Saturday 16 September 2017

Erotic Intelligence For Dummies - Comedy Review

What: Erotic Intelligence For Dummies
When: 15 - 22 September 2017
Where: Arts House Underground
Written and performed by: Helen Cassidy

Helen Cassidy
With the yes vote underway in Australia the timing couldn't be better for Cassidy's hilarious and generous show Erotic Intelligence For Dummies which is in this year's Melbourne Fringe Festival. We often talk of intimate venues and cosy audiences but there is nothing more intimate or cosy than  getting under the covers with everyone in the room.

Arts House Underground has been set up as a wonderful true cabaret venue complete with bar. For a small venue it has a generous stage. Arts House really has managed to create a venue which is relaxing and set up for a kind of interactive fun which Cassidy provides in spades.

The Mother Of Bears, Cassidy begins with the tale of her favourite toy as a child, Koala. We get to meet Koala but not before we are introduced to the Koala impersonator. Both are devilish creatures who have dedicated their lives to bringing Cassidy pleasure.

The gist of the show is a meander through the animal kingdom to look at mating rituals and examine the fluidity of nature. Bonobo monkeys demonstrate an unexpected same sex tendency, and it would be inappropriate in the daylight hours for me to speak in detail about the copulative talents of the snake world.

Cassidy is completely immersive in her performance and she gives everyone chances to give or receive pleasure in her presence. For the most part the intention is group love, but to ease us into the idea The Bachelor meets Perfect Match in a game show contest after which you will never consider folding socks to be a mundane chore again!

It is a rare skill to keep an audience laughing and woot-wooing for an hour but Cassidy's fantastic skill as a clown and generosity of intention engage from beginning to end. Erotic Intelligence For Dummies has it all with puppets, endless costume changes, competition, songs, dancing, and even a live birth.

Are you L? G? B? T? Q? I? Are you asexual? Are you a swinger? Are you a unicorn? Hey, perhaps you are just plain old hetero? It doesn't matter. This show is for everyone and about everyone. If you ever wanted to belong to a group, this is the one to join.

4.5 Stars

(Ed's note: VOTE YES!)




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