Henry Kelly

I'm going to state the glaringly obvious: the best way to support independent theatre is to go see independent theatre. Shocking, I know. But where does one start?  Melbourne is the independent arts hub of Australia, and there is something weird and wonderful going on every night of the year. It's all well and good to preach about supporting the arts, but sometimes it feels nebulous when the real change is out of the hands of the little guy.  This guide aims to let you peek behind the curtain of how indie theatre operates, and offer practical ways for an individual to support this vibrant and vital sector.

Fresh from her first Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Anna Piper Scott’s latest show for The Melbourne International Comedy Festival does not disappoint. The cult phenomenon of Melbourne’s comedy scene is here to finally reach her target demographic: heterosexuals.  Scott welcomes her audience by introducing herself individually as they sit. She acknowledges that this is something she likes to do to make everyone feel comfortable, as this may be someone’s first time meeting a “real-life trans woman”. The act is the kindest set up to a punchline imaginable, instantly setting the tone that she is allowing us to laugh with her at all the queer shenanigans soon to unfold.  A quick audience poll determines that a grand total of two people here are straight, and Anna reassures that this is a safe space for them – she has tens of hetero friends, after all. In fact, Scott explains that this show was made for the straights. She declares that upon seeing their undying love for Ed Sheeran as a cry for help, and receiving advice from fellow comedians to “tone down her queerness to gain success”, she has decided to give it a go.  Scott balances this perfectly – keeping her set ostensibly queer, but just as accessible for any fresh allies wandering in. In her first story of the evening, Scott recounts a tram ride where she was defended by a Pedro Pascal-esque cowboy from two shit-talking teenage boys. The entire interaction, having unfolded in Spanish, completely goes over Scott’s head, but the

For those of us that rely on Taskmaster UK to introduce us to the plethora of exceptional comedic talent out there, you’ll be pleased to know that Fern Brady is just as charming at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival as she is on TV. The season 14 fan favourite’s new stand-up show is an hour of dry quips and social commentary, ranging from meeting her spirit guide in the form of a stray cat on a beach in Thailand, to questioning why it is that Scotland has more monuments dedicated to dogs than to women.  When Brady first walks onstage, she dives into the classic ‘Melbourne vs. other-Australian-city-international-artist-has-toured-to-recently’ debate, winning us over very easily with a dig at Adelaide’s Easter Parade and limited Coles trading hours. From then on, we are with her completely. Going into depth about her love/hate relationship with Botox, she has us in stitches as she recalls the time that Miriam Margolyes ripped her to shreds for daring to interfere with her ageing, all whilst passing her immobile reaction to the situation as her ‘tism, and not the fresh dose of ‘tox in her forehead.  Botox is not the only pharmaceutical she is a fan of, however. A ‘committed stoner’, she praises Australia’s recognition of psilocybin as a treatment for depression, before launching into a wild tale of finding drug dealers whilst on holiday to gift her brother with a birthday treat of ‘mushroom therapy’ – before incidentally eating an entire bag of the things herself. Her d