Melbourne International Comedy Festival review

He’s a gay, black, Nigerian drag artist; she’s a confrontational white American feminist performance artist. And when they collaborate, it’s… well, something of a hodgepodge. But a thought-provoking and entertaining hodgepodge nonetheless.

Grey Arias’ starting point is art that can, at best, be considered ‘problematic’. Specifically Puccini’s Madame Butterfly, an early 20th-century Italian man’s idea of Japanese woman that romanticises her statutory rape by an American naval officer when she was just 15.

‘Do people know this?’ asks an incredulous Adrienne Truscott when learning of the plot.

‘Sometimes…’ deadpans opera buff Le Gateau Chocolat.

Their discussion bounces around, covering who has the right to tell stories and how they are received, bringing up their own past traumas to make their points and offering a sprightly dialogue about their friendship. 

Between them, they’ve experienced racism, sexism, body-shaming, rape and other abuse. The content warning at the start pretty much states: Triggers? If you can name it, we’ve probably got it. 

Their personal stories are treated comically, even offhandedly, but that only gives them more impact. Yet processing issues of oppression and pain through art is not always straightforward. The opera world couldn’t get past the colour of Chocolat’s skin, for example – which is why he landed in cabaret, where at least he could pick his repertoire. 

Meanwhile, Truscott was irked when a certain black British comic lumped her in with other feminist stand-ups rather than assessing on her own merits. Is it an inevitable consequence of identity politics that everyone then gets pigeonholed by the adjectives that fit?

Nothing’s entirely resolved. For instance, the duo bring up the concept of authenticity in casting – shouldn’t a Japanese woman play Butterfly on stage? But then colour or gender- blind casting is usually seen as progressive, too,

There’s a wit and a spark to their banter; the dynamism emphasised as they move around the stage, sometimes standing on the raised platforms they wheel around. Gateau bursts out his seductive baritone on several occasions, and Truscott is as provocative – and as naked – as usual.

Their script can be a bit in-jokey. One of the heartiest guffaws comes from a line reminiscing about where they first met: ’Was it Le Clique, or was it La Soirée?’ It elicits a big performative laugh from those keen to show they are among the cognoscenti aware of the friction between the cabaret franchises 15 years ago.

But mainly Grey Arias exists to provoke discussion rather than resolve anything – and on that, job done. Truscott and Chocolat's quick, spiky banter offers an entertaining way to raise the issues while avoiding any heavy-handedness or ponderous chin-stroking.

• Adrienne Truscott & Le Gateau Chocolat: Grey Arias is on at The Malthouse at 8.45pm (7.45pm Sundays, no show Monday) until April 23.

Review date: 16 Apr 2023
Reviewed by: Steve Bennett
Reviewed at: Melbourne International Comedy Festival