Presenting a wild range of styles and intensely physical routines, with performers spanning all genders and states of undress, the 75-minute blitz enjoyed last night at North Melbourne’s iconic Meat Markets will surely remain the highlight of anyone's week.
What was originally intended as a one-off solo outing in 2015, queer cabaret showcase YUMMY has made it to 10 years and is celebrating in high style at this year’s Melbourne Fringe Festival.
The most immediate and impactful takeaway from the show is its riotous sense of fun. Each performance is packed next to one another with no breaks and no mid-show interval, providing a breathless panorama of tightly choreographed dance and brilliantly conceived routines.
We had hula hoop, an erotic trapeze act, a human contortionist, traditional cabaret striptease, and truly everything in between across a procession of high-camp dance numbers ushered by the hilarious and glamorous Valerie Hex.
The level of energy maintained throughout was infectious across the crowd as well as instantly experienced, as every set was at the highest levels of comedy, athleticism or technical finesse. The choreography was so tight and high-impact, across every solo and group performance, that you were often situated between shocked laughter or genuine reflexive exclamations of ‘Oh my god!’
Decadence: 10 Years of YUMMY
- When: 30 September – 18 October
- Where: Meat Market, 3 Blackwood Street, North Melbourne
- Tickets: Available through Melbourne Fringe Festival
- Note: Wednesday 8 October will be a masked-encouraged show
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Across multiple intricate wig and costume changes, Valerie Hex served a fabulous host for the evening, outlining the show’s decade-long history and how this very special anniversary presentation was as much a showcase of the bold and the new as a reflection of shows past.
Fittingly, the final number saw original cast member Bendy Ben recreate a number from the very first show in 2015, lip-syncing Paloma Faith’s ‘Only Love Can Hurt Like This’ in a strange, amazing android headpiece with the lips presented on a small screen over their mouth.
All very odd and marvellous, and truly to be seen to be believed.
Worthy of mention, also, are the show’s impeccable production values. Many of the routines are word-perfect in terms of their comic timing, with precise actions linking to exact moments in the music’s carefully spliced songs and audio samples.
Every performer exactly hit their mark with these audio cues and made their jokes land masterfully, as much worthy of a laugh as genuine respect for how rigorously all performers had rehearsed their material.
The songs were also true-blue, absolute bangers. Truly, YUMMY has impeccable music curation, not only in terms of their relation to the hilariously creative routines but also in the impression they leave upon the audience.
I will gleefully admit that my walk home was accompanied by Beyoncé’s ‘Renaissance’ thanks to a routine that deployed one of its tracks to gangbusters effect.
If you are looking for a show to lighten up your week or to simply reassert your faith in live performing arts, that most chronically underfunded of industries, then you will be well-served to grab yourself a ticket to YUMMY.
Decadence: 10 Years of YUMMY will be running at the Cobblestone Pavilion of Meat Market until 18 October. Get your tickets here.
