comedy - Whats The Show

Showgirl Grit, Cabaret Wit: The Soul of a Siren

21 June 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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Skank Sinatra: A Hilarious, Glamorous Night of Drag Cabaret

21 June 2025 Donna Portland

Skank Sinatra Rating

★★★★★

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Imagine stand-up comedy, but with music, glamour, and a powerhouse voice – that’s Skank Sinatra. Performed by the strikingly beautiful Jens Radda, this drag cabaret show is a witty, melodic, and delightfully cheeky celebration of song and storytelling.

Radda is radiant as Skank Sinatra – her skin flawless, makeup impeccable, and smile utterly disarming. The audience was clearly captivated, not just by her looks, but by her nuanced, hilariously expressive facial gestures and effortless stage presence. She moves with grace and confidence, her costume choices both bold and elegant. A sleek white ensemble showed off her svelte figure, and a clever costume change added to the theatrical flair.

But what truly sets Skank Sinatra apart is her voice. A rich contralto (with flashes of tenor range), Radda reimagines classic Sinatra tunes with clever lyrics that kept the audience highly amused. Her musicality is matched by strong storytelling – tales that span smoky jazz clubs in New York, the underground cabarets of Berlin, the flamboyant streets of Sydney, and even the wild savannas of South Africa – all delivered with charm, humour, and often while accompanying herself skillfully on the keyboard.

At times, the backing music could have been slightly louder, but that’s a small note in an otherwise polished, confident performance. She sings on key and with style – an absolute pleasure to listen to.

The intimate Loading Dock at Qtopia adds charm and closeness, though one couldn’t help but imagine how spectacular this act would be in a “Cotton Club”-style venue – a cabaret setting where the audience could dine, sip cocktails, and soak in the ambience. Still, the energy and enthusiasm in the room were palpable. Many in the crowd were return fans; others curious to see if the buzz was justified. It was – and then some.

Skank Sinatra has won Best Cabaret at the Adelaide Fringe two years running. It is excellent entertainment, blending glamour, satire, and musical talent in equal measure. Radda doesn’t miss a beat! Highly recommended.

Qtopia: The venue itself is worth a visit. Located in the heritage-listed former Darlinghurst Police Station, Qtopia is the largest museum and cultural centre dedicated to queer history and culture in the world. With four buildings on site, it’s worth arriving early or staying after the show to explore. A bar onsite offers refreshments, and the audience – an even mix of ages and genders – added to the warm, community feel.

To book tickets to Skank Sinatra, please visit https://www.skank-sinatra.com/.

Photographer: Joel Devereux, MJ Bently

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Goofy, Gay and Gorgeous! A Fun-Filled Hour!

18 June 202518 June 2025 Chantal Harrison Writer

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The Substation is HARD to find initially! It’s a little bunker in the ground, opposite Qtopia and next to The Oxford Hotel. Rainbows surround the road and path. You’re here, and it’s delightfully queer.

We headed down into the intimate space, where Alayne welcomed everyone in a pastel purple beret, cute purple cardigan with daisies, purple shorts and purple socks. Everyone in this tiny space was put at ease when she greeted us with “Don’t worry, I don’t do crowd work!”. Nevertheless, my plus one made for the last row.

It’s a cool venue with concrete walls covered in artful graffiti. It was also literally very cool due to the vents, so be aware of that! Give yourself time to run over to the Oxford for a toilet stop prior too!

Purple Is The Gayest Colour is a one-woman stand-up act performed by Alayne Dick, yes it’s her real surname, yes she uses it to her advantage! Alayne had already set a comfortable tone with the initial welcome, then commenced with a flamboyant stadium star entry. It was fun, quirky and cutesy, which sums up Alayne quite well.

Stand-up takes an epic amount of guts. I love to consume it, I would be terrified to do it myself. Alayne leans into the awkwardness of it. This was mostly funny and endearing, but occasionally it felt like she would make up for not being sure if the joke would land, by quickly getting to the next one and that didn’t work every time.

I do watch a lot of stand-up and I am a neuro-divergent queer person, as is Alayne, so most of her work was relatable on that level. Some of it was a bit too silly, even for me, but I was laughing most of the time. She has developed comedic physical characterisation, stage presence and movement very well and she executed great use of the “call-back”, those got big laughs every time. The audience was definitely engaged and along for the ride.

I loved her authenticity, vulnerability and heart, and I found it to be a really great set, with only a few issues of confidence. Another one of these being ending with a “…and that’s the show!” which felt a little bit too sedate and broke the magic too quickly. A classic “You’ve been a great crowd!” or similar would have worked better.

As I said, I love stand up comedy, and I am aware it takes courage and vulnerability, and it can be incredibly hard to meet that challenge, especially repeatedly. I admire her work and I believe that as her confidence grows and she continues to back herself, the sky’s the limit. I look forward to seeing her again.

To book tickets to Purple Is The Gayest Colour, please visit https://events.humanitix.com/purple-is-the-gayest-colour-kfd8u4jl.

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A Darkly Hilarious Piece About A Pervasive Reality

14 June 202513 June 2025 Chantal Harrison Writer

What Of It Rating

★★★★★

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The bass is pumping on “Bitch Better Have My Money” as we enter The Old Fitz Theatre. Courtney Cavallaro, Emma Wright and Rebecca Sgouros are lounging around dressed like “bruvs”, just doing their thing, as the audience gets seated. The set is a basic youth hangout with a dated fridge and a futon, a six-pack of beer atop the fridge and a poster about COVID and some sanitiser on the bench. These items suggest the era to be somewhere around 2020, backed up by the mention of the “end of the world in three days” that comes soon after the show commences.

Rebecca Sgouros opens with a powerful and poetic monologue, hitting beats with poignant pauses. At times, she seems to be staring directly at you as she presents a moralistic challenge or subversive view. It’s unsettling and awe-inspiring at once. When she finishes, the lights and sound perfectly match her integration with the rest of her crew, as they start their wolf-pack bonding ritual before breaking into a dance that is aptly performed to a song with repeated lyric “Bonkers”.

I hate spoilers, so I wasn’t aware in advance that this was a gender-flip piece, but it became clear very quickly. Rebecca’s character, Cory, is the leader of the “pack”. The self-referred “dogs” are always on the hunt, always looking to get their “clit wet”. They engage in “locker room talk” while pushing and shoving and one-upping each other. They launch into discussing the news that the world is possibly ending in three days and discover that seventeen-year-old “Luck” is still a virgin. Of course, this won’t do.

Cory is the ringleader, getting the new blood to do her dirty work. Daks (Emma Wright) is the beating heart of the crew, who is torn between being a “real woman” and her clear conflict in the face of these societal norms, as well as a protective urge towards the newcomer, Luck. After more of their barking, growling dirty talk they get their “Big Clit Energy” on and venture out to cause a ruckus cos girls be girls, right?

The dog-pack motif paired with the gender-flip highlights the preposterous nature of the patriarchy and the norms we accept and allow as a society. The banter between them echoes that we’ve heard too many times when it comes to males, and underscores the impact on young boys as they develop a sense of self and what it means to be a man. Rebecca’s narrative, told through the shifting power dynamics of the triad and the exceptional transitions between scenes, is punctuated by the lights, sound and ensemble work between the players. It’s pure genius that leaves no stone unturned.

Every line has a beat, with clever use of prose and layering. These three execute this seamlessly, which can only be attributed to a strong connection, workshopping and partnership in the background. Each of these incredible actors has their own individual moments of wrenching our hearts, among all the nuance of their keeping up appearances and delivering comedic lines to a full house of raucous laughter… all without breaking character.

It’s a darkly hilarious piece about a pervasive reality, and it tells a tragic tale in a truly remarkable way.

It’s powerful and entertaining, and not to be missed.

To book tickets to What Of It, please visit https://www.oldfitztheatre.com.au/what-of-it.

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