Blaque Showgirls

From acclaimed playwright Nakkiah Lui (Blak Cabaret, ABC’s Black Comedy) comes the Melbourne premiere of Blaque Showgirls – a witty and provocative satire that cashes in on cultural tourism – at The Malthouse Theatre from 11 November 2016.

Ginny is a white-skinned ‘blaque’ girl who dreams of becoming the best Aboriginal dancer in the glitzy clubs of Brisvegas. Bullied for the fairness of her skin and belittled by judges at her Blaque Showgirls audition, Ginny begins to doubt that she’ll ever perform her ‘Peking Emu’ dance on-stage.

That is, until the Asian hostess of Kum Den shows her there’s more than one way to make a buck out of cultural tourism. Ginny’s big break is just around the corner and there’s a bedazzled dot-painting jumpsuit just waiting for her to put on.

Blaque Showgirls will be directed by Sarah Giles and will feature Elaine Combie (Country Song, The New Black) Bessie Holland (The Sovereign Wife, Wentworth), Guy Simon (Jasper Jones) and Emi Canavan.

Sarah Giles is an opera and theatre director based in Melbourne. Theatre credits includes The Popular Mechanicals (State Theatre of South Australia), Perplex, Mrs Warren’s Profession, Mariage Blanc, Money Shots, Ruby Moon (STC), The Ugly One, The Pigeons (Griffin Independent), Kreutzer VS Kreutzer (The Australian Chamber Orchestra), That Face (Red Stitch), The Herbal Bed (The New Theatre), The Bald Soprano, Face to the Wall (NIDA ), The Maids (La Mama) and Straight White Men (MTC).

Nakkiah Lui is an award winning playwright and co-writer and star of Black Comedy on ABC TV. Her previous works include This Heaven (Belvoir and Finborough Theatre), I Should Have Told You Before We Made Love (That I’m Black), Stho Sthexy, Blackie Blackie Brown: The Traditional Owners of Death, Bondi Feast; Tamarama Rock Surfers, Blak Cabaret (Sydney Festival and Malthouse Theatre) and Kill the Messenger (Belvoir).

Director: Sarah Giles Featuring: Emi Canavan, Elaine Crombie, Bessie Holland, Guy Simon Set & Costume Design: Eugyeene Teh Lighting Design: Paul Jackson Composition & Sound Design: Jed Palmer Movement Director: Ben Graetz Dramaturg: Declan Greene Contributing Dramaturg: Louise Gough