[Comedy/Clown – Victoria  – SA/World Premiere]

Basement at Secret Basement @ WEA   9pm Wed 21 Feb 2024

Imagine a female Benny Hill, delightfully titillating while masterfully clowning, and smiling complicitly. Mel McGlensey takes us on a voyage, plunging into an exploration of the roles we adopt in relationships, and the audience happily sign on as crew members. By the way, it should be clear from the flyer/poster that this is not clowning for kids. She pokes fun at the patriarchal take on women as objects, playing with our sexual fantasies and the worldwide obsession with porn. She bravely goes beyond extremes, yet remains always the innocent fool, light and oh, so very silly. It’s also about the weird way we view our bodies. Some men are all at sea now there’s a shift in the power dynamic, and female liberation explores new territory. This self-empowerment provides new freedoms, but leaving the safety of the harbour, especially on your own, is scary and risky. Whether our boat can weather the storms is uncertain. And what happens when the motor fails, and you drift? Luckily this Motorboat runs on laughter, and there is plenty of this fun fuel to bring the boat safe home. Mel has no doubt many more assets to show us, so if you want to know what the Fringe is all about: innovation and pushing the arts to new heights, then make sure you book a ride on this cruise-ship, Mel’s Motorboat.

Directed by Sharnema Nougar.