Pursuing Pleasure is a daring cabaret that mixes opera, pop, and cabaret sensibilities to explore what it means to accept joy, sensuality, and self-discovery. Piera Dennerstein, known for her dynamic performances, takes audiences on a journey that balances humour, vulnerability, and bold theatricality. Ahead of her Melbourne Fringe season, we sat down with the soprano to talk about how she transforms personal experiences into performance, the power of pleasure, and pushing boundaries on stage.
And no better way to begin than ask how a show that centres pleasure as a political and personal act has been a work in progress for years, even though Dennerstein didn't quite know it. "For the longest time, I thought I had nothing to say! I enjoyed writing and was a prolific poet, but whenever I was encouraged to write my own show, I felt I had no stories of value. In 2022, by chance, I saw Betty Grumble’s "Enemies of Grooviness Eat Sh!t" at Brisbane Festival," she recalls. "It was unlike anything I had seen before: a composting of her experiences with domestic abuse, culminating in a communal rebirth fuelled by sisterhood and the power of female pleasure. I related so strongly that I spent the entire ovation typing into my Notes app. I had finally found something I needed to say!"
"In telling my story of healing from trauma, I realised I could help someone else heal and feel good. Within capitalism and the patriarchy, pleasure - especially for people assigned female at birth - is de-emphasised as a tool of control. Allowing oneself to feel this can be liberating, self-affirming, and in turn, political."
This production has opened the door to a number of Dennerstein's personal stories, including the toxicity of the opera industry and intimate partner abuse, tough experiences that ultimately yielded much good. "People say ‘time heals all wounds’. I’m not sure if that’s true for everyone, but it definitely made writing this possible for me. I could not have shared this any earlier," she tells me. "Revisiting those moments did bring back a few PTSD symptoms, like nightmares and generalised anxiety, but at this point in my life I know what helps me: meditation, therapy, speaking with loved ones. The aim of this work is to provide hope and a sense of being seen, which cabaret as a genre really allows. It’s incredibly important to me not to traumatically affect my audience, so I’ve put strategies in place to keep everyone psychologically safe."
Dennerstein has long toured with performance artist and theatre-maker Moira Finucane, best known for her groundbreaking cabaret and immersive works that fuse sensuality, politics, and spectacle. That mentorship, she says, shaped the piece in ways nothing else could. "Oh my goodness! Directly with the writing process but also in the way she has influenced and inspired my artistic practice as a whole! Some of my notes from our dramaturgy sessions include golden nuggets such as, ‘Uncensor yourself in the writing process and go there with the challenging material - it can be edited later. For now, just create’ and ‘Allow your writing to march toward its power’," she says. "My early drafts avoided real vulnerability, but Moira’s guidance gave me permission to unapologetically centre my story, which I’ve since learnt is the only way it was going to resonate with people."
"On a larger scale, much of Moira’s work highlights hope. I am immensely grateful to have engaged with her on so many projects that feature hope as a key theme, as they’ve taught me how art with such messaging can make a tangible difference and instilled hope in my life, and It is this that I wish to communicate in Pursuing Pleasure."
With a voice that can shift from Puccini to Cardi B, Dennerstein draws on a wide palette of genres to serve her storytelling and emotional exploration. When asked how she chooses what to sing, she explains: "Being autobiographical, the songs in this work were selected for the meaning they hold, whether arias I’ve studied or pieces I’ve presented with Finucane & Smith. One of cabaret’s joys is taking songs out of their original context to support storytelling. For example, Mozart’s Exsultate, Jubilate, originally a religious exultation, becomes a celebration of healing, with its joyous vocal runs perfectly matching the tone. Similarly, the aria from Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci parallels my own experiences: a woman navigating love, abuse, and joy, reflecting the limitless journeys my body can possess, this is the magic of art. Above all, the songs were picked because they’re pleasurable. Having sung them in several contexts, I knew they’d convey happiness to both the audience and me."
When asked what has remained with her throughout the numerous seasons, she reflects on instances that are funny, moving, and unforgettable. "In Perth, people waltzed during my rendition of Shania Twain’s Man! I Feel Like a Woman. Despite the, ahem, adult themes, my sweet parents have come to nearly every performance. The first time they saw it, during a particularly racy bit, I apologised to Mum from the stage, to which she responded loudly, “We’ll talk about it later!”
"The show is dedicated to one of my best friends who went through intimate partner abuse in a similar manner to me. Eventually, she was out of that and in a beautiful relationship with a wonderful man who treats her as she deserves. She took him to see it one night, and understanding its significance, he got down on one knee in front of the theatre and proposed."
From reflecting on personal struggles to sharing moments of joy, Pursuing Pleasure is a testament to Dennerstein’s commitment to turning her experiences into meaningful, empowering theatre. It's an unmissable invitation to welcome pleasure, resilience, and self-discovery, and leave uplifted, connected, and ready to embrace life a little more fully.
FRINGE FIVE FAST ONES
2. One object I can’t live without backstage is my metal straw for vocal relaxation exercises (honestly, check it out on YouTube – it’s a wonderful way to release tension in the muscles around the vocal cords!)
3. My favourite word is regatta because it's so musical and fun!
4. Something unexpected that brings me joy is etechno! hehehe
5. If I could live one day as someone else, it would be a world leader so as to put in motion benevolent policies.
Show Details
Venue: Chapel off Chapel, 12 Little Chapel St., Prahran
Season: 10 - 12 October | Fri - Sat 8pm, Sun 3pm
Duration: 60 minutes
Tickets: Full $35 | Concession $20
Bookings: Melbourne Fringe Festival
Images credit: Jens Radda
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