Unbuttoned was a four-day festival of gender, sex and everything in between, hosted by Metro Arts as part of the Brisbane Festival.
Two pieces of live art included 'The Talk' and 'Wank Bank Masterclass'.
The Talk
The phrase 'The Talk' is sure to send shivers down the spine of the 13-year-old in all of us, and Mish Grigor’s (sort of) one woman play does that terror justice, and then some.Recruiting the audience to read scripts as members of her family, Mish re-enacted various conversations with her mum, dad and brothers about sex. It was absolutely as horrifying and as tender as you imagine. But she supplied Prosecco and (importantly, original flavour) Pizza Shapes, which made the journey that much smoother.
In the course of her project on her family members’ sex lives, Mish remembered the first time her father gave her and her brother 'The Talk', all the while gently poking at a massive blind zit on Mish’s forehead. She informed her mum that she knew her parents liked it rough, because she’d been able to hear them going at it through her bedroom wall since she was ten. But it was all fun and games until her younger brother revealed a secret, with devastating consequences.
The story Mish told to alleviate the tension around the “family table” that night was also pretty stunning, but for different reasons. Think of condoms playing hide and seek, and a couple of different partners, and you might have an idea of the horror the audience felt putting themselves in Mish’s shoes.
The play was graphic, but hilarious. It dealt with very intimate subject matter, both physical and emotional. Mish’s telling was charming, light and genuine. The technique of hosting only the tiniest of audiences while inviting them to be her family, and forming her dramatic troop for an evening, formed a close bond in the theatre, if only for an hour.
Wank Bank Masterclass
The title pretty much sums this one up, it is exactly what the headline promises it to be. Best. Masterclass. Ever.Rural Ranga (aka Adam Seymour) drew on his time as a New York City “happy ending” massage therapist to host a master class in male masturbation. The audience was a mixed bag of young and old, male and female, gay and straight and everything in-between. Everyone had a wonderful time.
In true masterclass fashion, Rural Ranga stood out the front with a PowerPoint presentation, and delivered hands on demonstrations for lucky audience members. All demonstrations were fully clothed and PG rated, so consenting boys and girls with a cucumber between their knees got the full “happy ending” treatment.
Show bags were supplied with the words 'Wank Bank' in massive letters, which class attendees gleefully carried on their arms when the class was let out. To better follow along with Ranga’s instructions, we were all given a phallic vegetable, some balloon testicles, lube and an instruction sheet detailing all the techniques. Laminated, of course. There was a prize for “best wanker”, and Rural Ranga had merch for purchase after the show, including a Tinder colouring book.
A female 'Wank Bank Masterclass' is in the works, and if it is anything like the original show, it will be informative, entertaining, and well worth checking out.
