What: After Hours Cabaret Club – LOCK IN

Where: Wonderland Spiegeltent, Gluttony

When: Various dates to 14/3

How much?: $35, concession $27 (The Sat 29 Feb show has Auslan interpretation)

I am the Oldest Person in the World, so when I realised that the After Hours Cabaret Club – LOCK IN starts at 10.45 at night, I was trepidatious. I love naked women dancing as much as the next bi woman, but I also love tea and naps. After a couple of tinnies though, I was in an appropriately mellow mood for what MC Tash York billed as a night of nudity (oooOOOoOh), remarkable physical theatrics (aaAAaah), and general wtf-ery.

The After Hours Cabaret Club has become a mainstay of Fringe season, and this year they’ve taken over the late night spot of the Wonderland Spiegeltent at Gluttony. The messy lock-in vibe of the evening is brilliantly realised: it’s a bit messy, a bit dirty, and completely unexpected.

York kicked off the evening yelling ‘how ya going ya fuckheads!’ and that pretty much set the incredibly upbeat, funny, and crass tone for the evening. As with many comedy cabarets, audience participation is mandatory, and you’re not safe just because you’re not in the front row. York’s hugely engaging and had the whole audience with her from the outset, as each new performer takes you further down the rabbit hole. The rating on this show is 18+ and I just want to reiterate – do not take minors to this show.

With brilliant burlesque, excellent drag, hilarious magic, remarkable circus, and a frankly incredible final act that is too strange to actually put into words but made me laugh so much I cried, After Hours Cabaret Club’s LOCK IN is not to be missed. Take your boomer aunt Sharon and make her sit in the front row, it’ll be great, promise.

4.5 / 5

p.s. To the hot bass player who looks like Tegan and/or Sarah in the band … hello 😉

–Brydie