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Published: Thursday, 13 February 2020 08:16

Written by Nita Teoh

With a title like “Boys Taste Better with Nutella”, I wasn’t sure what my partner and I had gotten ourselves into with our last Fringe Perth show for the season.

Seated in the front row, we didn’t have to wait long before two colourful characters pranced out onto the stage - the lady in her bright red dress and the man in his denim overalls.

Exuberant, playful and funny, Aggy and Frederick are the second best of friends, and support each other through their many relationship breakups (and there are many!).

It was a funny yet painfully excruciating performance in parts (in a “I can’t believe they did that?!” and “that didn’t just happen?!” sort of way), as the duo shared stories of their many and varied love adventures, both face to face and on the internet. Their k-pop rendition was a blast and the mukbang sequence by Frederick was unforgettable!

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Published: Wednesday, 12 February 2020 14:02

Written by Nita Teoh

As we were walking towards The Actors Hub Studios in East Perth, my partner and I were chatting about this and that, and the conversation led to him saying “women are a mystery...” and “some more complicated and others easier to understand...”.  I was hoping I fell in the latter category!

A topical conversation – given that we were heading to The Actors Hub to watch At Affinitys End.

At Affinitys End revolves  around 3 main characters - Megan and Brendan (the couple), and a communications consultant / relationships counsellor dubbed “Dr” – each month the couple have a session with Dr to work through their relationship issues.

A simple set greeted us on stage - 2 green chairs, with a bouquet of flowers on the side table, “Dr’s” desk and some black pouffes. We then got an intimate look into the lives of the couple, through their regular visits to “Dr”, demarcated by a sequence of clothes changes.

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Published: Monday, 10 February 2020 09:48

Written by Greg Letts

Set in a not-so-distant future where China has stepped in and taken over a disaster wracked Australia, The Empire being performed by the Actors Hub as part of Fringe Perth is a bleak mixing of The Matrix, Pokemon Go, Call of Duty and The Hunger Games, along with the comments section on YouTube!

Firmly under the thumb of their new Chinese masters, 80% of Australians take refuge in “The Game”, an augmented reality program where they can return to the good old days of Australian values and experience the freedoms they are denied in real world.

But despite the best efforts of the triad of power at Hubris (The Game's developers), The Game is not safe. There are rumours that people are vanishing and turning up dead months later, if they are ever seen again at all!

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Published: Saturday, 08 February 2020 15:41

Written by Greg Letts

My partner and I went out a bit later than usual to take in The Wives of Wolfgang at Fringe Perth. Usually we prefer to catch an early evening show, but we are suckers for a good cabaret and The Wives of Wolfgang, with its premise of a wife unburdening herself at her husband's funeral reception, was too tempting to resist.

So there we were at the Girls School at 9.30pm, waiting in line like good little schoolchildren with the rest of the audience for the teacher to come lead us through the school to our venue, Chemistry (I assume the old Chemistry Lab). I think there were a few of us experiencing PTSD flashbacks as we were instructed to stay together and follow the people in front of you closely so you don't get lost!

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Published: Thursday, 06 February 2020 09:38

Written by Greg Letts

When the media release for a performance talks about brides turning into cockroaches, you know you are in for something a bit different. In the case of The Bride, that difference is an hour of insane and zany physical comedy!

Cockroaches give just about everybody the “Ewww!” response, but don't let that put you off heading into The Blue Room Theatre to watch this terrific little gem. It's held in the Kaos Room, which turns out to be aptly named!

Performer Nadia Collins contorts and distorts her body with gleeful abandon, as she portrays the tribulations of a bride who has awoken on her wedding day only to discover she is now a cockroach! But can she make it to the altar on time? She'll need the help of the audience to get there!

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Published: Thursday, 06 February 2020 08:51

Written by Lee-Ann Khoh

A musical about the Spudshed guy?

I had no idea what to expect when I went to see Tony Galati the Musical, but it was a full house that joined me on a stiflingly hot opening night. And boy, did the musical deliver.

Through entertaining songs and choreography, we are introduced to Galati’s Sicilian roots, his family’s market garden in Perth, his highly publicised battles with the potato board, and his now-iconic Spudshed supermarkets. The show does take some creative license (which is acknowledged) as it tells us the story of a loveable Aussie battler.

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