A Midsumma Feast

Coral Drouyn gives a brief roundup of this year’s famous queer festival and talks to Director Byron Bache about his latest offering  - Stop Kiss.

Melbourne’s Midsumma Festival opened at the weekend, and the programme proves once again that this is far more than one of the world’s top gay arts festivals. Yes, it is a celebration for the Lesbian and Gay community, complete with a Mardi Gras style Gay Pride march, but it’s also a fabulous collection of cabaret, dance, art, music, theatre, for everyone who loves the arts. Here are just a few of the “straight” friendly productions around Melbourne until Feb 8th

In cabaret the offerings are as diverse as the fabulous Dolly Diamond with her four piece band and special guests in Dolly Diamond under the Big Top; Matthew Mitcham’s honestly poignant and highly amusing Twists and Turns; The Laugh Out Loud Big Gay Comedy Night and offerings back to back at 45 downstairs which I can’t wait to see….two Uber talented performers bring their new cabaret shows to Town, Michael Griffiths is Adolescent, and let’s hope he stays that way, and the gobsmackingly great Luigi Lucente channels Jim Morrison in Kaleidoscope…Michael’s show is at 7pm and Luigi’s at 8.30…and there’s a special deal if you see both shows together (see you for the opening – Wednesday 21^st).

There are dance and music performances and the fabulous Finucane and Smith’s Caravan Burlesque returns with a new show – Wilder West at Newport’s powerstation.

But it’s theatre that offers some of the most exciting choices – from Loving Repeating, a sensual musical about Gertrude Stein and Alice B Toklas with music from Tony winner Stephen Flaherty, which promises to be a treat; to a return season of Red Stitch’s heart-warming production of Jumpers for Goalposts – a must see if you missed last year’s season. If you don’t get to Harvey Milk the Opera (and even if you do), then put Stop Kiss on your list. Written by Diana Son, it tells of two “straight” women, drawn together, who share one kiss which leads to a vicious “gay” bashing. Presented by Boutique Theatre (a young company rapidly making a name for itself) it’s a very different style of play in that it doesn’t deal with the normal themes Midsumma plays bring us. I talked to Director Byron Bache during the rehearsal period and asked him first why he had chosen the play.

BB: - I first read it about ten years ago and it impressed me with its heart, its humanity and the fact that, although there is violence at the core, it’s actually very funny. I forgot about it for a while, but for the past couple of years I’ve been looking for a chance to direct it.

CD: - But the two women are ostensibly straight, is that right?

BB: Yes. It’s not a gay play in the sense of “My Boyfriend’s Dying of Aids, What Can I Do?” mode. I think we’ve moved beyond that – the subject may be huge but it’s also constricting and it tends to put all people in the same box and that’s limiting. I’m interested in how people perceive, or misperceive others. And how love, beyond same sex attraction, can transcend gender. And I wanted to explore the bravery of people who move beyond labels and stereotypes to discover their true selves, and what it costs them. That’s where this play is coming from.

CD:  So the aim is ….?

BB: The aim is good theatre, good entertainment, reaching people and somehow touching them while you entertain them. It’s all about recognising the truth within the text.

CD:  Is it hard for you as a theatre critic (Byron Bache is the critic for the Melbourne  Herald Sun) to take off that hat and put on a Director’s hat?

Byron chuckles.

BB: Well, you might think so, but actually it’s just the same hat worn at a different angle. The two are remarkably similar. A critic cannot help but be subjective…it’s his (or her) reaction to a production and why it does or doesn’t work. A critic has a vision of a show…and so does a director; but the director approaches from the opposite end in creating a vision that a critic will understand and relate to. In the end we both want the same thing.

CD: And that is?

BB: Bloody good theatre…isn’t that what everyone wants?

Stop Kiss is at the Mechanics Institute Performing Arts Centre Brunswick from Jan 22^nd to Feb 8th.

For all other dates and venues and the full programme….visit

https://midsumma.org.au/