Wednesday, March 27, 2024
26.5 C
Melbourne

First World White Girls

The butterfly club have really out-done themselves for this years Melbourne Cabaret Festival, adding to the already heady mix of top notch performances scheduled to play at this much loved Melbourne icon during this years festival is First World White Girls. The story surrounds Tiffany, a trust fund princess, and Kendall, a day-drinking trophy wife, delve into the trauma of first world problems. They deal with kale shortages, un-bespoke furniture, battle FOMO and in times of crisis, ask themselves, What Would Kim Kardashian Do? These spoiled songstresses invite the audience into their den of entitlement to laugh, vent and share in their first world pain.  Hailing from Brisbane, this performance is the creative love child of Judy Hainsworth and Kaitlin Oliver Parker, it comes fresh from a sell out season at Adelaide Fringe Season and Queensland tour, they had a chat with writer Jessi Lewis, a fellow Brisbanite, about what it’s like coming from “the sunshine state” white privilege, and first world problems.
 
Girls, explain for our readers what it’s like living in Brisbane, do your characters in this performance some how embody the “new breed” of Brisbanite?
 
Brisbane has changed a lot, even in just the last ten years. It used to be that you’d have to go to Sydney or Melbourne to shop at Zara or get Krispy Kreme donuts, but now Brisbane has stepped up in terms of luxury brands, restaurants and lifestyle. Just walk down James St in New Farm or the Emporium in the Valley and check out the (sometimes obscene) wealth on display. We totally hold our own now, just on a smaller scale.
 
The #FirstWorldWhiteGirls, Tiffany and Kendall, embody this affluence and luxury. But they’ve taken it to the extreme – metres of hair extensions, dogs in handbags, tax-evading husbands. And they top it off with an overwhelming sense of entitlement and white privilege. And they still complain about their first world problems. ‘My house is too big for my wifi’. ‘My cleaning lady parks in my driveway’.
 
Talk to us about Brisbane, is it better then Melbourne?
 
I should probably suck up to you Melbourne-ites so you’ll come see my show, but…Brisbane all the way, baby! For me, it’s all about the weather. It rains maybe five days a year up here. How can you argue with that?? And we’re an hour away from some of the most beautiful beaches in the country, nay, the world. Beautiful blue skies, less traffic, and winter lasts about two weeks. Although I wish I had more opportunities to wear my awesome beanies and coats… Sure, Melbourne’s cultural scene is richer, you’ve got more cool bars and restaurants and your laneways are pretty awesome, but you’re a bit bleak for someone from the sunshine state.
 
What can people expect from the show musically?
 
The show has all original songs (written by me) and they’re super catchy. There’s a few different musical styles – 60s swing, some pop, R&B, country and even a bit of rap. We ask that age-old question – can white girls rap? Come and judge for yourself! Kaitlin (who plays Kendall) and I are both trained singers so we love harmonising and getting a chance to show off our voices. The most common bit of feedback we get after the show is ‘you’re such good singers!’. But I have a theory that people just say that because they would feel awkward saying ‘you’re such horrible bitches!’ (our characters of course, not us…).
 
What do you hope Audiences will take away from this show, behind the comedy, is there a message you are trying to communicate?
 
We want the audience to have an awesome night with their crew, have a few drinks and laugh themselves stupid at these ridiculous women. We also want them to share their first world problems with us and maybe they’ll realise they have more in common with these girls than they first thought. Audiences will also probably take away with them some of my hair – my cheap extensions are moulting like crazy.
 
Aside from Brisbane, are their any other points of inspirations, pop culture, celebrity etc?
 
Pop culture is our main inspiration – The Voice, macarons, food trucks, fitbits, Nutribullets – everything is fair game. The idea of celebrity is a huge part of the show. Kim Kardashian was a big inspiration – there is a whole song devoted to her. I really had to research it because I knew nothing about her – I thought she was the devil. How can you be famous just for being famous? That’s not a thing! But now I know more about her, I have to admit she’s an amazing businesswoman. And I downloaded her mobile phone game for ‘research’ and I’m totally addicted. #help
 
Famous last words?
 
In the words of Tiffany and Kendall – First world problems are real problems! Let your privilege shine, Melbourne.
 
First World White Girls opens on Friday the 17th of June, it’s certain to be a smash hit with local audiences, avoid disappointment, book your tickets here

Michael Hunt

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