Theatre Review: Global Smash Club

★★★★★

Provocateurs Finucane & Smith take over Melbourne Fringe with their kaleidoscopic production, Global Smash Club.

Woman singing at Trades Hall — Global Smash Club | Photo Credit Max Roux

The legendary theatre provocateurs Finucane & Smith have returned with their latest spectacular, Global Smash Club – a riotous cocktail of global sounds, soulful performances, and utter madness.

Be warned: Global Smash Club isn’t for the faint-hearted. Known for pushing boundaries, Finucane & Smith have taken Cabaret to new heights over the past twenty years, blending art and uninhibited expression (with plenty of nudity to underscore its unapologetic style). Featuring key provocateur Moira Finucane alongside powerhouse performers such as Maude Davey, Yumi Umiumare, Mama Alto, and more, the show bursts with both chaos and joy. Each performer brings their own unique flair, creating an eclectic mix of song and dance that keeps the audience entertained from start to finish.

Moira Finucane, the heart and soul of the night, sets the tone the moment you enter Trades Hall Ballroom. With her infectious smile and open-armed welcome, she invites the audience into her world of art and madness. There’s always an undeniable connection between her and the audience – Finucane has an effortless ability to make everyone feel like they’re a part of the show. Her performances were electric, from playing a mourning Victorian lady in gothic black alongside Yumi Umiumare, to reprising her iconic tomato soup act (which gets delightfully messy). She ends on a note that manages to top even that – proving that, yes, it’s possible to go bigger than splurting tomato soup to electronic music.

A standout of the evening was the mesmerising Yumi Umiumare. Known for her distinctive Butoh Cabaret performances, Umiumare’s mastery of silence and subtlety leaves the audience breathless. Her first carefully choreographed dance, performed in traditional Japanese dress with fans, is a poignant moment of stillness in an otherwise frenetic show. But true to her playful spirit, she shifts gears, merging tradition with pop-culture absurdity in a Hello Kitty-inspired act that has the crowd laughing.

Long-time Finucane & Smith collaborator Maude Davey is a dazzling force, returning to the stage with a showgirl act that revives the glamour and rebellious energy of The Burlesque Hour/Glory Box days. Her rendition of The Angels’ Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again hyped up the crowd and pushed the show to another level of intensity we didn’t think possible. With her commanding stage presence and fierce charisma, Davey reaffirmed her status as a celebrated theatre and screen performer. Recognised as a true living legend at the 2022 Melbourne Fringe Festival, she continues to prove her enduring ability to captivate with every performance.

Other highlights of the night included Las Vegas Queen of Burlesque Imogen Kelly, whose performances were a masterclass in merging humour and grace, and Yorta Yorta Taungurung Wiradjuri elder Glynnis Briggs, who alongside country star Ian Muir, offered a heartfelt duet. Their performance was a moment of quiet reverence, paying tribute to the cultural heritage and enduring connection to Country that resonates far beyond the theatre.

Attending Global Smash Club was like being jolted awake by a defibrillator – a perfect escape from the nightmare of a nine-to-five workday. While a few performances could benefit from some fine-tuning, lacking the same flair as the seasoned stars, these minor kinks did little to detract from the overall atmosphere of delirious fun. The audience, a mix of first-timers and long-time fans, seemed to embrace the madness with enthusiasm. While a few stragglers cringed or looked away at certain provocative moments, the vast majority relished every second of Global Smash Club.

Global Smash Club is perfect for anyone with a taste for the subversive. For those new to a Finucane & Smith show, my advice is simple: go in with an open mind, be ready for the unexpected, and perhaps avoid the front row unless you’re prepared for a splash of tomato soup... Global Smash Club is all about embracing inclusivity, self-expression, and pure, unfiltered joy. It’s a glorious, chaotic ride that celebrates authenticity and the rich diversity of performance styles from around the world.

Finucane & Smith’s Global Smash Club is playing at Melbourne Fringe Festival from 16-19 October.