Krishna Istha brings First Trimester to Melbourne Fringe Festival this October.
UK-based performer and Netflix creator Krishna Istha is calling for potential sperm donors to participate in a groundbreaking performance at Melbourne Fringe Festival 2025. First Trimester represents both a literal search for a sperm donor and an artistic exploration of trans reproductive healthcare, family creation and human connection.
The performance continues Krishna Istha’s worldwide quest alongside partner Logan to find the perfect sperm donor, having already conducted searches in London, Dublin, Copenhagen and Auckland. First Trimester tours to Melbourne this October as part of the festival’s boundary-pushing programme.
First Trimester
- Where: Arts House, North Melbourne
- When: 16-18 October
- Special event: Eight-hour durational performance on 18 October
- Audience: Can come and go at any time
Check out our gig guide here.
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During the live performance, participants join public conversations with Istha answering questions ranging from humorous to philosophical. Each interview lasts 10 minutes on stage, with the aim of conducting as many interviews as possible to discover what qualities make a perfect match. The process explores the kind of person who has potential as a sperm donor while continuing Istha’s search for connection.
Krishna Istha is a London-based performance artist, screenwriter, comedian and theatre maker who creates socially conscious works about taboo experiences of gender, race and sexual politics. They recently wrote for Netflix’s Sex Education and featured on Hannah Gadsby’s Gender Agenda. In 2023, Krishna and Logan received funding from the Netflix Documentary Talent Fund to create the short film SPERM DONORS WANTED! documenting their journey as a trans couple starting a family.
Melbourne Fringe Creative Director Simon Abrahams describes First Trimester as a celebration of diverse family creation methods, using candid conversation and humour to explore parenthood for those who cannot conceive naturally.
The festival seeks participants from LGBTQIA+ communities and allies, previous sperm donors, and anyone curious about the process. Applications are open through the Melbourne Fringe website.
Melbourne Fringe Festival returns from 30 September to 19 October 2025 with over 450 events across the city. The full programme launches on 22 August.
For more information, head here.
