Not A Gender Reveal Party: Quick Changes And A Slow Burlesque

Silo Theatre and Freya Silas Finch (they/them) play with gender for the wonderfully offbeat and eccentric world premiere of A Slow Burlesque, taking the stage at Basement Theatre from 3 – 19 October.

From the mind of one of the most exciting young artists in Aotearoa, this absurd variety show draws on experimental origins of early performance art for a journey into the mad psyche of larger than life characters, none of who would be out of place at the table with Cindy Sherman, Andy Warhol and on the set of Fantasmas.

Pull the costumes out of the dress up box and see who takes the stage. A washed up diva refusing the spotlight; a Hollywood leading man strutting his stuff, a punk poet waxing lyrical, other-worldy creatures tying themselves in knots; or maybe, if you’re lucky, a real, ordinary human. Through absurd comedy, physical theatre, burlesque and many, many, many costume changes, A Slow Burlesque asks; if all the world’s a stage, who are we when we exit stage left, and strip off our costumes?

Directed by theatre legend Jo Randerson (ONZM) with dramaturgy by Sophie Roberts, Finch is out to have some fun with gender. With some grotesque and wildly theatrical costumes by leading designer Kirsty Cameron, and support from stylist Tautahi Subritzky, they invite people into a space that is free, expansive and deliciously freaky.

Emerging designers Talia Pua (set design) and Bekky Boyce (lighting design), and Ōutautahi-based choreographer Josie Archer, are all set to make their Silo debuts, while blurring the lines between theatre, cinema and reality.

“Gender politics is exploding and there’s a lot of fear out there. My show is a liberating, playful spin on what it can be like to experiment with your gender. Whether you’re trans or cisgender this show allows you to feel hopeful and joyful. Playing with gender has always existed. It's nothing to be scared about.” says Finch.

Finch has been dreaming up this show for the last three years after having the original seed of an idea more than a decade ago. Inspired by their clown training at the John Bolton Theatre School this work is biographical, but in an abstract way. “Loosely these characters are survival masks that I’ve worn in this world as a trans person. A hyper playful version of the personas I’ve tried on”, they said.

Originally from Sheffield, England, Freya Silas Finch relocated to Aotearoa New Zealand at an early age. Finch's works include BED, Car, and Shabbat Shalom and Thank You for Coming, which won them Auckland Fringe’s Best Newcomer Award in 2017. They've performed in shows across Aotearoa, including Actual Fact, Yorick! and Auckland Theatre Company’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. Finch curated and directed the successful Auckland Pride Galas in 2020 and 2021 and is currently making a film as part of their training at A Wave in The Ocean, Artistic Director Dame Jane Campion’s pop-up film school. In 2023 Finch recieved the Arts Foundation Springboard Award. They previously collaborated with Silo Theatre in 2021 with Break Bread, and developed A Slow Burlesque in 2023 and 2024 as a Silo Artistic Associate.

Director Jo Randerson is a Te Whanganui-a-Tara based performer, writer, clown, director and theatre-maker. With a career beginning in the 90s, Jo has become one Aotearoa’s leading creatives and a true artistic force. She has received the Robert Burns Fellowship, an Arts Foundation New Gen Award, an ONZM, the Topp Prize and the Bruce Mason Playwriting Award.

Finch says “We’ve all been so fu*king well-behaved recently, it's time for people to get freaky and have some fun.”

A SLOW BURLESQUE plays
3 – 19 October
Basement Theatre
Tickets at www.silotheatre.co.nz

CREATIVE TEAM:
Creation & Performance – Freya Silas Finch
Direction – Jo Randerson
Dramaturgy – Sophie Roberts
Design – Bekky Boyce, Kirsty Cameron, Talia Pua, Tautahi Subritzky
Choreography – Josie Archer

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