“I’m a dancer!” no, not really. I got sent home from work due to boot scootin’ related injury. They realised something was wrong when I wasn’t doing my normal Friday zingers. I had actually gone to see the 75th anniversary of Tales of Hoffman by Powell and Pressburger and once danced Thriller on Ramsay St with Anna’s Go-Go Academy but that was a while ago now! The last boot scootin’ event I had planned to go to was cancelled. The one on my birthday I only took photos at.
I had originally picked this show due to not wanting the situation that happened more than once where I get stuck at the back of the crowd getting out of the show as I am usually first in line. Lou Wall’s show finished too close to Gabbi Bolt’s starting. Maybe not arriving five minutes late to a show with a half-eaten KFC zinger box, only to find it had restarted due to a technical error but close.
Also, the “that looks fuckin’ bent!” factor drew me to this one. Given that I took a Facebook acquaintance to a show not knowing the performer was going to pull things from their vagina, not too fussed about the nudity. I went to the Global Smash Club where the entire cast got nude at the end including the opera singer. Last year’s Melbourne Fringe I saw CUNT and then straight upstairs to see THE FUPPETS and Christia Hughes got me to pull her finger with googly eyes on her muff. Also, someone flashed the camera when we were allowed to take exactly one photo at the end.
I didn’t mind the speaking in French part at the start. It’s been quite a few years since I have actually studied it but still knew enough to know a lot of those words were not actually saying anything. Eventually the show transitions to English and reveals that it is a version of the famous ballet performance Swan Lake.
The most famous and technically difficult ballet dances performed by one person and various props with not-insubstantial assistance from the audience. I could not have gotten up and down as much as one poor audience member managed to do. I had been bought in via the lift as I am not great with stairs, into the middle of a tech run, oops.
Great use of props in this one including throwing the gauntlet down to Frankie McNair with the googly eyes and the gag about the bras and flags that keep coming out of the dress and wrapping up the same audience member who assisted before.
Having followed the performer on socials for a bit I was aware what was going to happen at the end of the show but I will not spoil it. They point it out while doing the bit about dancers not being able to hit the back wall.
Was an interesting show at least and different to the pervious night’s show Mel Meglensey’s NORMAL (no review as I did that at Fringe). Less technical problems than that show, I didn’t notice anything that wasn’t part of the show. The old adage of keeping going even if you know you did it wrong, the audience does not know holds here.
Show details:
Advisory:
Strictly for audiences 18+
Audience participation
Haze
Language – strong coarse language
Nudity
Strong sexual references
Prices:
Adult:
Wed & Thu $35.00
Fri & Sat $37.00
Sun $35.00
Preview:
All Tix $32.00
Tightarse Tuesday:
$32.00
Mob Tix:
Wed & Thu $28.00
Fri & Sat $29.60
Sun $28.00
Times and dates:
Thu 26 Mar – Sat 28 Mar: 7.20pm;
Sun 29 Mar: 6.20pm;
Tue 31 Mar – Sat 4 Apr: 7.20pm;
Sun 5 Apr: 6.20pm;
Tue 7 Apr – Sat 11 Apr: 7.20pm;
Sun 12 Apr: 6.20pm;
Tue 14 Apr – Sat 18 Apr: 7.20pm;
Sun 19 Apr: 6.20pm
Location:
The Malthouse – The Tower, 113 Sturt Street, Southbank
Social media/website:
https://www.instagram.com/elflyons
MICF page:
https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/browse-shows/elf-lyons-swan/
