Absolute Trash | Glitter Martini
After leaving the theatre show, Maddie is the new Karen, to walk down the streets of Wynnum Fringe to the next, I am amazed at the liveliness of Bay Terrace. People dancing in the street, lined with an array of food trucks from various cultures and people everywhere, enjoying themselves and lapping up the night life in a once was quiet neighbourhood for the retired. Wynnum is on the map and the crew at Wynnum Fringe have done a stellar job in creating a safe, colourful, and expansive experience for the locals and Brisbane dwellers who have travelled out for this. Business is good.
I look for Mrs Quinn’s car parking space that the show’s address has indicated and as I pass the bank, I see there is a laneway, fairy light lit, that leads down to a makeshift stage space. Two levels of car park, that provide a natural amphitheatre for the show to transpire on. There is minimal seating, the majority of us seated on the floor and that element of Anywhere Festival comes through here, in a way that shows how much empty urban space can be activated by the Arts. More of it please!
The show begins with Natrasha Binit in a glaringly shining shimmering number, providing an Acknowledgement of Country and welcoming everyone into the space. Filthy by the Scissor Sisters plays and the acts roll out from side stage. The first few acts consist of beautiful women dressed in hazmat suits, a wheelie bin scene with a bin chicken, a gorgeous garbage bag dress, and burlesque skits all connected by the ever-present rubbish that lives all around us, that we keep continuing to create!
The following scenes of the lyra, acrobat, contortionist, hula hoop, and tissue performance are exceptional. Stunning, perfected and seem effortless. The one speed bump occurs and there is a moment when there are two performers on stage, one is dressing the other as a fashion designer using glad wrap. The glad wrap gets stuck, wont peel out, and a flustered moment ensues, I feel badly for her as I know how incredibly frustrating it is to try and pull glad wrap out in a workable fashion, only to have continue to tear. I feel like running up there and helping her. But she saves the scene and gets the crowd cheering at the minimalist attempt of a dress that she has managed to make, and the rest of the show goes on without a hitch.
Natrasha Binit returns to stage this time in a green shopping bag dress that they have made, the avocado bag being the centre feature of the top half and the costuming is not only well done and hilarious but sustainably sourced. How many green bags do you have lying around the place? Perhaps a call to investigate how we source our fashion.
I notice a sign under the stage that reads ‘Y R U Trash?’ with a number to text. Natrasha reads out the winning text and asks which audience member wrote it. No one volunteers themselves, so Natrasha rings the number and the person’s phone rings. An unfortunate confession takes place of their trashiest moment, whilst on stage with Natrasha drawing out all of the juice.
More audience interaction occurs when four members of the audience are chosen by the Bin Chicken Guy, they are provided squeaking rubber chickens and are asked to play in rhythm to the four notes of the very well-known Blue Danube Waltz by Johann Strauss II. Natrasha welcomes them on stage as our “four experts in handling cock.” My favourite audience member in this is an older gentleman in his 70’s who really gets into the act and gives his absolute all. I later see him on the street having a beer and commend him on his performance.
To end the night, all of the audience are given rubber chickens to play and the squeaks take us into the ending of Absolute Trash. We reluctantly throw them back when asked, and as the rain starts to pitter patter in, I cheer and clap and head out into the street party. Great work Glitter Martini – that was a fun show.
