The Speakeasy

  
This Saturday night Spealeasy HQ will present one of, if not THE most dynamic and energetic artists in Australia’s live entertainment industry, as the headline act in the 20-Act Vaudfville line-up. 

After performing sell out shows back to back of Oz Boy, Cabaret Prince Matthew Hadgraft is set to start the stage this Saturay night in his uniquely iconic and epic way. Few if any artists throughout history can boast his level of energy, let alone his massive weight of misical talent. So, as headline act it is anticipated that every seat will be filled as our audience are treated to a truly magnificent performance. 

So, as they cabaret heavy-weight readies his vocal chords, we took him aside and asked him a bunch of questions to see what makes him tick as he prepares for Saturday night’s show. 

What is your earliest memory of performing?

An abysmal nativity play in Preschool. I was too transfixed on how the lantern worked (a torch in a cellophane-covered milk carton holder) to care much about my performance. Funnily, I’ve since discovered that this is quite normal for vaudeville theatres, so I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the milk crate after all. 

Who are your earliest influences as an artist?

That would be Warren Carr, the pianist on Play School back in the day. He always made it look effortless – although what he played was, of course, impossible. My parents used to let us watch all manner of sitcoms as kids, and while we didn’t really get them, I was always transfixed at how they could say such funny stuff without laughing.  

What was the first moment when you felt that your life would revolve around performance?

Doing my world-famous-within-the-family Lucy Grasshopper routine, and just knowing that the audience was the only thing that mattered in the world. I was five. The high-heeled shoes didn’t fit but the tinsel wig did.

What’s the strangest experience you’ve ever had whilst performing?

At the Gold Coast promotional premier of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, I was the promotional Indiana Jones: the hat was wrong, the whip was only about 2′ long, the costume reeked of hand-me-downs, and I look nothing like Harrison Ford, so I made up some crap about the camera adding 10 pounds and 40 years.

What was the scariest performance situation you’ve ever found yourself in?
As a kid, singing in church! But as an adult, playing an ABBA show in Condobolin and actually wondering if we were physically safe from fights breaking out.

What is a situation you’d love to find yourself in?

Matt! A whacky 80s-style sitcom about a HAM performer, starring Matt as Matt, Shaun Micallef as the hopeless agent, and Ann Phelan as the tuckshop mum. (#ShaunMicallef #AnnaPhelan)

What will you be performing at Speakeasy HQ this Saturday night?

Words are hardly sufficient to describe how fabulous it will be, but it will be the piano equivalent of juggling fire on a ball-cage full of motorbikes.

Don’t miss this amazing opportunity to see cabaret Royalty live on stage this Saturday night at Speakeasy HQ. Tickets available at http://www.Trybooking.com/FADK

  
This Saturday night Speakeasy HQ will host a headline act that has been seen and raved about around the world for its inventiveness, daring and creativity. Along with a life time of achievements across several genre, Pat Bath is a sideshow master, a singer, comedian, circus artist and hilarious physical comedian. 

This Satursay night Mr Bath will be presenting his skills in the coveted headline spot at the final end of Speakeasy HQ’s vaudeville show, as he wows the audience. So we took the multi talented comedy genius aside to ask him a bunch of questions and see what makes him tick as he readies his coat rack and saw for this week’s performance. 

Who are you and what do you do ? 

My name is Pat Bath and I am an artist. I am a musician, composer, actor, writer and director. I have never done anything els since I left school.

What was your first professional gig and how did it go ?

I did circus shows when I was about 16 at Wendouree Village in my home town of Ballarat with my life long collaborator and friend Terry Cole. At the time I thought it went great but it was probably pretty lame on reflection.

What has been your career highlight ? 

I would say it would be the many European Arts festivals I have played with my group The Dirty Brothers. Spain and Portugal being standouts. 

What’s your greatest dream for your career ?

To be a wildly successful artist who has a long and prosperous career over many different disciplines.

How would you like to be remembered in 100 years ? 

As a once talented performer who has become a severed human head attached to a semi holographic cyborg body that has become the supreme leader of the multiverse.

What will you be performing at Speakeasy this weekend ?

I will be performing a solo scene from the critically acclaimed show The Dark Party that will be beautiful, funny and brutal culminating in me jamming a six inch knife up my nose. 

Don’t miss your chance to see the incredibly talented Pat Bath performing the heaine spot this Satursay night at Speakeasy HQ. Tickets are limited and available at http://www.Trybooking.com/FADK

  
This Friday night Speakeasy HQ will launch its newest show which features a brand-new genre of performance art. Grown and erupted fresh out of the laneway clubs and in suburban theatres of Melbourne, Comic Cirque Nuevo, is the embodiment  of all aspects of this hilarious, and often sexy, new style of art.  Bringing together three of the biggest names in physical comedy all on the same bill Comic Cirque Nuevo is a show to behold. 

Chief among the artists is none other than the hilarious and extremely highly followed MC KREWD!! Bringing to the stage are unique and highly polished set of well timed gags, expressions and body language, KREWD is set to be a crowdpleaser this Friday night. So we took the funny woman aside and asked her a state of questions to see what makes you tick.

Who are you and what do you do?

I’m MC KREWD… I’m a rapper, burlesque performer, crack enthusiast and single mother of 8. I like to tell stories and philosophise through dance.

What was your first professional gig and how did it go?

I co-hosted the Canberra Multicultural Fringe 2014 as part of comic duo The KREWD Sisters. It was brilliant and creamy. We debuted our Bogan Butoh routine on the mainstage at the burlesque night. It went down a bitter-sweet treat.

What’s your career highlight?

That’s a hard one… possibly bathing in whipped cream and eating strawberries in the name of art… definitely not window washing on the main street of Canberra to fund my hip hop career. 

What’s your greatest dream for your career?

To be signed by Death Row Records and have my story heard by all for generations to come.

How would you like to be remembered in 100 years time?

As a Hip Hop Queen; I’m no plastic rapper.

What will you be performing at speakeasy this weekend?

I’m telling a fishy tale in an 80’s absurd burlesque routine and also a jazzy little rap about an ex-lover that gets everyone itching for some more KREWD.

We can’t wait to see MC KREWD in action this Friday night. Be sure you get your tickets online at http://www.trybooking.com/IWXA

photo credit: Lanialana Gig Pics

  
This weekend Speakeasy HQ presents a massive line up of physical Comedians in a slightly sexy and extremely hilarious show, titles Comic Cirque Nuevo. 

As a brilliant physical comedian herself, and known as the charming and hilarious Tinserella, her facial features, physical expression, timing and wit cannot be described easily. And the sheer fact that she’s bringing a ladder on stage should be noted with eager caution. So, we took the beautiful young Tinsetella aside to see what makes her ticke as she readies her props for this Friday night’s show!

Who are you and what do you do?
I’m Joana Simmons and I perform, write and produce comedy cabaret, under my company- Just Bananas and sometimes alias Tinserella

What was your first professional gig and how did it go?

I think I was a suit character for a promotion company and I was a sweaty mess but rocked it.

What’s your career highlight?

Performing at Woodford Folk Festival 2014/15

What’s your greatest dream for your career?

To take anyone I interact with on a journey, to make, perform and direct innovative work.

How would you like to be remembered in 100 years time?
Smiling. 

What will you be performing at speakeasy this weekend?

Two exerts from my upcoming Fringe show: “Tinserella- Putting the G’Day in Cabaret”

One was inspired by my shoes.

The other was born from a night of drinks in a friend’s kitchen.

We can’t wait to see her in action this Friday night!! Tickets at: http://www.trybooking.com/IWXA

  
This Saturday night Speakeasy HQ will present the launch of a new show that is set to blow away out audience of croon loving, tune loving, comedy adoring fans, as Swing Digity hits the stage of the stars!
Presenting a line up of four artists from vastly different backgrounds, all performing various musical and comedy numbers, Swing Digitywill turn the spotlight over to an incredible singer for part of the journey, as Lady Fox takes to the stage. Known and loved as the emblem of Australian soul and blues, Lady Fox’s modern interpretation of Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holliday and Aretha Franklin have left her audiences stunned!

So, we took the stunning starlet aside as she prepares for this week’s show, to ask her a bunch of questions about what makes her tick!

Who are you and what do you do?
I’m Lady Fox. I have a long history in performance. I’m a singer and also a burlesque artist. Sometimes I do both. 

What was your first professional gig and how did it go?

I think it was with a band i joined last minute because their singer never showed up. We played a wedding. I’m pretty sure it went perfectly. 

What’s your career highlight?

Singing in a smokey speakeasy? There are so many great things I’ve done. I’ve enjoyed them all. And every week, performing at different venues, bars and clubs around Melbourne, it feels like I’m adding a new highlight. 

What’s your greatest dream for your career?

To sing in a massive sold out venue like the Sydney opera house with a full orchestra!!

How would you like to be remembered in 100 years time?

As a woman with a voice that healed the worlds pain. 

What will you be performing at Speakeasy HQ this weekend?

A collection of songs that speak of my journey as a black woman in white Australia, who loves art. Summertime, all about that base, no diggity, what a difference a day makes. I might swap no diggity if I am confident with a new one.

We can’t wait to see Lady Fox hit the stage this Saturday night!! Don’t miss your chance to get tickets online at: http://m.thatsmelbourne.com.au/ELD/GetEvent?id=62430e21-a8eb-466d-8aaa-9fbadde21818

  
This Friday night speak easy HQ will present a brand-new lineup of talent who have come together in the name of further in the newest genre of entertainment to hit me in the city theatres in a decade.

Known as Comic Cirque Nuevo, the genre boasts heritage from star subscribers including Charlie Chaplin, fatty Arbukle, and other great to make the most of their ability to use dead pan, slap stick and physical comedy. This Friday night three of its biggest attractions will be hitting the stage in the same bill, demonstrating the contemporary forms that the artist taken.

Headlining the bill will be none of them the much loved and popular, Might Caesar. After making a massive entrance into the Australian entertainment industry a couple of years ago he has grown a massive following of fans around the country. Now as the headline here set to press every person in attendance on Friday night. So we took the big man aside and asked in the bunch of questions to see what makes you tick as he prepares his shoes and ballet skirt for this Friday night show.

Who are you and what do you do?

I am Mighty Caesar. I create and perform physical theatre, and am working hard on the development of new techniques and perfeomance method in the genre, and with my company; Lacrima physical theatre. 

What was your first professional gig and how did it go?

I honestly don’t remember the first one. It’s been so long since the beginning, but I do recall it was fast. There was so much joy and pleasure from doing those first few shows that I have been hooked ever since. I can’t see my life without having some type of creative performance in it. 

What’s your career highlight?

I have a few. But the one that springs to mind first is performing in japan; under a full moon, with the mountains of Hakuba as our backdrop. It was during summer so they had hot summer rain and at one point I looked out into the audience and saw the slightest drizzle of rain falling. The droplets are reflected in the lights. It was one of the most magical stage moments I’ve ever had. 

What’s your greatest dream for your career?

My greatest dream is that the company becomes self sustainable. And will continue for many decades. 

How would you like to be remembered in 100 years time?

To be remembered is enough for me. The rest can be legends and myth that will grow with time. 

What will you be performing at speakeasy this weekend?

This weekend I will be performing a few of my clown acts that have become a bit of a crowd favourite. The first being my “mighty plastic ballet.” As well as the strongman routine “poison” where if you have seen this act there is no describing it. I juggle heavy things and lift people from the audience. The rest needs to be seen to be believed.

Don’t miss your chance to see the Mighty Caesar in action this Friday night as headline act at Comic Cirque Nuevo. Tickets available at:    

http://www.trybooking.com/Booking/BookingEventSummary.aspx?eid=156078

     

This Saturday night Speakeasy HQ Will present the launch of the newest and most explosive show to hit Melbourne in a long time. Named Swing Digity, the show is truly one of the most unpredictable and hilariously volatile eruptions of raw talent to hit a stage in years. 
Featuring four amazing artists, each representing four very different genres of the entertainment industry, Swing Digity brings together soul singing icon, Belinda Hanne Reid, the stunning crooner of gospel and blues, Lady Fox, vaudeville impresario Roy Maloy, and cabaret Prince, Matthew Hadgraft.

After just finishing a highly successful production of Boy from Oz, Matt is one of the most genuinely all rounded talents in the country today. And now, as he prepares for the launch of Swing Digity this Satirday night at 6pm, we took him aside to ask him a stack of questions and see what makes him tick!!

Who are you and what do you do?

I’m Matt, and I’m an attention seeker. I play piano and I sing, and let’s face it, I’d learn tuba if it meant people would notice me more. 

What was your first professional gig and how did it go?

That would have been the first ABBA tribute show i was a part of in Brisbane. My grandmother only finished sewing the shirts that morning! I remembered most of the songs.

What’s your career highlight?

That’d have to be playing Cliff Bradshaw in ZenZenZo’s Cabaret (2011) which was fabulous! I felt like a star. The review said I was “convincing.”

What’s your greatest dream for your career?

To be seen in the street and for people to smile, and remember something funny and laugh, and then tell someone else who laughs, and so on.

How would you like to be remembered in 100 years time?

As someone who knew how to laugh and who got the rest of the country laughing at themselves.

What will you be performing at Speakeasy HQ this weekend?

Funnily enough, Swing Digity feels more like hanging about with some of your greatest friends and just having a laugh, really. Doing what we love doing, and showing the audience what a rubber ducky, an old circus man, a cute fox and a power crooner all have in common with a ham like me. The audience responses so far have been amazing to the preview performances. So I’m excited!

Don’t miss your chance to see Matt Hadgraft performing live on stage at Swing Digity this Saturdau night!! Tickets available at:

http://m.thatsmelbourne.com.au/ELD/GetEvent?id=62430e21-a8eb-466d-8aaa-9fbadde21818

  
As Speakeasy HQ continues to scour the country for the finest acts in all genre’s, this Saturday night’ headline act will be one of the finest examples of slapstick ever seen. 

Presenting the incredibly popular Sam Brew, along with his partner in crime, Bailey Munton, as they perform their critically acclaimed Circus in a Suitcase, the duo are tipped to amaze!! 

So we took Mr Munton aside and asked him a bunch of questions as he prepares his stick for slap, and readies his physical comedy for this Saturday night and we asked him a bunch of questions. 

Who are you and what do you do? 

My name is bailey And I’m a professional juggler and circus performer. 

How did you learn your skills and what’s your most epic training/learning story? 

I was doing a tumbling trick and my intent was to do a simple punch frontsault and instead of nearly under rotating like I usually do. My body over rotated and nearly managed to pull a straight double frontsault from ground. 

If you could spend one day with one person, living or dead, who would it be and what would you do with them? 

I would juggle all day with Anthony Gatto who is considered the ultimate jugglers juggler. Then I might have a hot tub and a cool chat for a while because why the hell not  

If the Melbourne council erected a statue in honour of you In 100 years time, what pose would your statue be holding and what would the plaque read? 

My plaque would read thusly “in memory of Bailey Munition. Just an all rounder cool dude. Is frosty sizzle shall not been seen for many a century to come. 

What will you be performing on Saturday night at Speakeasy HQ?

I will be performing a suite case act with a close friend Sam (his title) and it is going to rock your socks off.

Don’t miss your chance to see the dynamic duo of Sam Brew and Baily Munton performing Circus in a Suitcase this Saturday night. Tickets available at http://www.Trybooking.com/FADK

At Speakeasy HQ it has to be said that we pride ourselves on finding the brightest shining stars in the Underground Galaxy to present show after show to our aspiring audiences. Each show, as we present over 30 different artists, it’s a fierce competition for any single act to cut apart and make a life-changing impact on our audiences. However, one such act has just gone ahead and done exactly that, and left them laughing until their sides hurt!! 
After a lifetime of travelling and performing relentlessly at every comedy room in the country, Luke Leonard has emerged as one of the most popular acts to hit the Speakeasy HQ stage in recent times. With relatable comedy, along with a calm but shockingly funny delivery style and a knowledge of how his audience relate to him, he has been able to leave back to back audiences rolling in their seats time and time again!!  But what is it that makes a comic like this tick? How does anyone conceive jokes like he does and then deliver them to a live audience. We took this wordsmith aside and threw a stack of questions at him to see what makes him tick as he prepares his puns and readies his schtick for this Saturday night’s show!

Who are you and what do you do?

My name is Luke Leonard, and I am a stand up comedian. Ask r what I do… I guess I take my own misunderstandings of interactions and spew them forth for the pleasure of my audience. My humour kind of centres around failure, words and the failure of words. I’d say more, but words fail me. 

How long have you been performing comedy? 

I have been performing stand up for 2 and a half years, preceded by a decade in rock and roll. In bands I primarily played the buffoon. It’s a long story. 
What was your first performance and how did it go?

It was in Ms Fernandes’ music class, back in 1997. I was expelled. Then there was a big gap until Raw comedy 2013, at the comics lounge. It went pretty well for a first shot. I knew I had something when I made the MC spit his drink.

If you could be remembered for one thing, what would it be and how would you be remembered?

Talking. Incessantly and with authority on a wide range of topics about which I know very little. The how depends on who’s remembering and whether they think I was funny or tiresome.

What will you be performing on Saturday at Speakeasy HQ?

I will be performing tales of everyday, accessible, family friendly filth and blasphemy. You know – usual stuff. 

Don’t miss your chance to see the outstanding comedy of Luke Leonard live at Speakeasy HQ this Saturday night!!!  

 Tickets available at http://www.Trybooking.com/FADK