Appalling Behaviour will have its Queensland premiere as part of Brisbane’s MELT Festival in February.
After sell-out seasons interstate, Appalling Behaviour, the visceral latest work from AWGIE award-winning playwright, Stephen House, will have its Queensland premiere as part of Brisbane Powerhouse’s MELT festival for queer arts and culture.
Running from 10 -13 February, director Shane Pike’s unique take on this gritty story is sure to excite as local rising star Tom Markiewicz heats up the stage in drag inspired by Mugatu’s own Derelicte. A local musical theatre talent, Markiewicz’s boyish charm and fine figure are matched only by his powerful cabaret-style singing voice and the deep intensity of his storytelling. This production is raw in its simplicity; gritty in its energy; and promises to arouse, in every sense of the word.
This play is about living on the fringe of society and losing everything. Set in a dingy cabaret club on the seedier side of Paris’s Montmartre, this interpretation of House’s critically acclaimed work deals with homelessness, sex and sexuality, madness, drug use, addiction and isolation in a foreign land. Contemporary expressions of queer anxieties and culture are seen to peak out through the hypnotically poetic words of the play’s gay writer, before being laid bare by the gender-explorative actor, Markiewicz. The show surreptitiously (but purposefully) subverts normative-gender discourse. All of this is supported by an ethereal musical accompaniment provided by the enigmatic local musician, Silvan Rus, whose Eurasian heritage adds some spice to the sympathetic soundtrack he provides.
Appalling Behaviour is brought to Brisbane by Wax Lyrical Productions. A young, vibrant company dedicated to taking art, and audiences, to the edge, this production is sure to push the boundaries and leave you in no doubt that you have just been entertained!
Show Details
What: Appalling Behaviour by Stephen House
When: Wednesday10th – Saturday 13th February, 7:15pm
Where: MELT Festival, Brisbane Powerhouse, Turbine Studio
Bookings: brisbanepowerhouse.org or 07 3358 8600
Tickets: $19(preview)/$24(concession)/$29(full) + transaction fee ($3 single ticket/$6 multiple tickets)
Running Time: 60 mins
