We
can’t go to a dingy club in 1930s Berlin for a taste of Weimar Kabaret, but
Melbourne has some fine dingy alleys and we can speak some German at the long
awaited return of Kunst ist Scheisse
on Wednesday 30 June and sample comedy, circus, burlesque and ‘arty shit’ from
the Melbourne’s finest alternative cabaret artists.
Long
before Australia Has Talent, artists
would gather in clubs to discuss culture and politics over espressos and
absinthe – and perform. With critical eyes and adventurous spirits, these
dissident performers took risks, took liberties and took their audience
somewhere shockingly new. And the
cabaret tradition still thrives.
Kunst ist Scheisse
(Art is Shit) first appeared six years ago in a Brunswick Street bar and the
monthly show featured many artists who are now among Melbourne’s
favourites (and mine). After a three-year
run, the organisers developed their own shows and regularly appeared at The Last Tuesday Society.
The
welcome back Kunst show is at 24
Moons, Melbourne’s newest cocktail bar in ACDC Lane, and will rock all night
long with host Eva Johansen (part clown, part ingénue), house band The Suitcase
Royale (before they head off to the UK again) and a program that reads like an
award ceremony with a line up who have won Golden Gibbo, Green Room, Barry and
Melbourne Fringe awards and wowed the toughest critics in Melbourne, the UK and
the US.
With
most of the performers regularly selling out their individual shows, this is an
extraordinary opportunity to see The List Operators, Wes Snelling, The Caravan of Love and David Quirk. And check out record-breaking juggler Earl Shatford and
dance artist Jess Devereaux.
Kunst ist Sheisse
promises a different line up each fortnight and it’ll pay to arrive early as
the venue is intimate.
More
information is on their Facebook page. Or be at 24 Moons in ACDC Lane from 8pm on
Wednesday.
GIVEAWAY
Kunst ist Scheisse has free double pass for a Sometimes Melbourne reader. If you'd like to come along on Wednesday 30 June, email your name to kunst@internode.on.net by 5 pm on Tuesday 29 June with Sometimes Melbourne as your subject. The winner's name will be drawn out of a bowler hat and the winner will be emailed on Tuesday night.
Photo by Telia Neville
