Kaleidoscope Recs: the Dyke’s Guide to theatre and art at Sydney WorldPride
Lesbian art is rarely represented within the queer world let alone in our heteronormative one. For years Mardi Gras has been an event where Dykes on Bikes is pretty much the only lesbian representation. This year at Sydney WorldPride is different.
Lesbians take centre stage in these sick recommendations from Laneikka, a lesbian playwright who wrote FEMINAZI (scroll to find out more) and Charlotte, theatre dyke extraordinaire (click titles for tix):
Eulogy for the Dyke Bar
It makes us sooooooo sad we don’t have a designated space for AFAB queers. Don’t get us wrong we love a gay bar, but this exhibit is a very arty way of paying tribute and remembering that the real lesbian bars (community) will always be in our hearts.
Plus, how could you NOT go along with this delightfully inclusive blurb from the event page:
If you have identified with the term or an experience of feminine-spectrum queerness in the past or present (or perhaps future), and/or feel an affiliation or ally-ship with dyke culture, you are welcome, and valued at the dyke bar.
Eulogy for the Dyke Bar shows at the National Art School from 7 February – 5 March
CAMP
Women and dykes have been integral to queer rights movements across the world, including at the birth of the Australian Mardi Gras protests in the 1970s. CAMP tells the “remarkable true stories” of the women inside the movement, proudly presented by queer and feminist theatre company Siren Theatre Co at the Seymour Centre. Get your thinking caps and protest banners together and get ready to cry, laugh, learn and remember our queer ancestors in this theatrical tribute by emerging playwright Elias Jamieson Brown.
CAMP plays at the Seymour Centre from 15 February – 4 March
Bright Half Life
Lesbians are known for falling hard and fast in love. Bright Half Life shares the four-and-a-half-decade love story of Vicky and Erica – in the form of a non-linear play. From the fantastic people behind 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche at Mardi Gras 2021 and 2022, this one will be mushy, lovey-dovey and a little bit weird. Would you still dive in if you knew how all your love stories would end? Come on, you’re a dyke, of course you would.
Bright Half Life plays at the Meraki Arts Bar from 2 – 19 February
Blessed Union
What if you just wanna see a lesbian divorce comedy? Well, Maeve Marsden (of Queerstories fame) has you sorted with her wicked new play at Belvoir. Directed by the incredible Hannah Goodwin and starring the fabulous Danielle Cormack, this one will be silly, funny, and a little bit heartfelt (like all your favourite rom-coms). It’s also the first of two lesbian-led works playing at Belvoir, the home of this year’s lesbian-est WorldPride theatre productions…
Blessed Union plays at Belvoir’s Upstairs Theatre from 11 February – 11 March
FEMINAZI
FEMINAZI is the second (and less grown-up) of Belvoir’s history-making lesbian-led works playing this WorldPride. Written by Laneikka, it follows a lesbian performance artist antihero (think Cate in Tár) who sets out to kill every man in the world. FEMINAZI is a darkly funny internet play that explores the ever-changing definition of what it means to be “queer” through the lens of a problematic lesbian who has scrolled a little too far in the wrong algorithm that leads them to unravel their own queer trauma and dysphoria. We’ve got White Lotus Imperial Hotel Dance Raves, Y2K horror visual Imagery and a whole lot of lesbian life shit.
It’s worth the chaotic ride — especially on our Lesbian and Non-Binary folks’ night (8 March) where Drag Kings and a lesbian panel (presented by Enqueer) will enhance the experience and build community with an entirely queer audience!
FEMINAZI plays at Belvoir’s Downstairs Theatre from 22 February - 11 March
This Kaleidoscope Recs was generously donated by Laneikka. Follow her on Instagram @laneikka, and follow FEMINAZI @feminazi2023.
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