Dolled up in drag with a small cast who all take multiple roles, this parody of the hit sitcom from Australia, “Kath&Kim” is filled with flashbacks to 2020.
Nostalgic or not so, Fountain Lakes in Lockdown shows the “Melbournian” perspective of 2020, including Boris Johnson, Scott Morrison, the rise of TikTok, and a lot of Irish dancing. If 2020 wasn’t enough as a joke, this drag parody ensures it is.
Lady of the house, Kath, better known in the play as Mrs D (Art Simone), tries to keep her marriage with Kel (Scott Brennan) steady, amid rumours of the AstraZeneca side effects, or maybe the only side effect around is her sleeping tablets that make for a dance break fever dream. At the same time, Kim (Thomas Jaspers) finds the lockdown to be the perfect opportunity to work on becoming TikTok famous. Something Sharon (Leasa Mann) finds easy through her natural talent for Irish dancing. At least once she works out, she needs backup dancers, i.e. the audience, who dance exceptionally well on stage (I was one of them).
As the show draws to its end and Melbourne takes its first steps to freedom out of isolation, the audience joins Kim and Kath having a smoke outside, reflecting on what they’ve been through. There are pokes at the audience and pokes at themselves as they can finally reference jokes from 2020. This fabulous parody drag show’s songs, choreography and mime-like humour at times is perfected. If the real show is anything like what I just witnessed, I’ll have to start streaming.
Fountain Lakes in Lockdown: A Drag Parody Play 14.35, Gilded Ballon – Appleton Tower, until August 24 (not 12 or 19)
https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/fountain-lakes-in-lockdown-a-drag-parody-play
