One good thing about a Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF) is that you don’t have to look too hard to find obsessive weirdos doing something quite outside of the mainstream.
Ruby Teys is one of these, playing the lead character Cherry (and some others) in a one-woman character comedy accurately described as “ … her original Australiana tropicana psychological sh*tstorm.”
A digital stop-motion sequence showed us how Cherry had a rough start to life in South Australia’s mining town of Coober Pedy. A similar style of video would play an important role across the show in setting both scene and mood as Cherry’s tale proceeded.
The adventure begins when, in 1991, Cherry hitchhikes to the glamourous Gold Coast, only to find that Surfers’ Paradise doesn’t glitter anywhere near as much as expected.
What’s a naïve young woman to do when in desperate need of money? A chance meeting with nightclub dancer Citrus offers one possibility, but this is no stable gig.
Being judged as barely up to the club owner’s standards causes Cherry to work on her dance routines, and also develop a comedy act. This owes a bit to Bette Midler’s style of zingers, but also has a recognisable Ocker flavour.
High-energy dance routines made use of ridiculous costuming, which becomes even more so as, amidst this world of beauty treatments, crims, and sugar daddies, a mystery unfolds at the club.
Teys looks the part as a showgirl, and uses her very physical style of performing to earn some good laughs. Her tale confounded and surprised with its various twists and turns. Perhaps some sequences ran a bit too long, but this was a preview night, and we can expect that some of the cues will be sharper as the season proceeds.
This tale includes female empowerment, some social commentary, and even some disguised Australian history. In her telling, this energetic Cherry shines as brightly as the “Mandarine Sunrise” fake tan so beloved by her community of Gold Coast dancers.
Cherry Vinyl: Coober Pedy’s Last Showgirl
The Greek Centre – Aphrodite Room, 168 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Performance: Friday 28 March 2025 – 9.00pm
Season continues to 20 April 2025
Information and Bookings: www.comedyfestival.com.au
Image: Ruby Teys stars in Cherry Vinyl: Coober Pedy’s Last Showgirl (supplied)
Review: Jason Whyte