10 Quick Qs – EastEnd Cabaret
Heckler-favourites Bernadette Byrne and Victor Victoria are back in Adelaide with Dirty Talk! We asked them the important questions.
1. Tell us a little about your show! What should we expect this time around?
BB: Well, darlings, it’s a brand new show, full of my own personal karma sutra advice and tiny sex robots, and we are very excited about unleashing on to the Adelaide Fringe audiences.
VV: Our songs and stories are definitely as naughty as ever-
BB: -and I’ll be looking for some new “man-beast” candidates, too.
VV: There may be one old favourite song in there though. We can’t resist a dangerwank…
2. What’s your favourite brand of gin? Give us a Top Five.
VV: Excellent question! My top 5 changes quite often, depending on our location, the amount of money left in the gin fund, which botanicals are in vogue…
BB: Stop being such a nerd, Victy.
VV: …so in no particular order:
1. The West Winds “Sabre” gin from Margaret River in WA (yay! Australian!)
2. Sipsmiths (particularly their sloe gin) from London
3. Monkey 47 from the Black Forest in Germany (47% proof, so for hardcore gin-lovers only)
4. Hendricks (of course) from Scotland
5. Tanqueray 10, import strength, from your local duty-free store (the discerning traveller’s choice).
BB: Now if only one of these companies would give us a sponsorship deal…
3. What was the most challenging aspect about putting your show together?
BB: Deciding which of my stories to put in… and preventing Victy from turning the show into one big musical instrument-fest.
4. Which instrument have you never got around to learning?
VV: The guitar. I tried. I failed. Let us never speak of it again. It’s such an overrated instrument, anyway.
5. If you could be any character in any movie, who and what would it be?
BB: I would play myself, in the biographical film that is undoubtedly going to be made about my life. Steve Buscemi would play have to play Victy, he is the only one that would have the facial expressions to do it.
VV: I would be Conan, in Conan the Destroyer! He managed to be super-manly whilst sporting a gorgeous, flowing mane of hair. Plus, he hangs out with Grace Jones, which is awesome.
6. What advice would you give to any aspiring local cabaret superstars?
BB: The time is now, darlings. If you have stories that you want to share with the world, decide how to do it and begin!
VV: The Adelaide Fringe is a wonderful place to find inspiration. Go and see shows. Lots of shows.
BB: And keep an eye on your gin supply. It’s what the cabaret world runs on…
7. Who’s the biggest celebrity you’ve ever been ignored by?
BB: I have never been ignored. Ever.
VV: Although once, David Hasselhof stole a taxi that we had flagged down. He just got straight in. Didn’t notice us standing there.
BB: So rude.
8. Where are you performing next after Adelaide Fringe?
BB: We’re heading straight to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, for a two week run at the Famous Spiegeltent in Federation Square.
VV: Tell all of your Melburnian friends!
9. If EastEnd Cabaret were a dessert, how would you make it?
BB: I would get Victy to make it. I don’t cook.
VV: It would be decadent, delicious, and leave you incredibly satisfied. And a bit spicy! Like a comedic tiramisu, laced with tabasco.
10. What other Fringe show are you most excited to catch up with?
BB: We have a wonderful, incredibly talented fringe family that we see all around the world – and you should see them too! Book for Stuart Bowden’s “She Was Probably Not A Robot” and Squidboy – those two are just beautiful, heartfelt and funny shows.
VV: And so many of our friends have come over from the UK, too: the hiphop genius Abandoman, the hilarious Alexis Dubus, astounding gentleman juggler Mat Ricardo, filthy puppet fiends Boris & Sergey… go see them all!
EastEnd Cabaret opens from 14th February. Make it a Valentine’s date!
