Sometimes Melbourne

Keith Gow
Playwright and critic/blogger

SM: Read Keith's reviews at keithgow.com. I sure do.

#IndieMedia is a part of Melbourne's indie arts community.

Keith Gow

The Melbourne Fringe in three words?
Exciting, inventive, encouraging

A favourite Melbourne Fringe memory.
I love the Fringe Club because it brings the Festival community together and when you're seeing a bunch of shows at the Fringe Hub, it’s a great focus point for the night – with drinks and music and often some kind of performance to entertain. It's a great place to hang with friends and to meet other artists and to introduce yourself to people after you've just seen their show and the best response you've got is gushing and that’s always easiest to do with a drink in hand.

What is your experience as an independent artist being part of the Melbourne Fringe?
Each year that I've been involved as an artist has been different, because of the shows I've made and the different venues they have been in. It can be overwhelming as a critic, trying to see all the things I want to see and to see the shows that are then recommended during Fringe. When you've got a show on, it's like a marathon and you need to focus on your own show while also trying to support others. I guess, as the writer, I've got the choice of not seeing my show every night and to spread the love a little bit, but then I also want to be there to thank my audience each night.

What makes the Melbourne Fringe unique?
I think it's unique in the Melbourne arts scene because it's so diverse and supportive and encourages all-comers to put on a show.

Your advice for choosing what to see in the Melbourne Fringe.
Be daring. Support your friends, sure, but choose things because of their titles or their venues or, in the case of shows I saw last year, their lack of venue. Pick a show that has deliberately small audiences, because you'll engage with them differently. Go to a venue you’ve never been to before but be sure to find a night where you can binge things at the Hub.

Do you think there’s a better system than star ratings for reviews?
I'd love it if everyone read reviews. I wish, as a critic and an artist, that we weren't so easily drawn to stars on reviews and stars on posters. Is there a better system though? I don't know. Having reviewed for AussieTheatre and my blog, I've never had to give a star rating for theatre. This hasn't necessarily stopped my reviews from being quoted, though. If everyone stopped giving stars, maybe at least quotes would get read?

Five shows/events you will not miss at the 2017 Melbourne Fringe.
The Vagina Monologues
The Maze
Title and Deed (Monologue for a Slightly Foreign Man)
Invasion of the Bodysnatchers
Everything at the Fringe Club

Caleb Darwent
Nicholas Gray
We write original musical theatre shows and independently produce them.

Bed Reckoning
12–17 September
The Butterfly Club

SM: Their The Adulteresses at last year's Fringe was rather glorious. I tweeted "High camp, high class, an absolute delight – with a bit of smut."

Paul Jones, Bianca Bruce, Andre Sasalu, Jack Beeby. Cast of Bed Reckoning. Photo by Wendy Scriven

If you could invite anyone to your show (and you knew they would come), who would it be?
Cory Bernardi. He might learn something about racism and homophobia.

The Melbourne Fringe in three words.
Liberty! Equality! Fraternity!

A favourite Melbourne Fringe memory.
The lights going down on opening night as the first Melbourne Fringe production I was involved with began.

What is your experience as an independent artist being part of the Melbourne Fringe?
Very positive! We’ve grown as artists, made connections to other artists, and been exposed to a diverse range of artistic experiences as part of the festival.

What makes the Melbourne Fringe unique?
Anyone is able to take part in the festival, and it has a clear mission to push boundaries, challenge audiences, and give a platform for voices outside of the mainstream.

What’s your advice for choosing what to see in the Melbourne Fringe?
Choose things that will challenge you, and that aren’t the kinds of things you usually expose yourself to! Make sure you see shows by minority voices, such as queer people, people of colour etc. – not just to support and encourage new work, but because you might learn something, or have your perspective expanded, even just a little.

Do you think there’s a better system than star ratings for reviews?
Ideally there wouldn’t be any kind of rating system for reviews – just well-written analyses that can go into detail about what works and doesn’t work in any given show or piece, and the reader would engage with the review in the same spirit. Realistically, people want to know in as short a time as possible whether a show is worth seeing or not, so some sort of ratings system is inevitable. But since we have to have one, why not get rid of stars and make them something prettier? Rainbows, perhaps?

Five shows/events you will not miss at the 2017 Melbourne Fringe.
Church curated by Mama Alto
Absolutely Normal performed by Showko
The Exotic Lives of Lola Montez
TRANSCENDENT
For the Ones Who Walk Away presented by St Martins

Myron My
Theatre and performance reviewer

SM: Over on Myron's mymelbournearts.com is another series of Fringe artist interviews. Read them, share them, support #IndieMedia. And read his reviews. He sees more Fringe shows than any reviewer in town.

Myron My

The Melbourne Fringe in three words?
Intoxicating. Inspiring. Intriguing. (Love a bit of alliteration.)

A favourite Melbourne Fringe memory.
I think it would be in 2012 when I performed at my first – and only – Fringe Festival with my impro group. We were all pretty wide-eyed and bushy-tailed about the whole experience and it was quite a thrill to be performing to such a variety of people every night. It was also a huge learning curve as to what actually needs to happen to put on a show at a festival.

What makes the Melbourne Fringe unique?
It’s an opportunity for people from all walks of life – artists and the general public – to come together and experience the arts, and to share an experience that can potentially last long after the show is over. Everyone is given the opportunity to feel like they are part of something bigger, regardless if they are a performer, producer or audience member or if they attend 40 shows or one show.

Your advice for choosing what to see in the Melbourne Fringe.
The way I choose the better part of my shows is by devouring the program cover to cover, even shows where the image or the title might not initially appeal. I then make a long list (roughly 80 shows this year) and go through the program again before I start trying to fit things into my schedule as well as possible.

Admittedly, this is not the way most people choose their shows.

However, I would definitely advise people to leave some gaps in their schedule and hear what shows are creating buzz during the festival. And also take a gamble. Fringe is one of the few festivals where you can take an affordable gamble on an artist you’ve never heard of before, or a performance that sounds completely and utterly bizarre, or a genre you’re not very familiar with.

Do you think there’s a better system than star ratings for reviews?
I personally loathe star ratings and will never give them. There are so many elements to a show – casting, set, lighting, concept, and writing to name some – that to whittle it down to a star doesn’t reveal anything about what worked in a show. I’m a strong advocate for reading reviews. A good review should be able to tell you everything you need to know about a show in about 300 words.

Five shows/events that you will not miss at the 2017 Melbourne Fringe
You realise you are asking me to pick favourites when I love all my fringe shows equally? But the five shows I am most looking forward to are:

The One by Jeffrey Jay Fowler
The Baby Farmer presented by The Laudanum Project
The Lounge Room Confabulators: Survival Party
Papillon Unplugged (Circus for grown ups)
Pee Stick

Brianna Williams
Mostly comedy, recently,unpacking The Bachelor for Channel 10

MUMMY: A Sexy Comedy Party
12–17 September
The Butterfly Club

Brianna Williams

SM: I’m usually safe at audience participation shows because reviewers are creatures-to-be-ignored, but at her Comedy Festival show this year, Brianna didn’t know me and got me on stage. She also got me talking to Grant Denyer on Twitter; no one else has ever done that.

If you could invite anyone to your show (and you knew they would come), who would it be?
Zoe Coombs Marr.

The Melbourne Fringe in three words?
Diverse, surprising, short(er than other fringe festivals).

A favourite Melbourne Fringe memories?
Singing “Teenage Dirtbag” at Fringe Club last year and satisfying my lifelong love of Wheatus.

What is your experience as an independent artist being part of the Melbourne Fringe?
Fringe is the exact place for independent artists. There are so many unique ways you can push your show in this time and you’re working with artists doing completely different things. Fringe is often the time when people share their new shows as well, so there’s a sense that we’re all trying stuff for the first time.

What makes the Melbourne Fringe unique?
In a city that celebrates art all year round (instead of just in month long blocks in festivals) it can be hard to cut through. What makes the Fringe so exciting is that it attracts an incredible type of supportive audience – people who are just as excited to see the stuff you’re experimenting with as you are.

Your advice for choosing what to see in the Melbourne Fringe.
Try something that you would normally never not see. Try a style of something that you would never not see. Also: support your friends! If your mate is doing a show, see it now rather than wait, because by the time you see it again, it will be a different beast.

Do you think there’s a better system than star ratings for reviews?
The star rating can be pretty crushing. One week I got three, three and a half star reviews and it destroyed me, even though three and a half stars is a totally fine score. It was just too far from that elusive four-star moment; I felt as though I was “less than”. I let that missing half a star keep me down – really silly. Maybe something less pointy than stars? Clouds? Clouds feel a lot less destructive.

Five shows/events you will not miss at the 2017 Melbourne Fringe.
Liam Ryan: In Your Dreams
Partybucket by Lee Naimo and Sophie Kneebone
Wanda and Mel (A totally deep cross-generational musical escapade)
The Travelling Sisters: NOO SHO
The Big HOO-HAA! 24 Hour Show

I am Tom, aka The Mandeville
Actor, theatre maker, drag performer

How To Kill The Queen Of Pop
15–30 September
Fringe Hub, Studio 1

PLUS
Rainbow Paradiso, Curated by Hotel Now
1 October
ArtPlay

SM: Ask Tom about the first time I saw (felt) him perform.

How to Kill the Queen of Pop. Tom Halls, centre

If you could invite anyone to your show (and you knew they would come), who would it be?
Vanessa Amorosi. We are actually canvassing her social media to get her along to see the show. She features as our best friend/arch nemesis. (A close second and third is Kylie Minogue and Olivia Newton-John. Any connections out there? Hit me up!)

The Melbourne Fringe in three (ish) words.
A Devious Daring Discotheque (of Debauched Darlings).

A favourite Melbourne Fringe memory.
It was a year when September decided to very warm – The closing night happened and mid-party the fluoro’s abruptly interrupted the dancing and the beautiful security herded all the fringers out the front of Town Hall. There was much screaming of ‘Where do we go now, world?’ So, a couple of friends and I decided that we should head back to our sleepy suburb of East Melbourne and take over one of the parks. To our delight most of the revelers followed and we finished Fringe sipping beverages on picnic rugs under the stars. Bliss.

What is your experience as an independent artist being part of the Melbourne Fringe?
I have been participating in Melbourne Fringe since 2010. During this time, I have presented many brand new works and have had the opportunity to extend my creative network … mainly at the Fringe Club after shows. It’s a bunch of sweat and tears, but a fuckload of fun.

What makes the Melbourne Fringe unique?
The fact that so many venues around Melbourne become their own satellite hub environments. During the two weeks of Fringe, you can be in any number of suburbs around the city (even as far as Seaford) and you can see a show or 12!

Your advice for choosing what to see in the Melbourne Fringe.
Pick something you wouldn’t normally be drawn to. You may be surprised. You may not. Either way, you’ve spent an hour feeding your creative mind, supporting an artist and the next hour could be a hoot. Also, go to the Club Nights – you dance, you sweat and you chat to people who genuinely love seeing your face turn up to their show when they’ve invited you at the bar.

ALSO: Please flick through the guide, point to something and see it! You could change your life…or not.

Do you think there’s a better system than star ratings for reviews?
Hmmmm. Not really. I think reviews are a really important part of performance and the surrounding conversation, but stars are, in the end, subjective. I say take your own gold star stickers to each show and you can leave your own rating on the body of the performer.

Five shows/events that you will not miss at the 2017 Melbourne Fringe.
Hannah Camilleri: Vision Statement(I am directing, but don’t let that dissuade you. Hannah is a force of character comedy.)
The Birth of the Unicorn Mermaid
Faith. A celebration of the world's most unholy queer icon: George Michael
Let’s get Practical! Live. Presented by The Very Good Looking Initiative
Betty GRUMBLE: Sex Clown Saves the World

James Jackson
Performer, writer and director of The Bloomshed

The Nose
26 September – 1 October
Mechanics Institute

SM: I thought I'd written more about James's work. I've seen a lot of it and he surprises and intrigues me every time. The first show I saw of his was The Government Inspector when he was still a student at Monash.

The Nose

If you could invite anyone to your show (and you knew they would come), who would it be?
Anne-Marie Peard

SM: Does sucking up work?
SM: Yes.

The Melbourne Fringe in three words.
Exuberant, exhilarating, busy

A favourite Melbourne Fringe memory.
Attempting to see four stellar performances in one evening and arriving on time to all of them.

Your experience as an independent artist being part of the Melbourne Fringe.
It is wild. We are so busy preparing our own shows alongside everyone else, culminating in this massive explosion of creativity. It’s a mind-blowing to witness.

What makes the Melbourne Fringe unique?
Size. The sheer volume of it all—no two things are alike. Multi-disciplinary = wild.

What’s your advice for choosing what to see in the Melbourne Fringe?
Don’t judge by the cover. It’s all nonsense until you’re there watching it.

Do you think there’s a better system than star ratings for reviews?
Some sort of system that compares the work to other works internationally, even films. Using genres, style, mode, form, etc to get people interested

Five shows/events that you will not miss at the 2017 Melbourne Fringe.
Reduced Vision Sound Experiments by Ashley Bartholomew
The Sky is Well Designed
Apocalypse in Blak presented by the Koorie Heritage Trust
For the Ones Who Walk Away presented by St Martins
Everything IS art. See as much of everything as you can.

Claire Sullivan
Comedian, performer, actor and writer
PO PO MO CO are a queer, alternative comedy troupe

PO PO MO CO Presents: Recreation & Leisure
September 23–30
Fringe Hub, Lithuanian Club – The Ballroom

PO PO MO CO. Photo by Theresa Harrison

If you could invite anyone to your show (and you knew they would come), who would it be?
Well, Leigh Bowery obviously. But Bowery is dead. But if you could somehow bring him back from the dead and give him tickets to see our show that would be fantastic. PO PO MO CO LOVES LEIGH BOWERY.

(SM: if you don’t know who Leigh Bowery is, find out.)

The Melbourne Fringe in three words.
Exciting, inspiring, synapse-firing

A favourite Melbourne Fringe memory.
Just running around Melbourne late at night, after doing my own solo show to go see another show, to go grab a drink with a friend and then dancing all night at the festival club in the warm September air.

What is your experience as an independent artist being part of the Melbourne Fringe?
Melbourne Fringe is what you make it. You work hard, you learn. As an independent artist it’s up to YOU to realise what it is that you want from Melbourne Fringe. Fringe will support you, but you also need to take it upon yourself to make the most of the opportunities that will prop up.

What makes the Melbourne Fringe unique?
It’s big and small. It lets performance artists use Melbourne as an arts playground for the duration of the festival.

Your advice for choosing what to see in the Melbourne Fringe.
Go see something unexpected. From a show in a cupboard to one in a ballroom. See the exciting and the unfamiliar; that’s what Fringe is all about!

Do you think there’s a better system than star ratings for reviews?
Well, star ratings are pretty good for posters. But I think the use of language. In giving great descriptive pull quotes is probably best. Stars are a bit arbitrary.

Five shows/events that you will not miss at the 2017 Melbourne Fringe
Madame Nightshade’s Poison Garden (normally she’s a PO PO MO CO-ian)
The Travelling Sisters: NOO SHO
Hannah Camilleri: Vision Statement
Super Woman Money Program by Elizabeth Davie
Josh Glanc: Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Charmedian

While we're counting down the sleeps to the Melbourne Fringe, a mob of flippin' amazing Australian shows and artists have been at the Edinburgh Fringe (it's a bit bigger than the Melb's one). Lots of them have added extra shows and sold out, and left me, at least, insanely jealous that I wasn't there.

And Hannah Gadsby won the lastminute.com Best Comedy Show award for Nanette. Winning this one is about as cool as it gets. And anyone who saw Nanette (or will; there might be some Opera House or Arts Centre tix left) knows why it won. Months after seeing at MICF, we're still talking about it in Melbourne.

As they are in a country where marriage equality exists, they got together to send this message back home.

Photo by Andrew Eaton

Now, they all need a lot of sleep and the promise of a snog and a hug when they get home.

Geraldine Hickey
Comedian and broadcaster

Geraldine Hickey – It’s My Show
19–29 September
The Imperial Hotel

SM: I first saw Geraldine back in 2009.

Geraldine Hickey

If you could invite anyone to your show (and you knew they would come), who would it be?
Tina Turner

The Melbourne Fringe in three words?
Joyful Chaotic Good times.

A favourite Melbourne Fringe memory.
Doing a sound tech for the 90s night with the band all thinking that I could sing and quickly realising I could not. The suggestion was that I could just speak the lyrics. I chose to sing. Badly, but most importantly proudly.

What is your experience as an independent artist being part of the Melbourne Fringe?
Pretty great and supportive.

Your advice for choosing what to see in the Melbourne Fringe?
If you are looking at a show in the guide and you read the blurb and can’t work out if it’s going to be the most amazing undiscovered gem or a steaming pile of rat poo, you need to go and see that show.

Do you think there’s a better system than star ratings for reviews?
Replace stars with cakes. If it’s a one star show, the performer gets one cake. The reviewer has to hand over the cake in person to the performer then give the review while performer gets to eat the cake.

Five shows/events that you will not miss at the 2017 Melbourne Fringe.
Tessa Waters: Volcano
Adam Mckenzie: Laser Light
Rama Nicholas in The Lucky Ones
Pee Stick
Lady Bunny in Trans-Jester

Elyce Phillips
I write and perform with sketch comedy group Bess County
Past reviewer for Squirrel Comedy

The First Annual (Doris to insert) Festival
15–23 of September
Club Voltaire

Bess County. Photo by Jesse Vogelaar

If you could invite anyone to your show (and you knew they would come), who would it be?
We’d love it if Grant Denyer came along. He’s the official muse of Bess County.

SM: Grant D talks on Twitter. See Brianna Williams’s How To Fringe; am I really going to talk to him again? Maybe he'll come. Let's do it. Tweet @grantdenyer. #GetGrantToBessCounty

Melbourne Fringe in three words?
Exciting, Experimental, Excessive-consumption-of-hot-chips-by-me.

A favourite Melbourne Fringe memory.
Going to see the Impossible Showcase in 2014. Seeing Demi Lardner suddenly leaking fake blood from her mouth as part of the Bryn Adams Duo remains one of the funniest things I have seen at any festival, and my partner and I still tell each other we’ve got “Big ol’ horse thighs” thanks to Alasdair Trembley-Birchall’s guided meditation. It’s on again this year and you should definitely check it out.

What is your experience as an independent artist being part of the Melbourne Fringe?
This is my first time as an artist at Melbourne Fringe! My experience so far has largely been terror-based nausea. And excitement! And excitement-based nausea!

What makes the Melbourne Fringe unique?
It’s a terrifically inclusive festival and a wonderful place for artists to get their start. You can test the waters, do something weird and you’re not restricted by genre.

What’s your advice for choosing what to see in the Melbourne Fringe?
Go and see at least one artist you’ve never seen before! I’ve stumbled on some of my favourite acts by hanging around after a show and seeing whatever was next at that venue.

Do you think there’s a better system than star ratings for reviews?
Star rating systems are a load of donk. Read the reviews, listen to what your mates are saying about shows and keep an ear out for word of mouth.

Five shows/events that you will not miss at the 2017 Melbourne Fringe.
Ghost vs Skeletons by Rose Bishop and Josh Chodsiezner
Naughty Hands: Signs of love, lust & insults
Stuart Bowden: When Our Molecules Meet Again* Let’s Hope They Remember What to Do *Probably In Space
I’m Here by Hit By A Blimp
Woah, Alyssa! 1

Isabel Angus
Comedian, writer and about to make my first foray into kids comedy

Fizzy Kids!
26–30 September 26 - 30
Gasworks Arts Park – Studio Theatre

SM: I trying (and failing) to find a night to see EDGE! the year it won Best Fringe Comedy in 2013; I saw at the comedy festival. But I first saw Isabel at the Short and Sweet festival; I remember the glitter.

Harley Hefford & Isabel Angus. Fizzy Kids. Photo by Angel Leggas, 3 Fates Media

If you could invite anyone to your show (and you knew they would come), who would it be?
Definitely Kristin Wiig.

The Melbourne Fringe in three words.
Sparkly. Innovative. Joyful.

A favourite Melbourne Fringe memory.
Doing my first ever Fringe show EDGE! in 2013 (with Rachel Davis) and realising what a wonderful festival the Melbourne Fringe Festival was (and still is).

What is your experience as an independent artist being part of the Melbourne Fringe?
Putting up a new show and getting people to see it can be challenging as an independent artist; however, in my experience, the audiences at Melbourne Fringe are some of the most welcoming and are open to new experiences.

What makes the Melbourne Fringe unique?
The multi-disciplinary nature of Melbourne Fringe makes it unlike any other festival in Melbourne. It is basically an explosive celebration of creativity, diversity and originality in Melbourne town.

What’s your advice for choosing what to see in the Melbourne Fringe?
I think if something about a particular event’s picture or event write-up appeals to you in any way, you should follow that instinct and take a punt on that new show. You never know what you will discover, and supporting emerging talent is a wonderful thing to do.

Do you think there’s a better system than star ratings for reviews?
I think the star rating system could be better if it were accompanied by a disclaimer of sorts, where the reviewer lists their personal interests and tastes – favourite films, books, theatre, TV shows etc. That way, readers can have an idea of the reviewer’s unique sensibilities, which might then help them gauge whether the show is for them or not. For instance if the reviewer lists Donald Trump as a personal interest/favourite, and gives a show two-stars, some people might chose to disregard that particular reviewer’s opinion; just a thought.

Five shows/events that you will not miss at the 2017 Melbourne Fringe.
Geraldine Hickey: It’s My Show
Pee Stick
Let’s get Practical! Live. Presented by The Very Good Looking Initiative
Tessa Waters: Volcano
Betty GRUMBLE: Sex Clown Saves the World

Caitlin Spears
Singer, actor, writer, producer
Roby Favretto
Actor, writer, producer

Cactus and the Mime
15–22 September
Fringe Hub, Lithuanian Club, Son of Loft

Caitlin Spears & Roby Favretto. Cactus and the Mime

If you could invite anyone to your show (and you knew they would come), who would it be?
The Wiggles, we think they would really enjoy the show.

The Melbourne Fringe in three words.
Metamorphosis, experimental, emerging

A favourite Melbourne Fringe memory.
Caitlin: Being picked during audience participation and teaching an actor to waltz at a poignant moment in the show.

Roby: Co-writing and performing in my first Fringe show called Notes From Zombieland. I played an alien robot obsessed with Tim Tams; it was very serious.

Your experience as an independent artist being part of the Melbourne Fringe?
Caitlin: This is my first experience participating in Fringe, and so far the experience has been very positive. The team at Fringe are very supportive and though being a part of over 440 shows is terrifying, being surrounded by so much creativity is very inspiring.

Roby: This is my fourth experience with Fringe, having acted and co-written previous shows. However this has been my first experience producing a show from the ground up. It hasn’t always been easy, but the wealth of knowledge I’ve gained from the experience has fuelled my passion to create and will inform my contribution to future works.

What makes the Melbourne Fringe unique?
Caitlin: Melbourne Fringe’s uniqueness comes from their belief that anyone can put on a show, and anyone can put on a show for Fringe. This openness to creativity and new work is very special.

What’s your advice for choosing what to see in the Melbourne Fringe?
Chose our show.
Read the synopsis and pick one show that sticks out, and then pick one that is a little outside your comfort zone. Go to both. Try to choose a variety of small- and large-scale pieces, both emerging and established talent.

Do you think there’s a better system than star ratings for reviews?
A series of reviews averaged to form a percentage of those who responded to the piece favourably, like film review site Rotten Tomatoes. Alternatively, a review system based on every facet of the production and not just an overall star mark. This way someone with a predominant interest in lighting might not be dissuaded from viewing a show they’re interested in because reviews indicate the acting let the show down.

Five shows/events you will not miss at the 2017 Melbourne Fringe?
High Achievers
How to Kill the Queen of Pop
Scatter-Brains & Doodle-Heads
Pivot
CACTUS AND THE MIME (when someone really wants you to see their show, see it)

Myf Clark
Marketing, admin, production management, stage management, directing, performing, board management and arts journalism
Co-director for the Girls on Film Festival

SM: Myf is another loved member of our #IndieMedia community. We met through Twitter.

Myf Clark. Selfie

The Melbourne Fringe in three words.
Dynamic, eclectic and FUN!

A favourite Melbourne Fringe memory.
Oh geez, where do I even start?!? I think many of my fave memories come from the Fringe Club - I've learnt how to dance to the Backstreet Boys and N'Sync, I've had bartenders throw condoms at me, I've danced my shoes off, I've scammed free drinks, I've become besties with people in the toilet and I've stolen a lot of show posters from said toilets to decorate my bedroom. And most importantly, I've had oodles of fun there and created so many fond memories. (Yes, even when people knock my drink into my face while I stupidly attempt to dance to Madonna while holding said drink...)

Your experience as an independent artist being part of the Melbourne Fringe?
My first experience in Fringe was as a performer in 2004 for Platform Youth Theatre's Faith, Hope and Surveillance (written by Ben Ellis and directed by John Britton). It was possibly one of the largest casts I've worked with and the most diverse. Saying that, it was probably also one of the shows filled with the most divas, dramas and hook ups (yes, myself included) that I have ever worked on... However I would never give that experience up and I feel like I learned so much from it. Since then, I've stepped behind the scenes and production managed/promoted a few shows.

What makes the Melbourne Fringe unique?
What I love about Melbourne Fringe is I never know what to expect or who to meet – even when I see shows by myself, I feel like I make new friends just by striking up a conversation with the stranger next to me. Melbourne Fringe is a place where I feel safe and happy and open to new experiences all at once and it is these feelings that make me feel proud to be a part of the Melbourne arts scene.

Your advice for choosing what to see in the Melbourne Fringe?
Like many audience members, I will go see many shows because I know people in them. But then I feel like I miss out on so many new potential talents. I actually find Facebook handy during Fringe as I can see what other people plan to see and I find it often opens me up to seeing artists I wouldn't have even considered.

Also, please remember that there are shows on beyond the Fringe Hub area. Some of my fave shows have been Northcote-based (I'm not biased at all!) but I feel that being outside the Hub allows for some greater experimentation. One particular highlight involved a Black Lung show which only took six audience members where we met outside the Northcote Town Hall, got blindfolded and driven to a mystery location, ate dinner amongst the performers, got blindfolded and put back in a car again, and then got dropped off on a side street in Northcote still blindfolded while the cast drove off.

Don't be afraid to take a risk!

Do you think there’s a better system than star ratings for reviews?
Having worked as a reviewer, both with and without star ratings, I have mixed feelings about them. I know that artists love them and they look great on promo material, but I know I personally wouldn't go see a show just because they received a high star rating. Can we start reviewing in emojis instead – that would be an interesting challenge...

Five shows/events that you will not miss at the 2017 Melbourne Fringe.
Grrl Power with Anna Gogo and Michelle Brasier
Estrella Wing, Showgirl by Margot Tanjutco
Crimson Tide
Let’s get Practical! Live. Presented by The Very Good Looking Initiative
Spice! A Singalong

Ash Flanders
Sisters Grimm
Anything they’ll let me do

SM: He’s the most written about person on SM and in the 10 years since I Love You Bro (my earnest over writing, his earnest hair) at the Melbourne Fringe, no one has come near his standard of ball acting (or in-joke). Ash is in Amsterdam this week because, after a month of many stars and glory at the Edinburgh Fringe, Lilith needed to see some windmills.

Backstage before the last Edinburgh performance of Lilith the Jungle Girl.
Genevieve Giuffre, Ash Flanders, Candy Bowers. Photo by Bec Etchell and Face App

The Melbourne Fringe in three words?
Open, Collaborative, Lithuanian.

A favourite Melbourne Fringe memory
Cutting myself by mistake at the end of a short play written by Tom Doig entitled One-Arm and Three-Arm in a Swamp. Spoiler alert: the play ended with me (One-Arm) cutting off the extra arm belonging to Three-Arm. I was a bit too excited with the scissors and they went right through his fake arm and into my real one. As we finished the play I felt something running down my leg and when I looked down I saw blood on the floor. As the lights faded out I turned to my co-star and said – quite calmly – ‘I have cut myself and need to leave the stage’. When the lights came back up for our curtain call I was already in the dressing room asking a doctor friend if I needed stitches. I still have the scar – and the bloody leotard is framed in my tiny apartment. Oh and my co-star is now working in Hollywood. So I guess we both came out on top?

What is your experience as an independent artist being part of the Melbourne Fringe?
It’s been a few years since I’ve worked with Melbourne Fringe, but my experience was always one of total support. I loved feeling like part of a community, and that whatever I was doing was part of something bigger. I also loved getting messy at the hub and embarrassing myself on the dancefloor – something I still do. Last year when Lilith The Jungle Girl closed at MTC, we all headed straight to Melbourne Fringe – all the best people are there!

What makes the Melbourne Fringe unique?
We’ve just been in Edinburgh for fringe and it really made me see the high standard of work we have back home. And while Adelaide Fringe is certainly a larger beast and can feel like a bit like a drunken party where people stumble into shows last minute, I think Melbourne Fringe is about the art first, and the party is (a close) second.

What’s your advice for choosing what to see in the Melbourne Fringe?
Support your icons but also take a chance in developing future ones. Nobody knew I’d become the international superstar that I am when I was doing a little show in the Loft at the Lithuanian club – and LOOK AT ME NOW!!!

SM: I knew.

Do you think there’s a better system than star ratings for reviews?
This is such a huge question and unfortunately I’m sure I have nothing new to say on the topic. I can see from an audience perspective why stars are a quick and easy way to have shows recommended – but as an artist I see how they can be an insanely reductive way to judge and value work. It’s obviously about the quality of the conversation around work – and I think it’s about maintaining a mix of long- and short-form criticism, as well as audiences being encouraged to write their own thoughts too. The more voices the better. And please, let’s talk about the ideas behind the work! At the moment I’d rather see a badly-made show with interesting ideas than a slick production with nothing to say.

Five shows/events you will not miss at the 2017 Melbourne Fringe.
Church curated by Mama Alto
Let’s get Practical! Live. Presented by The Very Good Looking Initiative
The Super Queer Murderess Show. A marginalia of fatal femmes
Public Displays of Therapy. A place where art and psychotherapy meet
Lady Bunny in Trans-Jester

SM: Anyone who's just done Edinburgh and can look at another fringe program without self harming can have another five.

BOSS written and performed by Charisa Bossinakis
Tony Martin and Geraldine Quinn: Childproof, the podcast
Tessa Waters: Volcano
Twenties (They didn’t play fair because that image means I have to go.)
Betty GRUMBLE: Sex Clown Saves the World

Declan Greene
Writer, director, dramaturg, expert cleaner of pink slime (ask me about Lilith: The Jungle Girl in Edinburgh)
Sisters Grimm
Resident Artist at Malthouse Theatre (Malthouse 2018 season was launched last night)

SM: My other equally-favourite sister. Our first enounter was Cellblock Booty in 2008.

Mink (and Declan Greene)

The Melbourne Fringe in three words.
Tipsy, Wasted, Hungover

A favourite Melbourne Fringe memory
Being asked to do a one-off night at the Fringe Club! It was called Fugly, and was a night of weird alterna-drag starring Art Simone and Olympia Bukkakis – where we also asked three theatre-makers to devise drag acts for the occasion.

Zoe Coombs Marr and Mish Grigor did a reading from Stephen Sewell’s The Boys with poorly-applied facial hair (very proto-Dave), Angus Cerini performed as a female bodybuilder (for which he got a full body-wax and spray tan, though certainly no-one asked him to). But the highlight of the night, for me, was The Rabble’s performance. Mary-Helen Sassman appeared onstage in a bathrobe and fake beard, looking very heavily pregnant, and told a series of increasingly nauseating ‘dead baby’ jokes – then stripped off her robe to reveal that she wasn’t wearing a fake stomach but was, indeed, very, very heavily pregnant... At which point she started thrashing to death metal and finally sang a gorgeous rendition of Odetta’s "Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child". As legend now has it, Mary-Helen stuck around to watch a few more of the acts, then went home early and a few hours later gave birth. Amazing.

SM: I was there for the first half and will never forgive myself for missing MHS.

What is your experience as an independent artist being part of the Melbourne Fringe?
The Fringe Hub is a blurry, blurry world and I’m sure most of what I’ve done there isn’t fit for print.

What makes the Melbourne Fringe unique?
It’s not like Adelaide and Edinburgh where there’s a huge influx of artists from interstate and overseas presenting their work to a new audience. It’s far more localised: an occasion for a bunch of Melbourne’s most brilliant artists to present new work simultaneously, with a sampler of great stuff from out-of-town. And it works because the quality of independent theatre/art in Melbourne is so high anyway. Soooo... *tongue-pop* (I can’t actually do a tongue-pop).

What’s your advice for choosing what to see in the Melbourne Fringe?
Listen to the buzz and book in early instead of waiting until stuff is sold out and you have to beg the artists to stand in their bio box (this is advice I hope to one day take myself). Oh, and see the stuff you’re genuinely curious about – not just the 50 shows you feel obligated to see because you know someone in it. Unless ALL of your friends are amazingly talented (and let’s face it, they’re not). Don’t burn out or have a boring Fringe.

Do you think there’s a better system than star ratings for reviews?
Look, I fucking hate star-ratings as much as any other artist, but a fringe festival environment isn’t where anyone goes for nourishing long-form critical engagement. I think there’s an unspoken amnesty where it’s accepted, generally, that star-ratings are a necessary service for audience members in an open-access environment that’s saturated with art work of varying quality...!

Five shows/events that you will not miss at the 2017 Melbourne Fringe.
Church curated by Mama Alto
Let’s get Practical! Live. Presented by The Very Good Looking Initiative
The One by Jeffrey Jay Fowler
Betty GRUMBLE: Sex Clown Saves the World
One Of The Good Ones. A Blackfella sci-fi exploring race and space

Karla Hillam
Performer

Ugly Duckling
18–24 September
The Butterfly Club

Karla Hillam. Ugly Duckling. Photo by Dale Mastin

If you could invite anyone to your show (and you knew they would come), who would it be?
Baz Luhrmann

A favourite Melbourne Fringe memory.
Getting lost in the Fringe Hub and discovering something awesome: a show called No Punchline. It was about female empowerment and used elements of boxing and circus to explore strength in femininity. Those girls were seriously strong and fit. It was amazing an quite inspiring. And self devised. I would have never gone for it if I hadn't literally stumbled upon, but I'm so glad I did! It made me want to go home and make something.

Your experience as an independent artist being part of the Melbourne Fringe.
An exciting but steep learning curve with lots of help and support along the way.

What makes the Melbourne Fringe unique.
It’s the testing ground and birth place for many shows that go on to have great big lives.

Advice for choosing what to see in the Melbourne Fringe.
Ask around. I always ask my friends what they loved and hated and why.

Is there a better system than star ratings for reviews?
I’ve always had stars in my eyes.

Five shows/events that you will not miss at the 2017 Melbourne Fringe.
Self
Discordia
Fringe Wives Club: Glittery Clittery: a conSENSUAL party
Tony Martin and Geraldine Quinn: Childproof, the podcast
Fringe Furniture 31

Anna Thomson
Performer, workshop facilitator, stilt-walker

Madame Nightshade’s Poison Garden
21 September – 1 October
La Mama

Anna Thomson, Photo by Theresa Harrison

If you could invite anyone to your show (and you knew they would come), who would it be?
Harpo Marx.

The Melbourne Fringe in three words?
Experimental. Outrageous. FUN.

A favourite Melbourne Fringe memory.
Learning a backstreet boys dance with 300 other people at the Fringe Hub!

What is your experience as an independent artist being part of the Melbourne Fringe?
Fringe is an excellent space to see and produce independent art. Audiences know they should come ready for anything and there’s such a variety of shows to see.

What do makes the Melbourne Fringe unique?
The depth and breadth of shows on offer. Stand up. Comedy. Improv. Theatre. Dance. I love choosing a show from every genre and seeing what turns up.

What’s your advice for choosing what to see in the Melbourne Fringe?
Choose something you’ve heard of before, something you know someone in and at least on thing you’ve never heard of. You can discover hidden gems at Fringe!

Do you think there’s a better system than star ratings for reviews?
Stars are good in that punters can easily relate, but I think overall they aren’t a real indication of a quality show. I think quotes are better,;a good tag line can go a long way!

Five shows/events that you will not miss at the 2017 Melbourne Fringe.
Po Po Mo Co: Recreation & Leisure
A Brisk Wind Whistling Down Twin Oak Drive by Phoebe Mason
Woman Laughing With a Bowl of Salad by Emma Smith
Hannah Camilleri: Vision Statement
The Yonder by Elizabeth Davie, Shannon Lim, Ezel Ismet

Paige Marshall
Theatre maker/director. I also work as a speech pathologist in early childhood intervention

I Carry Your Heart
15–22 September
Fringe Hub: Arts House – Studio 1

Paige Marshall. Photo by Dannika Bonser

If you could invite anyone to your show (and you knew they would come), who would it be?
I would love if my family and friends who live overseas/interstate could be there; alas, it’s a bit of a way to come. I’m looking forward to sharing the show with folks from the Kin Collective, Elbow Room, and Dee & Cornelius (fingers crossed they can all make it). Clare Bowditch and Carrie Bickmore would be great too.

The Melbourne Fringe in three words.
A delicious bounty.

A Melbourne Fringe memory.
In the months after I lost my partner (the impetus for creating I Carry Your Heart), a dear friend took me out for dinner at Gerald’s Bar followed by my first ever Melbourne Fringe show that starred playwright Katy Warner. Six years later I’m presenting my first Fringe work, quite the road in between.

What is your experience as an independent artist being part of the Melbourne Fringe?
I have loved being a part of the Fringe community. The support provided by the Fringe team is exceptional and has made my life as a first-time co-producer so much easier than it could have been. The FAQ information sessions have been invaluable. Huge shout outs to Xanthe and Tom B.

What makes the Melbourne Fringe unique?
The boldness and willingness of artists to try new things. It’s a safe and supportive place to create and have a public outcome for new work and ideas.

Your advice for choosing what to see in the Melbourne Fringe.
As an artist, I like to support those who support me. I also like to choose a mix of genres and seek out artists/companies that create accessible art.

Do you think there’s a better system than star ratings for reviews?
Mind blank ... ummm fruit baskets? From rotting to various levels of bountiful fruit and treats. Champagne and chocolate are obviously included in the 5-star basket. Like, really expensive champagne.

Five shows/events you will not miss at the 2017 Melbourne Fringe.
The Children’s Party
Congress, All the Queen’s Men
The Vagina Monologues by Deafferent Theatre
Title and Deed (Monologue for a Slightly Foreign Man)
Hamiltunes, Impromptunes
The Maze

Amelia Evans
Theatre maker

TRAPS: a romantic comedy for the modern sociopath by Amelia Evans
15–30 September
Fringe Hub – Studio 1

Amelia Evans

If you could invite anyone to your show (and you knew they would come), who would it be?
Beyonce, Jay Z and Solange. Then we would join forces and turn our show into a blockbuster musical.

The Melbourne Fringe in three words?
Manic. Colourful. Local.

A favourite Melbourne Fringe memories?
The final night of my show Cut Snake in 2011. We crammed 60 people into a tiny room above a pub. The actors were sweating like mad and we weren’t sure if they could land any of the acrobatics. They nailed it. Was a lot of fun.

What do you think makes the Melbourne Fringe unique?
It’s still small enough to feel like a tight-knit community, like we are all in it together.

Your advice for choosing what to see in the Melbourne Fringe?
Start by booking three things on the same night – then go to the club and talk to people. You’ll get a solid shortlist pretty quickly.

Five shows/events that you will not miss at the 2017 Melbourne Fringe.
Spice! A Singalong
The One by Jeffrey Jay Fowler
Hannah Camilleri: Vision Statement
Geraldine Hickey: It’s My Show
The Vagina Monologues by Deafferent Theatre

Katie Visser
Singer-songwriter, cabaret artist. I’m also a secondary drama and english teacher

Katie’s 80s
14–16 September
Studio Theatre, Gasworks Arts Park

Katie Visser. Photo by James Terry

If you could invite anyone to your show (and you knew they would come), who would it be?
Madonna, Kim Wilde, Tina Turner, Pat Benetar, Ann and Nancy Wilson, and any other famous icon of the 80s. If Michael Jackson, Prince, George Michael and David Bowie came back from the dead, I’d definitely invite them too.

The Melbourne Fringe in three words.
Diverse, Creative, Community.

A favourite Melbourne Fringe memory.
In 2002, I performed in a Fringe show as part of a Monash Student Union Theatre (MUST) play at a bar called Pony and the audience sat on milk crates (or something like that) while the cast acted around them in this stuffy, cramped upstairs room that had a retro look about it.

What is your experience as an independent artist being part of the Melbourne Fringe?
It’s been really positive. This is the first time I have self-produced and performed a show for the Fringe and I can't believe the resources and contacts you get. You learn so much as you go.

What makes the Melbourne Fringe unique?
It’s all about helping independent artists get the best experience and as much exposure as possible. They are all about access and inclusivity.

Your advice for choosing what to see in the Melbourne Fringe.
See whatever interests you. Even if you don’t know the artists, go and see local and independent art and support our vibrant arts community.

Do you think there’s a better system than star ratings for reviews?
Why do we have to rate art? Can’t we just give positive vibes to everyone?

Five shows/events you will not miss at the 2017 Melbourne Fringe.
Bed Reckoning
Prayers to Broken Stone, Boutique Theatre
Sam Marzden’s 1950's B-Grade Sci-Fi Movie
The Songs of Jesse Adams
The Lazy Show, Nikki Spunde

How to Fringe 2017: Keith Gow

How to Fringe 2017: Caleb Darwent and Nicholas Gray

How to Fringe 2017: Myron My

How to Fringe 2017: Brianna Williams

How to Fringe 2017: Tom Halls

How to Fringe 2017: James Jackson

How to Fringe 2017: Claire Sullivan

Edinbugh Fringe #MarriageEquality

How to Fringe 2017: Geraldine Hickey

How to Fringe 2017: Elyce Phillips

How to Fringe 17: Isabel Angus

How to Fringe 2017: Caitlin Spears & Roby Favretto

How to Fringe 2017: Myf Clark

How to Fringe 2017: Ash Flanders

How to Fringe 2017: Declan Greene

How to Fringe 2017: Karla Hillam

How to Fringe 2017: Anna Thomson

How to Fringe 2017: Paige Marshall

How to Fringe 2017: Amelia Evans

How to Fringe 2017: Katie Visser