fringe festival - Whats The Show

A Queer Little Manslaughter?

18/06/2026 Kirsty Dale🆕

A Queer Little Murder Rating

★★★★★

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My favourite thing about Pride Fest so far is no two shows I’ve seen have been even remotely alike and Savannah Hankinson’s “A Queer Little Murder” was no exception to this. In fact, it was super different from anything I’ve seen recently. The concept is a whodunnit Agatha Christie type murder mystery but everyone is gay. No seriously, Hankinson plays six different, lesbian characters and the whole thing is VERY gay. I loved it.

New York resident, Hankinson, has also trained in London and Russia. As such, her accent and character work were impressive and if she ever messed up switching between all of these, she was able to correct herself in the voice of the narrator and protagonist named ‘Try-Hard’. She mentioned at the start that she had just finalised and printed a new script that day, and I guess that’s Fringe* baby! This was a very meta, intellectual exercise which was a little bit more like going to a script reading crossed with a one woman show. However, there were parts that came more naturally when Hankinson really got into the flow, and these were super fun.

There were some very funny lines and lots of queer references which made for an enjoyable Tuesday night outing. I usually go into shows without reading much into them, or the performers, so I’ve only just now looked into Hankinson’s bio. She has taken this show to a very impressive list of Fringe festivals including in Hollywood, San Diego and soon she is going to Edinburgh! I see that it has sometimes been a full length play and sometimes the plot has been different, I wonder how often it changes? It would be cool to see Hankinson go script free to really connect with the audience and utilise the space more. Maybe in future shows she will.

My main gripe, as a lawyer, is that the murder was more like manslaughter and the evidence is not assessed very carefully. The whole thing wraps up quite quickly, and I wanted more depth and less background…

The set and lighting were fairly simple, but effective for telling the story as was Hankinson’s costume as ‘Try-Hard’ a pandering softmasc lesbian. There was quite a small crowd on Tuesday night at Qtopia, but everyone was gripped and willing to participate. It was marked as audience participation, so I was mentally prepared for this but honestly there could have been more!

Overall, Hankinson was a wonderful performer and I really liked the concept. A must see for anyone who loves crime shows and/or is gay.

*/Fringe adjacent festivals like Pride Fest

To book tickets to A Queer Little Murder, please visit https://tickets.qtopiasydney.com.au/Events/A-Queer-Little-Murder.

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Possession

16/06/2026 Kirsty Dale🆕

Possession Rating

★★★★★

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This was a wonderfully modern and powerful celebration of opera. The concept of the show grabbed me from the outset and I was excited to see the stories of such powerful women, who are often left out of the history books, be showcased. From the moment you stepped down into the Substation, the room was captivating with very effective lighting and projections.

Ruth Strutt was extraordinary. What a voice! And she had a very strong stage presence. I’m sure that even people who don’t like opera would have enjoyed this display of talent, charisma and professionalism. A show like this is also perfect for people who have never been to the opera before, as the storytelling and art were very accessible in ways that traditional opera may not be. The set was simple but very effectively used with the whole space being considered and maximised. The music, played on piano by Michael Curtain, was flawless.

The show was divided into three acts, one for each Joan of Arc (who needs no introduction), Sappho (who is a Greek poet and often quoted as the first woman to express desire for other women) and Ethel Smyth (who was a composer and key figure in the United Kingdom’s women’s suffragette movement). The factor linking all these women together was their being possessed by something. For Joan of Arc it was the voices in her head (which she believed to be God), for Sappho it was this ‘unnatural’ desire for other women, and for Ethel Smyth it was her music, which was never accepted as mainstream because she was a woman.

Each act started with a key speech from the time or movement that the woman was a part of. There was then an operatic number which told a story about the woman, all the while the translations were shown on the projector behind. I really liked the projections for the Sappho act, they were twisted into a cleverly modern interpretation. My only exposure to opera has been the very long and hard to follow Turandot, and the more accessible La Bohème so it was brilliant to hear opera in English during the Ethel Smyth part of the performance.

The audience were enthralled for the entirety of the performance, with the only down moment being during an instrumental piano piece, Nocturn, from 2 Canons by Ethel Smyth where Strutt left the stage. The room was full as well, which was really lovely to see on a rainy Sunday evening. I only wish that the three distinct stories had been tied together at the end. Perhaps, rather than such a long introduction having a little final word to link the three would have been good as the performance ended rather suddenly.

Overall, this show is a really fantastic first foray for anyone wanting to experience the beauty that is opera in a modern take with an important message.

To book tickets to Possession, please visit https://tickets.qtopiasydney.com.au/Events/Possession.

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A Bold, Witty, and Unflinchingly Honest Exploration of the Human Psyche in Musical Form

14/04/2026 Aunty Kylie xo

Initial Consult: Taking diet culture to therapy Rating

★★★★★

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Charlotte Grimmer’s Initial Consult- Taking diet culture to therapy (2026 MICF) at The MC Showroom is a bold, witty, and unflinchingly honest exploration of the human psyche. Grimmer is a graduate of NIDA Acting program, a high school dance and drama teacher. Charlotte has performed this show in Edinburgh, Sydney and the Adelaide Fringe Festival.

Bursting straight through the waiting room, Charlotte Grimmer’s initial court-mandated therapy session begins-and we, the audience find ourselves cast as the therapist. This fresh and fearless musical invites us into a hilariously triggering session filled with tap, rap, dance, and masterful keyboards. Grimmer’s performance showcases her diverse vocals, sharp wit and impressive comedic skillset.

The shows engaging narrative grapples with mental health, diet culture, perfectionism and the messy nuances of how we cope. Charlotte works the packed audience brilliantly- making pointed uncomfortable and knowing eye contact with every “therapist” in the room in moments that are at once awkward, hilarious, and deeply relatable. One moment the audience squirms, triggered and defensive: the next, they erupt with applause and laughter.

The stage is set with minimalist flair: a chair, a keyboard, and a side table adorned with tissues, a plant, and a pot. By the end of the performance, it resembles the floor of a teenager’s bedroom. Each prop is purposefully placed and thoughtfully used. Grimmer’s inventive excellence is evident in every detail—every movement, and exaggerated facial expression, and lyric is meticulously placed—creating a remarkably clever and cohesive piece highlighting Grimmer’s inventive flair and keen attention to detail.

Sadly, Melbourne, Charlotte Grimmer has wrapped up her season and is heading back to Queensland. The MC Showroom is conveniently located near plenty of pubs and dining options and has a licensed bar for enjoying a drink during the performance —ideal for steadying one’s nerves before this funny therapeutic ride. Patrons should note that accessibility is limited, with 25 stairs and no all-access bathroom.

In a thoughtful touch, Grimmer acknowledges the show’s potentially triggering themes, directing audience members towards support organisations such as The Butterfly Foundation. This thought-provoking and playfully disarming performance will follow you home.

Deliciously daring, Initial Consult- Taking diet culture to therapy (2026 MICF) is the kind of performance that makes you laugh, wince, and reflect—sometimes all in the same breath. Side effects may include sore cheeks from smiling and the sudden urge to book a therapy session… or a tap class.

Love Aunty Kylie xo

To book tickets to Initial Consult: Taking diet culture to therapy, please visit https://www.themcshowroom.com/whatson/melbourne-international-comedy-festival-2026-initial-consult.

Photographer: Joel Devereux

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Coco: The Time-Travelling Tart

09/03/2026 Genevieve Hudson🥉

Coco: The Time-Travelling Tart Rating

★★★★★

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Fast-paced, a little unhinged, and riotously funny, Coco takes audiences on a journey through the raunchier side of historical events. Already known and loved in the UK, Coco has boldly come to Australia in 2026 to give a sneak-peak into what really happened with many iconic figures such as Napolean, Queen Elizabeth the first, and right back to the original apple-tart herself, Eve.

Typically, there’s the expectation in Fringe season that everyone lets their hair down and just enjoys some entertainment. Intimately seated in the Yurt of the Courtyard of Curiosities at the Migration Museum, audience participation is an absolute must rather than just an option, as your hesitation or failure to respond will often lead you to take a bigger role in the evening’s entertainment that you might have planned. A delightful combination of Clowning, storytelling, and character comedy, Coco feeds off her audience’s laughter, shock, and heckles. Coco, a highly absurdist persona of comedian Max Norman, is a self-proclaimed enthusiast for champagne and shenanigans of the salacious variety throughout her historical ventures. Joyous and irreverent, she channels Patsy from Absolutely Fabulous with her statuesque frame, blonde hair, sunglasses, but with a much cheekier and more devious undertone. Drawing her audiences in with her smooth voice and cheeky grin, she cleverly keeps them engaged through courage and connection as the show progresses. From collaboratively creating pyramids in Ancient Egypt to electing a new Pope, this raucous expedition across time will have you complicit in some of the historical shenanigans that occur.

While the set is largely minimal, Coco certainly more than makes up for it through charisma and movement through the space. The sound and lighting do play large parts in moving the story along, predominantly through the initial setting of each era and the all-important time travelling taxi. From coloured lights and mini torches, simple sound cues, dry ice, and apples suspended on string, these subtle elements only enhance the performer’s efforts in storytelling.

While the later timeslot may deter some people, it certainly ensures that no one under 18 will likely wander this way. With a couple of warnings and a maturity rating for 15+, it assuredly indicates that this is not the show to bring your family to – unless you’re all adults with a quirky sense of humour. If you’re looking for something fresh, chaotic, and queer this Adelaide Fringe, Coco the Time Travelling Tart will have you laughing from shock and hilarity throughout.

To book tickets to Coco: The Time-Travelling Tart, please visit https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/coco-the-time-travelling-tart-af2026.

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