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On Wednesday some friends and I saw The Freak and The Showgirl at the Melba Spiegeltent. It was fabulous disability-burlesque. Wow. I don’t think I was quite prepared for the level of nudity and barrier pushing. But it was highly enjoyable. 

The Freak and the Showgirl stars Mat Fraser (from American Horror Story) and his wife Julie Atlas Muz (former Miss Coney Island). It challenged my thinking around freak shows (Mat said they’re empowering and gave people with disabilities financial freedom), and made me uncomfortable at times (there was a part where Julie held a gun and I was scared!). But that’s what good art does, right?

I wrote about Mat last year after seeing him and Julie in Exposed. I really like how he’s taken control of his disability and image and mixed the shock factor with pride. 

I was one of five invited on stage to wiggle my bum during the show. I got a slap on the arse from Mat. And (thank GOD) I missed being involved in a naked beer orgy on stage by this (–) much. 

Mat wrote to me after the show, thanking me for being brave enough to twerk on stage. 

Here’s a video about the show from The Age (contains nudity). Enjoy!

The Freak and the Showgirl is playing in Melbourne on 21 and 22 March. Tickets here. Strictly 18+.

(I paid for my own ticket and drink, and haven’t been paid to write about the show. I just really enjoyed it.)