Review | Laura Money
Are you lonely?
Do you have a fear of rejection?
Is your Instagram filter covering up a bit too much?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you should call The Fixits! These glittery ladies are the latest offering from Paper Haus Productions and they are a powerhouse quintet ready to rock your socks off with positivity and a lot of girl power. Devised as a way to help young people remove the stigma of anxiety and mental health issues, SUGAR seeks to empower people, and to realise that sometimes just being ‘ok’ is enough.
Pink balloons and sugary-pink party accessories adorn the tent. Sugar (Claire Thomas) is hosting a birthday party – she flits back and forth across the stage in a fairy-tale pretty dress, princess hair flowing behind her, and simpering Disney-big eyes glued to her giant, pink, glittery smart phone. All does not go well for Sugar, as no-one shows up at her party and her boyfriend dumps her. It’s a grim start!
Sugar calls the Fixits – a team consisting of a diverse cast of WA talent – who dazzle her with their multiple talents. The chemistry is undeniable, although there are a few awkward moments where friendly rivalry gets a bit too real. Singer, Sinead O’Hara takes the lead as Honey, the up and coming musical sensation and tries to fix everything with her strong vocals and even stronger personality. It’s pretty funny stuff – singing about putting your phone on aeroplane mode and hosting a ‘game show’ – yet, her talents seem to overshadow those of her colleagues.
Aerial and circus artists, Jamee Campbell and Jordan Clarke add an elegance to the work, especially in the sequences where they demonstrate that stillness is a great way to calm down. And local emcee Hyclass paired with urban dancer Tinesha Sampi bring the work from Katy Perry to Beyonce with their sassy raps and dance moves.
The work is a little naiive, yet it is the perfect vehicle to showcase such diverse talents. It’s great to see so many young Western Australian performers spreading the message of love, feminism, positive mental health, and creative expression – and doing it well. Go girls!
WHEN: 27 January – 5 February 2018 | 8:15pm
WHERE: Black Flamingo | The Pleasure Garden | Northbridge
INFO: Tickets $15 – $23 | Duration 60 mins | Suitable all ages | WA Artists | CABARET
LINK: https://fringeworld.com.au/whats_on/sugar-fw2018
