Hot Brown Honey
Image: Juanita Dunca
Photo: Dylan Evans
It’s not a revolution if there’s no dancing. Or at least that’s what Kim ‘Busty Beatz’ Bowers believes. When it comes to performing, the South-African born Busty is the real deal – a writer, creator, musical director and sound designer – it seems as though there’s nothing she can’t do. And it’s with that exact sentiment Hot Brown Honey was born.
Written by Bowers and Lisa Fa’alafi, the fiery cabaret boasts a powerhouse cast of six First Nations women.
“[Lisa and I] went, ‘Wow, there’s just not enough colour in this country’,” recalled Busty. “Also, we make really kooky and political work and there’s just no opportunities for that to be put out there.”
With six seasoned performers fronting the stereotype-smashing show, audiences are treated to an exhilarating night of poetry, dance, music, comedy, circus, and even striptease.
In their approach, Busty admits to treading waters carefully at first. “In the beginning it was definitely very, you know, we [didn’t] want to intimidate or to be too full on, you know, that sort of stuff, which we got over quite quickly,” she laughed. “We kind of realised [we were] gonna make this work, no matter what. We had a notion, we had a clue. We were like, ‘There’s a lot of women like us in this country, who have very strong understandings, whether it be [on] feminism or their place, and so many stereotypes’.”
The Opera House can expect a heavy dose of femme fatale when Hot Brown Honey makes its Sydney premiere over a five-night season later this month. Having sold out their festival circuit in Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne, Bowers has been delighted by the response their political cabaret is receiving.
“We’ve got some amazing responses,” she said. “There’s even an older generation of women [responding] too. There’s so much they’ve gone through all their lives and seen so much political change…”
But Sydney won’t be the last stop on the tour. The show will see its first international stage at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August, where Bowers is excited to share the Hot Brown Honey message.
“We just really push. I suppose it’s kind of a story of empowerment as well, so the whole aim of the show is to make us, and audiences, empowered enough to go and make change. That’s our goal.” (CB)
Jun 22–26. The Studio, Sydney Opera House. $39.90. Tickets & info: sydneyoperahouse.com
