I love a good drag cabaret show and ACTRESS, performed by Murdoch Keane, is up there with a unique concept and persona and great visual artistry combined with artistic talent. The audience went off. 

As the patrons enter Griselda von Fistenberg dances around a collection of cardboard boxes and other props under a red glow light. Her mass of golden hair sparkles and her opening lines are poetic. 

There’s one catch. She’s dead. Has been for five days after falling down the stairs. Her pool boy found her there. So are we seeing an old actress come back from the dead or has her besotted queer pool boy stolen her identity and put on a show?

This is Hollywood ghosts on steroids – think Judy, Marilyn, Joan, Bette, Liz T, Liza, Ethel and King Kong – bought back to life by Keane’s exceptionally good voice and high energy charisma. It’s queer cabaret delivered with ghoulish glamour.

ACTRESS, created in collaboration with Ozzy Breen-Carr and directed by Brandon Armstrong, is Keane’s debut solo show developed through a La Mama residency. I am confident we will see a lot more of Keane.

ACTRESS is showing at Melbourne Fringe Festival Hub, Trades Hall in the Meeting Room until 19^th October. If you’re looking for a wild ride with some old stars and new themes, grab a ticket for this Fringe show now.