Glittergrass
Fringe Wives Club
31 March 2019
Malthouse – Beckett Theatre
to 21 April
comedyfestival.com.au
 |
| Fringe Wives Club |
I'd been calling Glittergrass "Clittergrass" – both work.
The Fringe Wives Club have been touring to festivals with pink and purple sequins, clothes with pockets, and a positive and unrelenting feminist attitude for over two years. They're making women, and anyone identifying as female, feel good about themselves by telling stories about amazing women, reminding the I'm-not-a-feminists that you can have a dick without being a dick, and acknowledging the privilege of being able to make many song-and-dances about being a woman.
To increase the power of the club, the original trio (Victoria Falconer, Tessa Waters and Rowena Hutson) have welcomed brilliant new wives Laura Frew and Sharnema Nougar. The new show also has a live band of wives, and everyone who sees and loves them can consider themselves a wife. (It's the only time I'd call myself a wife.)
Does sparkle, song, dance and purple hair change the world? If only it were that easy. But a show that addresses anger, frustration and shame with love, pride and positivity is many steps in the right direction.
And they ain't finished yet. Today I read this story in the Guardian. Our federal government doesn't believe the professional advice about domestic violence and thinks it's better for women and children to stay in abusive relationships because "family". If you think counselling will help, have a watch of this episode of You Can't Ask That on iView. We ain't finished yet.
Being a wife is about way more than pockets, awesome hair and confidence. It's being someone who supports and is supported. It's about creating a world where everyone can feel and be safe. It's about standing up for people who can't stand up for themselves. It's about making equality the bottom line of what we accept in life, rather than something we reach for.
 |
| Jessie Hickman: the bushranger no one makes a musical about |
