DUDEBOX
One might be still scratching their head the morning after seeing Dudebox, it so delightfully obscures in the most crass and obscene way; from the moment you enter the theatre space, audience are introduced to this motley crew of performers by way of three individuals, dressed to the nines in two dollar shop sequins, mingling and getting nice and intimate with the punters.
What follows is an almost tight fifty minute show that delves into the realms of queer subversiveness through burlesque, drag, sketch and highly physical comedy- is it family viewing? Certainly not, but it works well within its late night time slot at The Lithuanian Club in North Melbourne.
It’s an all star line up, but one that is ultimately stolen by Becky Lou- who here is nearly unrecognizable, dressed as a hens night stripper, and Lilly Fish in her litany of roles. It could be argued, upon first contact, that there is very little in the way of a through line, but, as you continue to reflect, one is present- it is one that delves into such hot topics as feminism, toxic masculinity, and our currently woeful state of government here, in Australia.
Of any criticism to afford this performance, it rest solely on energy, the music needs to be cranked up to full, the ensemble members need up their game just a little more, they need get dirtier and deeper into the work, and really throw audiences under the bus – with this added dash of energy, Dudebox most certainly could leave the competition for dead.
Closing scenes will certainly ruin any love affair one might have with Meatloaf (or pastrami) and, all together, Dude box is full of beautifully subversive queer irreverence and as a performance it comes highly recommended.
