Tag: Liv Bell

Comedy review: The Titwitchez School of Titcraft & Boobery

On By rlsmithwritingIn ReviewsLeave a comment

The Titwitchez School of Titcraft & Boobery, on as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, is cabaret meets burlesque meets vaudeville meets drag delivered by a troop of trans, non-binary and gender non-conforming actors.

This high energy unconventional school of life is an hour of unbridled guileless fun riffing off good and evil, feminism, transphobia and boobs. Comedy coven duo Emily White and Liv Bell lead the absurdity with tightly choreographed upbeat moves. They are joined onstage by a different set of characters each night – opening night included Darmanatrix who loves a bourbon, a barbecue and a chair dance, Lucy Seale the rollerskating mosquito, and Nicola Pohl the beatboxing janitor whose sweeping was accompanied by an extraordinary range of facial expressions. Oh, and there is an option for a bit of audience participation if you like your moment in the spotlight.

Titwitchez’s is a late show starting at 10.30, but Carlton is such a great spot for a night out that I made an evening of it and caught Ethan Coen’s latest film at the Nova, grabbed a bite to eat at D.O.C then a coffee at Brunette’s before the show. The venue, Motley Bauhaus also has a great little bar if you like a tipple before a giggle.

The Titwitchez School of Titcraft & Boobery is showing at the Motley Bauhaus till April 26th, so there’s plenty of time to grab a ticket for this raucous ride.

Theatre review: Night Sweat

On By rlsmithwritingIn ReviewsLeave a comment

Over our lifetime we spend about six years in a night time dream state, but we rarely pay it much attention. As Foucault said, ‘every act of imagination points implicitly to the dream’, so it is little wonder that the sleep state is a fascination to artists. And sleepwalking takes the night time subconscious meanderings to a whole different level – remember Lady Macbeth exposing her murderous intentions while walking the castle in her sleep?

Night Sweat, on as part of Melbourne Fringe, is a playful, hypnotic exploration of night wanderings, boundaries and states of transition. A perfect place to abandon control and be taken on a journey.

The audience enters an intimate space and takes their seats around a figure clad in a boiler suit, face down asleep on the floor. The experience of entering the performance space is itself like entering a dream state. The stage technician and musical director (Kyle Muir) is leading an audience meditation and as people take their chairs, they close their eyes and slip into his rhythm.

Michelle McCowage’s performance blends physical theatre, poetry, song and humour, and has the distinct feel of improvisation. It is a little discombobulating in the way that waking in the middle of the night mid dream or somewhere other than your bed can be.

Moments of seriousness are interrupted by comedic delivery so you cannot remain in one state for too long. We meet various characters from the performers subconscious including an angel, a child, a fuck boy and Hugo Weaving playing explorer Ernest Henry Shackleton on an Antarctic expedition. On occasion the stage technician steps forward and becomes part of the performance just to throw the audience of kilter a little more.

Night Sweat is written and performed by Michelle McCowage and produced by Liv Bell. Michelle is an exceptional, engaging and versatile performer who keeps the audience captivated for the duration. Original music by Kyle Muir accompanies the performance.

Night Sweat is on at Trades Hall, which has a great little Bar, the Loading Dock, if you feel like a spot to chat before or after the show. The show runs till 8th October so grab a ticket and go along for an evening of suspended reality. You will not be disappointed.

Photographs by Ainsley Halbmeijer