Washing temperatures will be set to ‘hot’ when Briefs, Brisbane’s internationally acclaimed burlesque troupe, tours with their brand new party-cabaret event, Dirty Laundry. Led by the Shivanna, the formidable mistress of ceremonies, Dirty Laundry promises to be a not-so-squeaky clean night full of suds and studs, featuring acrobatic artistry, drag and boylesque brilliance.
Briefs: There's no shrinkage on this cycle! - FUSE Magazine
Ahead of Briefs Dirty Laundry’s Canberra season, David Blanco from FUSE spoke with Briefs co-founder and award-winning burlesque performer Mark Winmill (aka Captain Kidd) about this unique group of performers and what audiences can expect when Dirty Laundry comes to town.
FUSE (David Blanco) : Dirty Laundry is headed to the Canberra Theatre in May; can you tell our readers about the show and what’s in store for audiences?
MARK: Dirty Laundry is Briefs’ most ambitious show yet, and it features our entire troupe. It’s a celebratory show with something for everyone, including circus acrobatics, comedy, clowning, dance, sideshow and drag. I consider this production to be a return to
Briefs party-vibe roots. It’s a banger of a show that will leave audiences smiling and uplifted. The response we’ve had so far has been amazing!
FUSE: How did you come up with the show’s concept?
MARK: We created this show in a rental house in Brisbane during lockdown. We managed to get all our performers together because, at the time, Queensland borders were open. The concept was to air our ‘dirty laundry’ using circus and burlesque. Each of the show’s acts is the performer’s way of ‘coming clean’, so to speak, using their particular performance practice. We also ask the audience to air their ‘dirty laundry’, but I won’t tell you any more about that. It’s a surprise.
FUSE: Can you tell our readers about the troupe?
MARK: We are an eclectic bunch! Each Briefs performer brings honesty and a high level of artistry to the stage. Each of us has had extensive training in our area of performance, be it circus, clowning, drag, contemporary dance or comedy. Our distinct personalities and personas, combined with our passion for performing make our productions unforgettable. The diversity of the troupe extends to the variety of audiences coming to Dirty Laundry, but they all have one thing in common, they like to party!
FUSE: Shivanna, Dirty Laundry’s mistress of ceremonies, has quite a reputation! Is she as much of a diva backstage as onstage?
MARK: Mistress of ceremonies? She is mistress of the world! But, jokes aside, she’s an amazing comedienne. She is witty, political, and very savvy. She takes the audience on a journey, and they always fall in love with her.
FUSE: What do you enjoy about being a performer with Briefs?
MARK: I love all we do, especially interacting with the audience. The Briefs boys always mingle with the audience before and after our shows. It’s part of the troupe’s ethos. For audiences, the opportunity to chat and interact with the cast makes the theatre going experience more real and intimate. Also, the adrenaline-rush of live performance is a super-cool part of what I do.
Mark Winmill (aka Captain Kidd)
FUSE: Where do you think burlesque fits in queer cultural representation, and why is it an important art form?
MARK: As an art form, burlesque has traditionally been about the female form. So, as boys, I feel we are very privileged to be a part of this world. It’s been interesting for me to observe the way burlesque is evolving. It has always had ‘queer-heavy’ elements, but these days, different types of burlesque performers are using burlesque to explore queer sexuality and gender identity in sexy and entertaining ways. This feels inclusive and liberating to me.
FUSE: One last question, do you have any useful laundry tips for our FUSE readers?
MARK: Yes. Pre-soak. Always.
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