The stage is set, the lights are ready to shine.
Melbourne’s weirdest festival is bringing the best of the best to Geelong from October 26-28 with the return of the Melbourne Fringe Encore.
Allowing regional Victorians to get in on a piece of the colourful and wonderful action of Melbourne Fringe Festival for the third consecutive year, the takeover will feature an eclectic mix of performances from local artists, comedians, and awe-inspiring talents across three nights in the brand-new Open House theatre!
Stay up to date with what’s happening within the region’s art scene here.
This year’s lineup is nothing short of sensational, with a host of remarkable artists ready to dazzle the audience. From the endlessly talented Alisa Tanaka-King and Ania Reynolds to the satirical genius Scout Boxall, the thought-provoking and brilliant Ryan Hamilton, Em Keagan, Georgie Wolfe & Jonno Graffam, the hilarious humorists Mel & Sam, and the fabulously flamboyant Yummy, there’s something for everyone.
Here’s a sneak peek at the performances you can expect:
Dumplings Darling: Love Without Borders
By Alisa Tanaka-King & Ania Reynolds – Thursday 26 October, 7pm
A heartwarming performance that combines storytelling, love, and handmade dumplings – celebrating what brings us together and sets us apart. Part theatre, part live music, and reminiscent of childhood storytime at the library, it’s an intimate protest piece combating fear and division.
Here, Alisa and Ania will transport you on a magical journey of laughter, heartache, and hope – and yes, there will be dumplings. Originally programmed for Melbourne Fringe Hub 2021, Dumplings Darling can be set in any number of venues, including non-traditional spaces. Alisa and Ania are very open to activating unusual spaces, provided an audience can still be seated comfortably to experience the work.
This show is designed for a maximum audience of 30 people per show. Food is served throughout the performance.
Pork Chop
By Scout Boxall – Thursday 26 October, 8:15pm
Satirical genius Scout Boxall is a recovering perfectionist who has catalogued a series of former addictions and hyperfixations and arranged them in an hour that they hope is pleasing to you.
In Pork Chop, Scout presents an exhaustive examination of everything they have ever quit, an attempt to assemble a life raft out of the detritus of a “gifted & talented” childhood, s, offering a peek inside a pulsing brain that hums and screams.
Scout Boxall is one of the most exciting new talents in Australian comedy. Their work swings between pithy observational stand up and manic, chaotic powerpoint comedy with a sharp political awareness. Winner of Best Emerging Artist (Melbourne Fringe 2019), nominee for Best Newcomer (MICF 2021), and recipient of the Moosehead Award (MICF 2022), Scout has been absolutely smashing it on the scene with appearances at Up Late, the Upfront Gala, the Mardi Gras Gala and Splendour In The Grass.
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Full Cream
By Ryan Hamilton, Em Keagan, Georgie Wolfe & Jonno Graffam – Thursday 27 October, 7pm
“Em & Ryan are housemates. Em & Ryan are fat. Em & Ryan are on all the dating apps.”
A story of two ‘fat queer housemates’ and the joy they find in friendship. It’s a celebration of being happy and not the elephant in the room. Blending verbatim text, devised theatre, and a mukbang, Full Cream imagines a stage where fat people belong.
Hold onto your love handles: This is a show for all those who keep track of who’s the fattest in the room, and for all those who are the fattest in the room.
High Pony
By Mel & Sam – Friday 27 October, 8:15pm
High Pony is the high-energy, side-splitting musical comedy madness from the award-winning duo Mel & Sam.
What happens when Annie the Orphan, a cannibal (non-derogatory) and the entire Sandringham under 25’s netball team walk into a bar?
This year, Green Room award-winning Mel & Sam are back after their sold-out-pussy-popping tours of ‘No Hat No Play! The Cabaret’ and ‘Sh*t-Wrecked!’. So, sit down, shut up and get ready for them to yank you by your ponytail through a chaotic hour of musical sketch comedy.
They’ve got their madonna mics cranked to full volume. They’ve got characters that absolutely do NOT need a solo musical theatre ballad (Angela Anaconda, we’re looking at you – you greyscale b*tch) and they’ve got synth lines so dirty it will make you want to take your clothes off and call your ex-girlfriend. Featuring an all-original soundtrack with songs including ‘Don’t Eat Meat, Eat Your Friends’, ‘Babies Are Cancelled’ and ‘Lesbians Don’t Get The Ick, And That’s Science!’, this is Mel & Sam like you’ve never seen them before … and there’ll be no fly aways tonight, boys.
This is high concept. High art. High pony.
Joy Machine
By Yummy – Saturday 28 October, 8:15pm
From its humble beginnings as an underground club cabaret, to sell out shows on the West End and 5 Star reviews in Edinburgh Fringe Festival, YUMMY has taken the world of drag cabaret by storm, having performed in over 50 festivals around Australia and overseas.
Prepare for an outrageous, outlandish, and unpredictable cabaret ensemble that will leave you in awe. Led by Fringe favourite Valerie Hex and an all-star cast, prepare for the perfect balance of fast paced, sexy, and ridiculous variety show perfection.
YUMMY is a multi-award-winning cabaret company that incorporates drag, dance, circus, and burlesque, and has been presenting critically acclaimed productions since 2015. Having toured to over 50 festivals around Australia and overseas, YUMMY have won hearts and minds around the globe. Known for their slick aesthetic and camp sensibility, YUMMY will make you fall in love and howl with laughter. Celebrated for “a unique style and high production values”, YUMMY is recognised internationally as a leader in cabaret. Recent awards include “The People’s Choice Award” (Melbourne Fringe 2021), “Best Cabaret” (Fringe World 2019), and “Best Production” (Green Room Awards 2018) among others.
With a cult following and wild aesthetic, YUMMY has become legendary in the underground club cabaret scene, and presents feature-length productions in festivals that transverse both entertainment and performance art.
You won’t want to miss this!
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Melbourne Fringe Encore at Geelong Arts Centre – 26 – 28 October. Purchase tickets for the shows here.
