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Culture Clubbing: Pre-debut – Launching Live 13 November, Perth’s Most Chaotic Boarding Call Yet

03/11/2025 Breaking News🥉

A dystopian, drag business trip to Northbridge – what could go wrong? See them on stage before they hit your screen! Welcome aboard Culture Clubbing: Pre-Debut — a one-night-only horror drag king, thing, and burlesque spectacular that takes flight before the release of the upcoming Culture Clubbing filmed series.

Set in a highly censored London dystopia, seven drag stars are granted one last chance to perform at the government-run Culture Club. For one month only, all eyes are on them — except for those locked on the clock. Now, courtesy of their “bloody generous supervisor” Hedona Spike, the Culture Clubbing Seven are taking an all-expenses-paid business trip to Northbridge.

Upon check-in at the Air Risto Terminal (Goodwill Club), passengers—sorry, guests—will receive their boarding passes for two hours of comedic, chaotic, and confronting queer art. Expect turbulence. Expect transgression. Expect to ask yourself why the inflight entertainment involves duct tape, t-gel, and the seductive possibility of lobotomisation. This isn’t your average red-eye. It’s your final boarding call for an outrageous, genre-bending experience that fuses drag, theatre, and dystopian satire.

WHEN: Thursday 13 November 2025
WHERE: Goodwill Club, The Rechabite – Perth/Boorloo
TIME: Doors open 7:30pm | 18+ event

Tickets: https://m.moshtix.com.au/v2/event/culture-clubbing-pre-debut/186425

THE CULTURE CLUBBING SEVEN
• The Egoist: Aristo Brat
• The Analyst: Lowe Bottomy
• The Rebel: Jude Ass / Oscar Wilder
• The Violence Enabler: Saargeant
• The Wildcard: Peter Stiffen
• The “Outlier”: MILO

OTHER DRAG THINGS CAUGHT IN THE TURBULENCE
• The Only Reason We Have a Pilot: Bunson Burnher
• To Our Disappointment, Not the Emcee: Dane Gerous
• Concerning Circus Creature: Dienasty Whores
• Chemical Reaction of a Drag Thing: Hart Desire
• Bloody Generous Supervisor: Hedona Spike

ABOUT CULTURE CLUBBING
Culture Clubbing is an experimental drag horror project fusing performance art and film to explore censorship, queer identity, and rebellion within oppressive systems. The Pre-Debut event marks the live launch before the filmed series premiere — offering Perth audiences a rare, intimate preview of the mayhem to come.

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Lassú: Past, Future, and Burlesque Collide

21/09/2025 Adelle Givney🆕

Lassu Cosmic Cabaret Rating

★★★★★

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Produced by seventh-generation circus performer Merrik Ahston and creatively directed by Mitchell Woodcock, Lassú is a fusion of tradition and innovation. Their combined experience is evident in a seamless blend of circus, dance, and burlesque, delivering a cabaret that feels both fresh and timeless.

Billed as a Cosmic Cabaret, the show transports audiences into the glittering confines of the saloon with space cowboys, alien drifters, and the legendary Rodeo Sisters. Beneath the big top, transformed with bars, banquettes, private tables, and rings of chairs encircling the stage, the atmosphere captivates the audience before the first act even begins.

That anticipation was instantly rewarded when a poised aerialist strode onto the stage in boots and a high bun. To the audience’s amazement, she clipped herself onto the corde lisse (smooth rope) by her hair and soared, spinning and twisting with both grace and daring. The crowd erupted with cheers and whistles, fueling her performance even further. She later returned for a more traditional aerial routine, showcasing extraordinary artistry. For me, she was the standout performer in a show already brimming with remarkable talent.

From there, the show surged from thrill to thrill. A knife thrower had the audience holding its collective breath, his blades thudding into the board beside his assistant with precision—made all the more nerve-wracking once he donned a blindfold and relied only on her shouted commands: “Left! Right! Up! Down! THROW!” Gasps and nervous laughter rippled with each loud thunk.

A slack rope walker defied balance and logic by juggling atop a ladder and later a unicycle; a hypnotic fire act illuminated the stage with fiery beauty; feats of strength impressed with sheer power; and an unexpected clown act (IYKYK) had the audience laughing in surprise. Bringing it all together was the glamour of accomplished burlesque dancers and the soaring vocals of a powerhouse singer, ensuring the energy never faltered.

Lassú is not just a show—it’s a feast for the senses, a wild ride through the cosmic saloon where tradition, daring, and decadence collide to deliver an unforgettable night of entertainment.

To book tickets to Lassu Cosmic Cabaret, please visit https://www.lassutheshow.com.au/.

Photographer: Brooke Elizabeth Photography

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Twisted Tales

16/09/2025 Steve Willems🥉

Twisted Tales Rating

★★★★★

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Does Jessie, the cowgirl from Toy Story 3, prefer a buzz or a woody? Could Elphaba and Galinda actually be lesbian lovers, and who says that Ursula is a villain, especially when she holds a legally binding contract! She’s just misunderstood. These questions and more are explored in Twisted Tales, the extremely NOT child-friendly cabaret show at the Sydney Fringe Festival, fresh from their success in Adelaide.

Guided by the hilarious and charming Magic Mirror, Twisted Tales uses well-known children’s characters as the basis for a cabaret of acrobatics, music, and burlesque. The premise on the tin is to explore the twisted truths and hidden realities of classic fairy tales, but that’s not really accurate. Modern Disney movies and children’s stories (most of them not actually fairy tales) merely serve as a thematic launching pad for the bright costumes and various acts in a fast-paced mixture of rebellious mischief and wicked mayhem. My favourite was the Cinderella story. I won’t spoil it, but the twist here was both hilarious and genius. The show’s tongue is firmly in cheek, the cast seemingly having as much fun performing as the audience is watching. There is plenty of course language, adult humour, and exposed flesh, so again, the show is 18+ and not suitable for children.

The space was cavernous but somehow still intimate, the whole audience sitting close to the action and feeling involved and connected. A leaking roof and a large storm outside merely proved a small distraction from the glitter, flesh, and laughter. Some of the acts felt repetitive, such as the multiple burlesque numbers merely changing performer and costume but effectively doing the same thing all over again, but they were still fun and cheeky (literally) so it didn’t really matter. Everyone was having a great time, constantly laughing, clapping, whistling, and hollering in support. And isn’t that the point?

Also, a shout-out to the stage crew. Off to the side I could spot a few people clad in black trying to go un-noticed, working all night hoisting the performers up and down on various acrobatic apparatus, pulling hard on ropes with choreographed precision. It didn’t look easy.

Twisted Tales is part of the Sydney Fringe Festival and playing at The Bunker, Fool’s Paradise, Moore Park Entertainment Quarter until the 21st of September.

To book tickets to Twisted Tales, please visit https://sydneyfringe.com/events/twisted-tales/.

Photographer: Georgia Moloney

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Showgirl Grit, Cabaret Wit: The Soul of a Siren

22/06/202521/06/2025 Faith Jessel🥉

Confessions of a Drama Queen Rating

★★★★★

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This is burlesque with bite. I walked into Confessions of a Drama Queen expecting fishnets and feathers, but what I got was something far bolder: a woman reclaiming her life, body, and sexuality, on her own terms and in her own glorious style. Yes, it’s sexy but also soulful, self-aware, and delightfully risque; equal parts sparkle and steel.

Behind the lashes, lingerie and big belt vocals of Songbird Siren is Megan Walshe. A seasoned Sydney burlesque bombshell who’s earned her stripes wowing crowds from sultry lounges to cruise ship catwalks. She was also a finalist in the MX Burlesque NSW 2024 competition, with the scars and strut to prove it.

The structure of this one-hour show is deceptively loose and fanciful; a lively blend of skits, strips, vaudeville flair, memoir melodies, and clowning, all seamlessly stitched together. Occasionally, live piano flirts with a syncopated rhythm, adding a wink to the unfolding scenes. Songbird leads us through a raucous, rhinestone-strewn maze of glamour, heartbreak, and hilarity. The journey is a playful yet pointed provocation.

Confessions of a Drama Queen isn’t just cabaret. It’s a backstage pass to the gritty reality of performance life in Sydney through the eyes of a kick arse woman who spins sugar from the sour. It’s a tale of grit and staying power, of clutching your calling tight even when the world buries it beneath bills, rejections, and relentless grind. So while you get the naughty tassels and tease galore, you’ll also be caught in the sweat and stamina.

There’s something deeply compelling and ironically voyeuristic in our fascination with what goes on behind the scenes: the heartbreak and the side hustles that fund the dream. While recounting her 27 no-skill jobs, from fairy floss spinner to Macca’s drive-through worker, she performs a fabulous ABBA medley that turns her struggle into something defiant, delivered with flair and self-deprecating humour.

Two clowns (Alexis Hutchinson and Carla Field) provided sharply timed satire as her assistants, and a third silent-yet-essential presence, Jared Jekyll, quietly and comically tidied the trail of costumes and props left in her wake. Together, they conjure a world of slapstick and sincerity with pitch-perfect absurdity whilst effortlessly layering the commentary onto the main story.

Throughout the show, Songbird unfolded her personas much like Gypsy Rose Lee’s life, marked by reinvention and resilience behind the glamour. From desperate musical theatre graduate to cheesy cruise ship numbers, then a very clever slow transition from strip club kitten to full-blown Showgirl Glamazon. This final form shimmered with self-possession. Her performance of “Never Smile at a Crocodile” was a standout. A song I’d never thought much of became, in her hands, a metaphor for staying away from those who diminish you or refuse to see you. She sang it with such tender poise and knowing, it struck a quiet, powerful chord.

Hayes Theatre Co has carved a reputation as Sydney’s home for bold new work where musicals get gutsy and cabaret sharpens its edge. Their Winter Cabaret Season champions fearless voices in an intimate jewel box that consistently punches well above its weight, giving Sydney’s most adventurous performances the audience they deserve.

Confessions of a Drama Queen is less a performance and more a full-body reveal; a sparkle-soaked chronicle of survival and sheer showbiz grit. Equal parts showstopper, confessional, and comeback story, it’s the backstage juice we’re all secretly dying to hear. Don’t miss it; sass up, sparkle on, and get ready for a truth-telling strip with heart.

To book tickets to Confessions of a Drama Queen, please visit https://hayestheatre.com.au/event/confessions-of-a-drama-queen/.

Photographer: @Apart.Photography

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