Melbourne Fringe Festival is a 20-day explosion of creativity in its most exciting and unexpected forms.
Cabaret, performance art, circus, theatre, drag, dance and so much more will be springing to life at venues across the city. There’s almost too much cool stuff going on (just kidding, never!).
To help break down the program so you don’t miss out on any gems, we’re shining a spotlight on all of the events going on at the Queen Victoria Women’s Centre.
Explore Melbourne’s latest arts and stage news, features, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
The Queen Victoria Women’s Centre is an iconic building located in the heart of the CBD. For women, by women, QVWC has spaces for projects of creative expression of all varieties, which is why it makes such a fitting venue for Fringe.
The centre will be hosting 12 shows throughout the duration of the festival, from dirty language classes to hilarious takedowns of modern dating. Here’s a little teaser of what’s on offer.
Packing
- Oct 7 and 8
- Interactive theatre experience
Marigold is moving out of her central Melbourne artist’s studio and you have been hired to pack up her stuff. Walk through the remanents, handle them with care and curiously explore the items that have been left behind. Can you put together her story? Visitors are invited to play with bubble wrap and fill boxes as they muse on change and growth.
A Brutally Honest Fairy Tale
- Oct 3 to 7
- Musical comedy cabaret
It’s a fairy tale, but not as you know it. Written and performed by Cristina Wells, this show is a feminist satire of the silly side of classic fairy tales by Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm. Cinderella is dead (RIP) and Prince Charming is forced to find a new kind of happy ending, turning traditional gender roles on their heads and getting lots of laughs along the way.
Becoming Ghosts
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- Oct 10 to 14
- Movement art
Described as “horror dance”, this performance fuses elements of Filipino folklore such as Aswang with contemporary thrillers like The Grudge and Suspiria. It touches on pleasure and pain, non-human mutilations and surrendering to the supernatural. The piece is created and performed by Te Bajao (Ate Cheska), who is from a contemporary, street style and Vogue Fem dance background.
Broke[n]
- In person: Oct 3 to 14
- On demand: Oct 3 to 22
- Musical comedy
Char is a 20-something former emo kid who is just trying to get through life. When their Medicare-funded therapy sessions are cut in half and their therapist moves to Finland, they turn to art, music and comedy to try to lighten up the emotional load. Written and performed by Charlotte Armstrong, this piece takes inspiration from My Chemical Romance, The Dresden Dolls and Bo Burnham.
Undress Me, I’m Yours
- Oct 3 to 7
- Burlesque comedy cabaret
This performance is a hilariously relatable love letter to creator and performer Maddy Pratt’s favourite pastime: sex. Covering the good, the bad and the ugly of bumping uglies, the show is an unflinching look at dating in the 2020s, set to a jazzed-up soundtrack of iconic tracks from artists including Taylor Swift, Beyonce and Rihanna.
Cupid Reincarnate
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- Oct 3 to 14
- Camp clown cabaret
Silly, chaotic and all over the place, this lighthearted romp is just what you need if you’re feeling a little down. Presented by Sophie Bengough, the show is a big party full of lullabies and good old-fashioned clowning around. Will love be found along the way, or will it all end up in a big mess? You’ll just have to wait and find out.
Water Dripping on a Stone
- Oct 10 to 14
- Political multimedia performance
As autocracy within capitalism slowly restricts our last human freedoms, we must fight back with something beyond art, music and poetry. Created by Melbourne-based creative Camille Delaquise, this critical performance examines the state of the system around us and the new ideas that emerge, offering a glimmer of hope for a brighter future.
FLUSH
- Oct 10 to 14
- Autobiographical multimedia performance
Fusing contemporary dance, classical theatre, stand-up comedy, projection, text and voice, this solo work is a showcase of the folly of modern dating crafted and performed by Isabella Gilbert. It unpacks tales of dates gone right and wrong while exploring the concept of water in the Biblical and Shakespearean contexts. Hookups, situationships, dreams and nightmares – it all comes out in the wash.
Talk Dirty in French
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- In person: Oct 5 to 7
- On demand: Oct 12 to 22
- Comedy language class
Ooh la la! Skip all the verb conjugation and jump right into the good stuff with Melbourne artist Clair deLune. This sexy class will teach you a few dirty talk tricks in the language of love. Perfect for if you’ve got a holiday planned or a foreign lover to impress, this hilarious and playful event is a safe place to open up about all of your salacious desires.
The Vegabus: Tales of an Uber Driver
- Oct 10 to 22
- Comedic storytelling
Ever wondered what it’s like to drive for Uber? Queer/trans and neurodivergent artist Tea Lily Vega has a few stories for you. With over 16,000 rides completed, she’s met more than a few interesting characters. In this vibrant and quirky show, she recounts her chaotic and colourful tales of 6 years on the road.
Twenty Minutes to Nine
- Oct 3 to 14
- Musical storytelling
After selling out shows in Melbourne, Adelaide and Edinburgh, Amanda Santuccione’s beloved show is returning to Melbourne Fringe. Speaking candidly on subjects of death, grief, love, loss and life, she mesmerises the audience with the help of a guitar and a loop pedal. The show has been praised for its frank, raw and heartfelt way of storytelling.
WHALE
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- Oct 3 to 7
- Comedic theatre
Courtney McManus, one half of Perth’s Crash Theatre Company, doesn’t care about what people think about her body. This wasn’t always the case though – in this show, she discusses her transformation from boy-crazy “pick me” to fat and funny lesbian, detailing the mean comments, failed diets and other struggles along the way.
To have a look at what else is happening at the Queen Victoria Women’s Centre, head here.
This article was made in partnership with the Queen Victoria Women’s Centre.
