Clearly, considerable thought has gone into the look of cabaret show Bisexual Intellectuals. It may not completely meet its Fringe-blurb aim of being “A camp and chaotic celebration of queer joy, dismantling bi-phobia with levity and heart” for some punters. Regardless, there are moments of fun mixed in with more serious content.
The show was written and performed by (self-proclaimed) “Bisexual Icons” Millicent (‘Mim’) Sarre wearing purple, Jemma Allen in blue, and Rosie Russell clad in pink overalls. Their claim to be “three of Adelaide’s premier cabaret performers” is supported by a touring award from Adelaide Fringe.
There could be different motivations for a show like this one. Maybe it’s about celebrating your identity with your tribe, or sharing that pride with others. There could be both here, but non-bi folks in attendance might feel lost at times.
An audience might intuit that parody is being attempted at different points, but being unaware of Bi stereotypes referenced (what’s this about “long tops and short shorts”?), not get the gags. That could explain why some sketches seemed to elicit only isolated chuckles.
However, this isn’t exclusively a show about bisexuality. Also considered are issues of direct concern to females (there’s an advisory of “Discussions Of Vaginal Health Conditions”; the related material had an inconsistent comedic payoff), and of feminism.
There’s an interesting exploration of how women’s concerns around safety might lead them to question their sexuality. The extremely novel German night-club sequence used to consider this topic shows that the “intellectual” part of the show’s title is well deserved. However, some of the setup was quite difficult to hear through the backing track.
The show had parts that were appealing whilst they were educational. The staging, costumes, and makeup made sense once we hit a discussion about the Bi flag. Also, we had a useful insight into what could appeal to Bi women through the amusing song Lesbian Boyfriend in the style of an Irish folk ballad.
The performers sing well, harmonise nicely, and bounce off each other with manic energy. If your curiosity was piqued by the show’s Fringe blurb, you could find that moments of humour with musical surprises and tap-dancing make this 6pm show a diverting start to a night of cruising Trades Hall.
Bisexual Intellectuals
Festival Hub: Trades Hall, Corner Lygon and Victoria Streets, Carlton
Performance: Saturday 5 October 2024
Season continues to 13 October 2024
Information and Bookings: www.melbournefringe.com.au
Image: Bisexual Intellectuals – photo by Brig Bee
Review: Jason Whyte