"The nun to slut spectrum is navigated by mixing a sense of the sacred with the profane. I enjoy switching between these two extremes - often through music, facial expressions, and play with the audience," she tells me. "The nun character herself has an internal battle with these two sides of herself, which manifests in surprising ways. The piece grew out of my own journey of unpacking my religious upbringing and deconstructing the way the church speaks about sexuality and the body. I think sexuality and spirituality are inherently linked. There is a lot of irony in the emphasis placed on the control of the body and desire, when spirituality is such an embodied experience. Nun Slut really highlights this irony in an absurd way.
Integrating the previously mentioned genres and styles across shifting characters and scenes may seem like a big task, but it’s Robin’s nun that makes this mix not only possible, but gives it shape and focus. "The nun is an instantly recognisable figure, and in a way, she represents religion, or suppression, or restrictive ideals. This allows the satire to kind of bleed into the whole show," she says. "At the same time, she is preposterous, and has this unhinged side - she’s an absolute contradiction. Nun Slut is broken up into segments where I switch character or tone, and I have a musician on the keyboard who lends to the cabaret quality to the performance as well.
"The physical comedy arrived as an unexpected delight when developing this," Robin explains. "I began with a series of stand-up bits and a couple of sketches I had tried out at open mic nights. As I was piecing this together, the nun character emerged, along with the youth pastor. I experimented by setting them up with different objects or games to engage with, and tested out ideas with audiences or friends. I would play, and take note of what unfolded. Over time, these would become more refined as I figured out how to structure and escalate each section for maximum fun."
While there is a script and routine to the show, Robin is constantly looking for ways to push herself creatively and maximise that fun for the audience, even as she is performing. "I'm regularly trying to find new things to explore to keep Nun Slut fresh for me. Being in that discovery mindset is important and adds to the playfulness of it all. In Adelaide, I asked the tech to put a random object in the theatre on the props table before I came out on stage," she recalls. "I challenged myself to use the prop during the show and witness what happened! Other times, I choose a moment or aspect of the performance that I want to lean in to that evening, to see what might eventuate."
"I love giving the gift of surprise. There are a lot of instances in Nun Slut where something unplanned takes place. As a performer, I also love being surprised. With moments of audience participation, something uncharted happens every night, and I love being caught off guard. I can’t wait to see what Melbourne audiences bring!"
SHOW DETAILS
Venue: Trades Hall, Cnr Lygon & Victoria Sts, Carlton
Season: 1 - 5 October | Wed - Sat 10pm, Sun 9pm
Duration: 55 minutes
Tickets: $28 Full | $21 Conc | $21 Wednesday Hump Day
Bookings: Melbourne Fringe Festival
Image credit: Image Construction
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