The ultimate celebration of LGBTQIA+ artists and allies, the 2024 MELT Festival bursts into action, featuring over 220 dazzling performances and events, turning Brisbane into a vibrant playground of community, diversity, inclusivity and creative expression until 10 November. The Australian Pride Network takes a look at ten events worth checking out.
Candy’s Cabaret Game Show
PIP Theatre: 3 & 10 November
It’s a little bit of Cabaret, it’s a little bit Gameshow but it’s a whole lot of fun. If you like shows like Taskmaster, Cabaret Drag Performer, Candy Surprise, is going to bring you her own special take on a Gameshow. Audience members are chosen at random to join Candy on stage and battle it out for great prizes. During the show Candy will surprise everyone and sing a few of her favourite songs live. It’s great entertainment!
Christian Thompson
Various locations: continues to 10 November
Immerse yourself in an extraordinary city-wide exhibition showcasing Dr Christian Thompson AO profound exploration of identity and culture through powerful photographic works. Bidjara artist Thompson challenges established narratives, shedding light on the intricate layers of identity within marginalised communities. Join us for a celebration of art, heritage, and contemporary dialogue as Christian Thompson AO unveils his specially commissioned outdoor exhibition, promising a fusion of cultural depth and modern creativity. Don’t miss the opportunity to engage with Thompson’s unique perspective and explore an unforgettable artistic journey through Brisbane’s urban landscape.
Delicious
Superordinary: Saturday 9 November
Feast your eyes and tease your tastebuds with this sizzling hot adults only soiree! From the creators of the sell-out production The Sparkly Taboo comes Aerialicious’ latest offering: Delicious. Featuring a mouth-watering smorgasbord of Brisbane’s finest circus, burlesque and drag performers, in a smoking hot line up of hand-picked delicacies. From savoury surprises to sweet seductions, join us for a night where food meets frivolity and entertainment meets epicurean curiosity!
EJ Mann: MAGPIE
Good Chat Comedy Festival: Saturday 2 November
With her guitar in hand, EJ Mann is bringing her debut show MAGPIE to MELT Festival for one night only this November at Good Chat Comedy Festival. The musical comedian from Brisbane talks (and sings) about her hilarious year of living like one of Australia’s most annoying birds – the very proud and very fearless magpie – and what it means to come out as a lesbian in 2024. There’s an escort, there’s a wedding, and there’s a heartfelt twist.
Fountain Lakes in Lockdown
Brisbane Powerhouse: 31 October – 3 November
What did Australia’s foxiest morons get up to during the pandemic? It’s August, 2021. Kath is up to pussy’s bow in sour dough bread, Kim’s been asked to work from home (though that happened long before the pandemic started) and Sharon has had a severe reaction to all the hand sanitiser. Relive the uniquely Australian pandemic experience through the eyes of these uniquely Australian characters hilariously parodied by Art Simone, Thomas Jaspers, Leasa Mann and Scott Brennan. Direct from it’s sold out Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney Opera House seasons – with quick wit and camp tunes, this is a fabulous night out for everyone!
Hans Disco Spektakular!
Brisbane Powerhouse: 7 – 10 November
Berlin’s beloved cabaret superstar, Hans, renowned from America’s Got Talent, is bringing his sensational show to Brisbane’s Melt in 2024. Prepare for a dazzling extravaganza, where Hans will light up the stage with his trademark blend of comedy, music, and mesmerising dance moves. Backed by his live band, The Ungrateful Bastards, and the fabulous dancers known as The Lucky B*tches, Hans promises an unforgettable night of sequins and spectacle.
HELIOS
Brisbane Powerhouse: 7 – 10 November
A lad lives half way up a historic hill. A teenager is on a road trip to the city in a stolen car. A boy is driving a chariot, pulling the sun across the sky. A story about the son of the god of the sun, HELIOS transplants the Ancient Greek tale into a modern-day myth wound round the winding roads of rural England and into the everyday living of a towering city. A story about life, and about the invisible monuments we build to it.
River Pride Parade
Brisbane River: Saturday 9 November
t’s a party on the river like no other! Led by Melt Festival Ambassador, Courtney Act, the inaugural River Pride Parade is a floating celebration of LGBTQIA+ communities and allies. Register your own boat, join an existing one, or simply choose to enjoy the spectacle from the riverbank, this family-friendly event is Brisbane’s own Mardi Gras Parade on the water. Starting at 3.00pm, the flotilla of vessels dressed in colour and sparkle will make the journey from William Jolly Bridge to Brisbane Powerhouse.
Tina – A Tropical Love Story
Brisbane Powerhouse: Saturday 26 October
Step into a vibrant world, where the sultry heat of the tropics meets the electrifying energy of a cultural icon. Tina – A Tropical Love Story is a captivating blend of storytelling and cabaret, and a heartfelt tribute to the indomitable spirit of Tina Turner. Enter the enchanting realm of Miss Ellaneous, First Nations Drag performer (AKA Ben Graetz), as he shares his deeply personal tales of growing up in Darwin and the profound impact Tina had on his life.
Queer Powerpoint
The Princess Theatre: Wednesday 6 November
Strap yourself in for another hilarious night of Microsoft PPT. Queer artists from across Brisbane are invited to explore and share an idea, current obsession, or ongoing fascination using that most staid and ubiquitous of programming tools. It’s a bunch of queers deep diving into highly niche content in a very gay way, reclaiming and queering the corporate presentation mode created by our straight capitalist overlords. Creators Xanthe Dobbie and Harriet Gillies play host to a night of surprising stories, secret passions and starwipes.
The 2024 MELT Festival continues to 10 November 2024. For more information and full program, visit: www.melt.org.au for details.
Image: Miss Ellaneous (Ben Graetz) stars in Tina – A Tropical Love Story (supplied)