Debutante Diaries, Tit-Bits

Things were going so well with getting the paper to bed last night that I foolishly booked tickets for a couple of shows at the festival, only for everything to grind to a halt at 7.30pm, meaning I didn't get away til an hour and a half later, and so missed the 8.15pm show I'd planned to see...


That said, I did make it to The Debutante Diaries, and what a delightful show it was. Written and performed by Kate McLennan, this production won Best Comedy and Best Newcomer at last year's Melbourne Fringe Festival, and it's so easy to see why.

Deftly and effectively, McLennan maps out a series of characters who are planning for their grand appearance at the Libra Hills High Debutante Ball, including the sweet, sad Sophie; the bitch-queen Krystaal Jones; and ambitious social-climber Stacey. Along the way we're also introduced to Guy Gerrity, the sleazey phys ed teacher who's organising the show; Carla, the bitter lefty teacher whose life is so empty she even fakes her own orgasms; and a range of other students, including Krystaal's footy-hero boyfriend, and Stacey's gay best friend.

The Debutante Diaries is a beautifully realised show, balancing pathos and hilarity, which builds with immaculate timing to an ending which, though slightly underplayed, stayed true to the awkwardly endearing tone established in the production's opening scenes. Without props, on a bare stage, McLennan shifts from character to character using only the simplist of lighting and sound queues, creating a caustic high school comedy for the teenage girl in all of us. Less character-driven stand-up and more a one-woman theatrical performance, this is another MICF show that I heartily recommend. Three and half gleeful gasps of delighted recognition out of five, plus an elephant stamp. (Victoria Hotel til April 29)


After the show I trouped down to the Festival Club at the Hi-Fi Bar for the first time this year, given that tonight's entertainment was very definitely bent; a fact which most of the audience seemed completely unaware of, not that it really seemed to matter. Performers included the Fabulous Adam Richard; the very droll, dry and absolutely brilliant Hannah Gadsby (see this woman now, before she's famous); performers from The Sound of Music drag show; and Wes Snelling as the fabulously sozzled diva, Tina del Twiste. Scottish comedian Craig Hill ("camper than a big camp of campers") was the MC tying it all together, and while, like most nights of anthology comedy it was a bit hit and miss, I enjoyed myself enough to stay out til 1am, leaving me a bit the worse for wear today...

And tonight? I'll try and squeeze in another comedy show before racing off to the gala opening night of Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake, which I'll review soon...