tried to follow up the Briefs boys with a dance number in very questionable costumes akin to a shaggy Pacman. Thomas Worrell, one of the men from the raffle prize, concluded with chaos with an aerial hoop performance to ‘Let It Go’, ‘Wrecking Ball’ and ‘Chandelier’ that was received with appreciative awe of his core strength and rippling glamour muscles.
The 90 minute show had the sophistication of a bumper sticker reading “my other ride is your girlfriend” and left everyone rowdy and thirstin’ for more. Club Briefs is worth queuing for to get close to the action, and with two further performances, I invite you to pencil it in, sickos.
Words by Samuel J. Cox
‘Clubs Briefs’ runs 12 – 13 February at The West Australian Spiegeltent as part of Fringe World Festival. Tickets available here.