Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2019: Fringe Wives Club is back with a bluegrass band

MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL

Fringe Wives Club: Glittergrass ★★★½
Malthouse Theatre, until April 21

The five sassy ladies who form Fringe Wives Club (Victoria Falconer, Tessa Waters, Rowena Hutson, Laura Frew and Sharnema Nougar) arrive onstage in spangled, bewigged glory and promptly break into a pop medley book-ended by a bluegrass rendition of Lady Gaga’s Born This Way.

It’s a dynamic, musically hectic start to this rowdy feminist cabaret, which offers many highlights including a thigh-slapping singalong in honour of Australia’s forgotten “lady bushranger”, Jessie Hickman, and a banger of a bush ballad that throws patriarchy into the sea.

The performers have different specialities, and their individual abilities vary. Falconer stands out as the star all-rounder, with musical versatility, alluring jazz vocals and the impish shtick of a born comedienne.

Others aren’t triple-treats in the same way, but the show tailors slapstick, clowning, song and dance to each of their strengths.

Sharper lyrics are needed to convert loose parody into social satire, and Glittergrass could use a stronger line to stitch the quilt of variety together, but it makes up with raw talent and wild exuberance what it lacks in craft and critique.