Cabaret

Flies on What-If Island

A cabaret about breaking up, breaking down, and feeling less broken.

$28.00
Sessions & Tickets View Comments
Ilana Charnelle, a white woman with short brown hair and bright red lipstick, is pictured on a rocky outcrop with the ocean visible in the distance. She leans back at a dramatic angle against the rock, with one hand on the rocks and the other striking a pose above her head.
An image from above of Ilana Charnelle, a white woman with short brown hair and red lipstick, sitting on a pile of rocks that leads to the ocean. She is wearing a long pink dress that is wet in patches, and is looking down with a sad expression on her face.
An image of Ilana Charnelle, a white woman with short brown hair and red lipstick, walking in the shallow waves of a beach. The ocean can be seen behind her. She is wearing a long pink dress that she is holding up with her hands to stop the hem falling in the water, and she is looking away from the camera with a bewildered expression.

Image Credit: Polish Media

Ilana Charnelle, a white woman with short brown hair and bright red lipstick, is pictured on a rocky outcrop with the ocean visible in the distance. She leans back at a dramatic angle against the rock, with one hand on the rocks and the other striking a pose above her head.
An image from above of Ilana Charnelle, a white woman with short brown hair and red lipstick, sitting on a pile of rocks that leads to the ocean. She is wearing a long pink dress that is wet in patches, and is looking down with a sad expression on her face.
An image of Ilana Charnelle, a white woman with short brown hair and red lipstick, walking in the shallow waves of a beach. The ocean can be seen behind her. She is wearing a long pink dress that she is holding up with her hands to stop the hem falling in the water, and she is looking away from the camera with a bewildered expression.

  • Artist: Ilana Charnelle

  • Directed by: Kat Yates

  • Musical Director: Ned Dixon

An autism diagnosis, a crippling breakup, and an apartment alone to do nothing but think. What could go wrong? From the Green Room Award nominated* duo behind 'A Class Act' (2016) and 'Play Nice' (2017), 'Flies on What-If Island' examines the buzzing doubts we try to brush away to hold onto our serene shores.

Feeling like her brain is fundamentally faulty, Ilana Charnelle has found herself washed up with the wreckage of her relationship and her neurotypical life. Through an hour of original songs alongside musical director Ned Dixon, Ilana questions how long we can live in fantasy before it all crumbles, what happens when you've been looking for answers in the wrong places, and how to love our broken parts.

*Musical Direction (Cabaret), 'Play Nice' (2017)

Access: Lyric books and a relaxed guide (with wayfinding and content information) will be available for all performances.

  • Duration: 55 minutes

  • Event Accessibility: Blind or Low Vision Rating: Partially Accessible

  • Age suitability: M

  • Event warnings: Mild Coarse Language.

  • Content warnings: Mental Health.

Kindly find the updated Relaxed Guide for Sat 5 Oct, 3:15pm session - HERE

Lyric Books 

  • Black on White (docx) - Here
  • Black on White (pdf) - Here
  • White on Black (pdf) - Here

Auslan Interpreter for 3 Oct and 5 Oct (both sessions) - Gen Cassin

  • Festival Hub: Trades Hall - Music Room
    Cnr Lygon & Victoria Sts, Carlton, VIC, 3053

    Wheelchair Access

    Festival Hub: Trades Hall - Music Room is wheelchair accessible. The entrance to the venue is on Lygon St. You can head up the front stairs and through the main doors, from there head right to get to the Loading Dock.If you need step-free access, head to the driveway located on the left-hand side of the main entrance on Lygon Street. The driveway will lead you into the courtyard. From the courtyard, there will be a lift on your right. Head to the first floor and turn left. Continue down the corridor, the entrance to the music room is on the left, just before the toilets. Volunteers will be available along the route to assist you if needed. Please don't hesitate to ask for help

    Get directions See all events at this venue See detailed venue & access information

  • Full: $28.00

  • Hump Day Discount: $21.00

  • Extra Applause: $32.00

  • Blak Tix: $10.00

  • Concession: $25.00

  • Group 6+: $25.00

"Charnelle captivates the audience through song and monologue.... When she hits the high notes, she taps into her visceral pain, giving goosebumps." - The Age

theage.com.au

Sessions: In Person Events

A single $5.50 transaction fee applies to your booking.

Date Time Venue

Wednesday, 02 October 2024

7:00pm

Festival Hub: Trades Hall - Music Room

Hump Day
 Past Event

Thursday, 03 October 2024

7:00pm

Festival Hub: Trades Hall - Music Room

Sold Out
 Past Event

Friday, 04 October 2024

7:00pm

Festival Hub: Trades Hall - Music Room

 Past Event

Saturday, 05 October 2024

3:15pm

Festival Hub: Trades Hall - Music Room

 Past Event

Saturday, 05 October 2024

7:00pm

Festival Hub: Trades Hall - Music Room

 Past Event

Sunday, 06 October 2024

6:00pm

Festival Hub: Trades Hall - Music Room

 Past Event

You may also like…

  • Shitbag

    A one-person dark comedy about Crohn’s Disease, mania and casual sex.

    Created and Performed by Hayley Edwards
    Dates 02 - 18 Oct (55min)
    Venues Festival Hub: Trades Hall - Archive Room, Festival Hub: Trades Hall - Evatt Room, Festival Hub: Trades Hall - Old Council Chambers
    more less
    Hayley Edwards sits on an accessible toilet seat wearing a white hospital gown and holding a toilet roll with their shoulder revealed flirtatiously. The background is a purple-lavender colour.
    Genre: Theatre
    Artist Pick
    More Information
  • ADMINISTRATION

    An undiagnosed autistic kid's perspective on life, death, religion and dance

    Created and Performed by Adeline Close
    Dates 07 - 13 Oct (50min)
    Venue The Motley Bauhaus - The Cellar
    more less
    Person with blue eyes and brown curly hair in two buns with pink ribbons wearing a pink organza dress. They have colourful pom poms stuck to their face with a concerning expression in their eyes. Their hand covers their mouth with a red smile drawn on it, as they are framed in pink background that blends with their dress colour.
    Genre: Theatre
    Artist Pick
    More Information
  • Adore Händel’s Little Black Book

    A blush-worthy and enchanting blend of opera, drag and storytelling.

    Created and Performed by Adore Händel
    Dates 04 - 06 Oct (60min)
    Venue Speakeasy Theatre - Apollo
    more less
    Drag Performer with, white make up, white wig, in a pink velvet outfit with lots of frills.
    Genre: Cabaret
    Artist Pick
    More Information
  • T4T: A Transgender Showcase

    A variety spectacular of trans performers – performing for a trans ONLY audience.

    Presented by Heartfelt Havoc Productions
    Dates 13 Oct (60min)
    Venue Festival Hub: Trades Hall - ETU Ballroom
    more less
    Comedian and trans woman Anna Piper Scott stands on stage with outstretched arms, she is wearing a flowing black dress and black lipstick. The background is purple LEDs with
    Genre: Cabaret
    More Information
  • A Bit of Baci

    Drag King stand up show that is silly, seductive and sensational!

    Created by Silvio Di Baci
    Dates 07 - 09 Oct (60min)
    Venue Club Voltaire
    more less
    Two images of Silvio Di Baci, a caucasian drag king, looking at the camera with a sultry look on his face - similar to a 80s glamour shot. He is wearing blue trousers and a glistening purple and cyan shirt that is partially unbuttoned. He has thick black hair and his face is covered in pink glitter, with some orange paint marks. In the left image, he strikes a model pose holding his shirt collar open. Whereas on the right, he glances his side-eye away from the viewer, sitting with poise.
    Genre: Cabaret
    More Information
  • Otto & Astrid - The Stages Tour

    Taylor Swift had Eras. Otto & Astrid go through Stages.

    Performed by Otto & Astrid Rot – Die Roten Punkte
    Dates 16 - 20 Oct (60min)
    Venue Festival Hub: Trades Hall - Common Rooms
    more less
    On the left is a woman with black hair and vibrant red-and-blue makeup. She wears black dress with a cherry-red sash around the waist, and a matching ruff that extends above her head. She wears a string of large black beads around her neck. On the right is a man with black hair and bright red lipstick, who is wearing a band t-shirt. He has a red electric guitar in one hand, and a ripe banana in the other, which he is about to eat. They are both rockstars.
    Genre: Cabaret
    More Information
  • After Paris - What Fiona Claire did next

    An intimate performance of songs and stories exploring dreams, identity and place.

    Created and Performed by Fiona Claire
    Dates 12 - 13 Oct (60min)
    Venue Speakeasy Theatre - Apollo
    more less
    Fiona Claire is gently smiling in front of a wrought iron balcony overlooking the appartments of Paris. Fiona is Caucasian with dark bobbed hair, she is wearing a black velvet dress and is visible to the waist. Over her chest is a drawing of a red beating love heart and reaching around her are drawings of green leafy vines.
    Genre: Cabaret
    More Information
  • After-Light: The Prog-Rock Opera

    Sexy, spooky and suspenseful... A character study of rebirth and redemption.

    Created by Zachary Vanstone
    Dates 02 - 06 Oct (60min)
    Venue Club Voltaire
    more less
    A hand drawn, golden framed picture with high contrast editing. It features 'The Heart' on their knees, who's wearing a black suit and wielding a dagger behind their back. They're facing 'The Soul', who is wearing a white dress and holding a vial of red poison behind their back. They're sitting on a throne looking down at 'The Heart'. The throne bears an emblem of a snake eating itself. There's a realistic hand puppet-erring both 'The Heart' & 'The Soul'. There's a white dying tree in the background.
    Genre: Cabaret
    More Information
  • Love Can Be Easy... with Bonnie Thorn

    Bonnie Thorn’s beautiful voice bewitches in this evening of glorious songs.

    Created and Performed by Bonnie Thorn
    Dates 01 - 05 Oct (50min)
    Venue Bard's Apothecary
    more less
    A woman looks up at the camera, starring directly into the lens with a blank expression. She has dark hair, round earrings and has her hands over her head. The image is black and white.
    Genre: Cabaret
    More Information
  • POKÉLESQUE

    The Drag and Burlesque Parody!

    Produced by GEEK OUT! Nerdlesque
    Dates 18 - 19 Oct (2 hours)
    Venue Chapel Off Chapel - The Loft
    more less
    A closeup cartoon image of two hands holding a yellow gameboy. A cut out photo image of a fem-presenting person dressed as Officer Jenny from Pokemon is sitting on the screen with sparkles behind them. The background is curtains in trans flag colours, pink white and blue.
    Genre: Cabaret
    More Information
  • Dolly Diamond's Rather Large Variety Hour

    It’s the spice of life & it’s rather large.

    Presented by So Soiree Fringe Garden
    Dates 19 - 20 Oct (70min)
    Venue The Ukiyo
    more less
    A drag queen with a blonde wig is wearing a sparkling black full length evening gown with sweeping black tulle cape with arms aloft
    Genre: Cabaret
    More Information

    • Find similar shows

    See All Guides
  • Cabaret Events
  • Feminist Events
  • Sex, love and dating
  • Disability stories
  • SPICY
  • SOUR
  • SWEET
  • Inside your comfort zone