Whimsy:
to be playfully quaint or fanciful behaviour or humour, which
is exactly what you get with The
Merchant of Whimsy, a playful celebration of the different and strange
that lives within us all. Clara Cupcakes utilises every skill at her disposal
with acts ranging from mind boggling hula hooping to stop motion animation
filled with whimsy and wonder, all tied together with her cute yet surprisingly
dark and insightful character.
The
brains and talent behind Clara Cupcakes, Elly Squire, burst on to the burlesque
scene six years ago and hasn’t looked back. After performing in Fringe
World in 2012, she packed her bags and travelled the world, performing
everywhere and anywhere she could, in as many different disciplines as
possible. All these experiences culminated in the debut season of The Merchant of Whimsy at the Melbourne
International Comedy Festival, which rightfully earned her a 2015 Golden Gibbo
nomination.
"After I found out I was nominated, I had to go home because I was so over simulated and I just paced around the park next to my house, wrapped in a blanket, talking on the phone to my best friend in Perth because I didn't know what to do," Squire says. "I alternated between laughing like a maniac and sobbing uncontrollably. It was my first solo show so being nominated for it was kinda amazing. I was nominated with some of my very favourite people, which was the best! I also got so many hugs all the time. I think that was my favourite part."
So who
exactly is this Merchant of Venice? "She is Edmond Dantes. She is your
father and your mother; your brother, your friend. She is you, and me. She is
all of us. She is also someone who grossly misappropriates lines from
the movie adaption of the excellent graphic novel V for Vendetta to
inaccurately describe herself," she says. "The Merchant of
Whimsy is actually Clara Cupcakes, alter ego, well known rabble rouser and
totally loveable loon. Her primary function is to be a big weird
idiot who does strange things and has the best time ever in the hopes that
it'll make people laugh. Please laugh."
"I hope the show makes people feel uplifted, like happy little helium balloons. I want to feel loved, okay with the world and to accept and love people for who they are - quirks and all. Most importantly, I want them to feel like it's okay to be silly sometimes. It's FUN!" Squire explains. However, if that isn't enough to sway you, there is much more to see in this show. "It has 6 costume changes! And light sabres! And circus! And monkeys! No other show has monkeys. Well there is one other show with gorillas but that's COMPLETELY different." Whim lyfe indeed!
Venue: Fringe Hub, The Lithuanian Club, 44 Errol St, North Melbourne, 3051
Season: 26 September - 3 October | Tues-Sat 10.30pm, Sun 9.30pm
Tickets: $20 Full | $15 Conc | Cheap Tuesday | Preview
Bookings: Melbourne Fringe Festival
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