I had the pleasure of being a Fringefeed reviewer earlier this year. I liked writing reviews so much that I thought I would continue outside of the Fringe banner, and I reviewed this show for Belmont’s Imaginarium this month.
Review – Lead Me Astray
Ali Oop welcomed us to the tent with words that struck a chord: ‘You’ll see something you like, something you connect with, or something you despise. Either way, we clap!’
So began the wild emotional journey as the performers took us through their interpretations of the seven deadly sins. Drawn in by Dante’s gruesome details of purgatory, we watched as the drag artists explored sin, society, and who decides what is acceptable. Ali Oop was a funny and unflappable MC with an authoritative stage presence – and every performer, in their own way, held power and presence onstage.
This was a showcase of Perth’s best emerging drag performers. A grassroots performance in which most of the budget probably went to tomato soup for reasons to be disclosed later, the performance was grounded, honest and artsy, Fringe-world style. It wasn’t about glitz and glamour, though there was plenty of glitter; it was about emotion. Sorrow, rage, greed, lust, power – each performer brought something different but equally truthful to the stage. The performers did not shy away from intimacy, and we felt enticed and uncomfortable from moment to moment. Regardless, I felt loved in my queer, flawed body, and we were encouraged to accept every part of ourselves.
This show was no stranger to the funny or bizarre. You haven’t lived if you haven’t seen two drag queens stirring a bowl of soup the size of a fish pond while shaking their booties. And aside from serving up oddities, and soup, there were some truly difficult tricks, such as the Blake Cassette hoisting up Ali Oop and the chair they were sitting in, and then throwing the chair backstage, holding Ali with one arm, and making it look easy!
Overall, I’m envious of the talent of the cast and their bright futures in the performing arts world. See you in the inner circles.
If you’re interested, you can find my other reviews for Johnno McDonno Falls in Love, JoBot!, El Flamenco!, Heartwave and The Clubnosis Experience by googling the show name 2022 and ‘Emily Siggs’.
Emily-Oscar Siggs - Writer, Editor 