The Queer Variety Show
Let's Hear Direct From Megan
I am a practicing artist and performer, with all my work reflecting my queer and disabled identities. As such I like my exhibitions and the shows I produce to be as accessible as possible.
The Queer Variety Show is a show I produce on a bi-monthly basis. The first Queer Variety Show occurred in 2022, thanks to an ACT Government Grant. In 2024 I started the show up again. The show features Queer and Disabled Performers, and the occasional ally.
The show is held at Smith’s Alternative, which is a venue that I can access reasonably easily. To get there I don’t have to drive my car very far, and I nearly always find a disabled park nearby. It is in an old building in Civic (Canberra), but the owners, Nigel and Beth have done what they can to make it a bit more accessible than most buildings.
Nigel and Beth have put a wooden ramp at the main entry and in the main room where we have our shows, there is a ramp of sorts that means that wheelchair and other mobility aid users can get onto the stage to perform. The toilets are a bit tricky and not everyone can access them.
With the Queer Variety Show Nigel and Beth look after the ticketing, which saves me a lot of work. On the day of the show, we have a sound/tech/lighting man, Bevan. The furniture within the venue can be moved around, which means we can move it to suit ourselves.
In producing this show, I knew I couldn’t do it alone. This is because my health can be somewhat unpredictable, and I may not be able to do any work on it or turn up for the show at any given time. Knowing this, I called upon two friends, Velvet Garnet and Temerity Outře to help me with producing the show. They have been assisting me all year, and this will continue into next year. The aim being that they will know how to put a show together on their own. We also have several helpers with each show. These people help us by filming the event, and one person is Stage Kitten – stagehand.
In the lead up to the show, Velvet, Daria and I have developed a system of shared files so that any one of us knows what is going on at any time should one of us not be available. This includes show day.
We ‘hold space’ for all our performers. We understand that they might not be able to perform at any given time and we don’t hold this against them. They will be given another chance at the nearest possible time.
For the actual show we do a few things to make it a bit more accessible than a usual event. We use a screen and with every performer introduction we project this onto the screen. We have adjusted the sound and lighting so that it is low sensory, we don’t play loud music before, after or during the breaks. We have available a simple, large print program at each show. The emcee addresses the crowd at the beginning of the show and explains that the show is a ‘relaxed’ show. This means that the audience is encouraged to do whatever they need to do to feel comfortable. This includes moving around if they need to, stimming, leaving the room, even if it is in the middle of an act. The audience is also encouraged to dress in whatever way makes them comfortable, so this might be their oodies or track suits or it could be an evening gown. With clapping and cheering the audience is encouraged, but it is also acknowledged that this can be hard, and they don’t have to if they don’t want to. At the beginning of the show the Emcee also explains the format of the show, this is to alleviate any anxiety around not understanding what is going on.
Each show we have an educational element. In the past we have had, ‘What makes a good disability ally?’ and ‘What not to say to an Autistic person’. People write their name and answers on a piece of paper and entries are drawn out and discussed. The two entries win a donated prize.
We have also introduced ‘Love notes’. This happened after one show where people were leaving little messages for the performers and crew in the competition box.
After each show all the entries are posted on our Facebook page. Our Love Notes are checked by the Producers, and then given to the relevant performers and shared on our Facebook page.
We are very proud of our show, as I write this, we’ve only had three shows, but our audience is growing, and we are getting excellent feedback from people about all aspects of the show.
We look forward to planning our shows for 2025.
