It's wonderful to find at least one unexpected cultural link with every artist, but I'm realising that Sarah Collins and I are the only people who like SLH*s.
Head to AussieTheatre.com for the Fringe Fever profiles.
Here are some previews. Their name links to their profile and on their show name to their Fringe page.
Timothy Clark, a first-time Fringe comedian in 4's KIN (ha, ha...), where four young comedians show us what they can do. (Gotta say, brilliant way to do your first show.) I met Tim in a writing for TV class, where he silenced the room with a fisting joke. He descibes the show as "good, clean smut" and has been influenced by Captain Feathersword, Sidney Lumet and Batman.
Bron Battern's doing a show with her parents and understands the incredibleness of blue cheese on pizza. Her show Sweet Child of Mine is already the most popular answer to "What other Fringe show will you NOT miss?". I first saw her in 2008 (Two Little Spiels), and she does the best onstage animals ever.
Coming up
There's not much I haven't said about the Sisters Grimm Ash Flanders and Declan Greene. There's one chance to see them at the Fringe and it's going to be FUGLY! as they invite the likes of Angus Cerini, Post and The Rabble to try drag. You'll hate yourself if you miss it.
I was invited to their first show, Fat Camp, a few years ago and didn't go because there was no way I was going to watch kids make fun of fat people. I regret my decision (and it's a lesson to all to make sure that your media releases really reflect the nature of your show), because the Sisters may well be my favourite Melbourne company.
Kate McLennan's shows have always left me with a sore jaw from constantly smiling. She creates characters who are so real and so flawed that you have to love them. More recently she's been opening up her own life to create heartfelt and fucking hilarious work. I say it a lot, but it's the artists who really show us their hearts that we go back to see again and again. She also tells me that she's developing this Fringe show, Homeward Bound, into a book. I'll be first in line for a copy.
Soon: Miles O'Neil, Stephen House, Jennifer Williams, Johannes Scherpenhuizen, Miranda Hill, Rob Lloyd and a heap more.
*Soy latte with honey
