Melbourne is set to be treated to a dazzling set of shows from Sparkle Society, as the circus-cabaret show Cab Suave heads to the city, following sell-out shows and rave reviews at Adelaide Fringe Festival.
Cab Suave will feature as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, bringing acrobatics, over-the-top costumes and lots of live music to the stage while evoking the sordid and sultry feel of classic film noir and sending up the genre’s outdated stereotypes.
Expect dazzling circus stunts from acrobatics, aerial and hula hoops, aerial stunts, juggling and more, as the show follows slightly-thick private investigator Dick Johnson (the show is chock full of dick jokes, you have been warned) as he attempts to dig up the dirt on the less-than-reputable ‘Cabaret Suave’ and shut the show down for good.
With an all-queer cast except for a “token straight white man”, Cab Suave aims to normalise queer artists in commercial settings and offers the kind of representation the crew wish they’d had in their formative years.
“We wanted to make a show that was flashy and fun without the tired gender roles we are so used to seeing on main stages,” says Director and cast member Latonya Wigginton (she/her). “It’s a loving parody of film noir, that we’ve really flipped the script on.”
Adds Latonya’s partner and trans woman Winter Cyan (she/her), “Growing up, even amongst my small circle of welcoming and progressive artists, I had no trans role models.
“Through my work and through Cab Suave, I want to [create] positive and varied representation for gender diverse people that would have meant the world to me growing up, and to help make it easier for queer youth to find confidence in themselves.”
“We really want to break down those stereotypes in our work and show that you don’t have to look a certain way, be a certain size, or portray a certain sexuality to be in a fabulous sparkly show,” Winnington concludes.
Cab Suave will run from 31 March – 10 April at the all-new 500-seat Big Top at Reunion Park and is suitable for ages 12+. For more information and to buy tickets, head to the official website for the 2022 Melbourne Comedy Festival.
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