Theatre

TO BE FRANK

A horrifying comedy about a monster thrust into creation and trying its best to discover why.

$25.00
Sessions & Tickets View Comments
A close up image of a man with a messy black bob and a green suit covering his oversized shoulders. He has wide eyes in an expression of quizzical interest and an open slanted, cheeky grin. The image is edited so that his skin and clothing is green, the background red and his eyes are bright white.
Past Event

Image Credit: Mataara Stokes

  • Created and Performed by: Michael Hockey

  • Music by: Stenn Francis-Deare

  • Directed by: Logan Cole

It’s alive!

Meet Frank, the freshly animated being. He’s dying to meet you and leave you in stitches. The good kind.

'TO BE FRANK' follows the journey of a curious creature ‘Frank’ who discovers and reacts to the audience in a new and organic way each night. A modern reimagining; blending clown, physical comedy and horror with live music and sound effects.

This is a raucously fun, delightfully thrilling and incredibly human solo show. Bringing into question loneliness & love, creation & destruction and ultimately how to cope with the emotional intensity of being alive. 'TO BE FRANK' is a journey of epic proportions – but here, the ‘monstrosity' finally gets to tell its own story.

Don’t miss the most absurd, thrilling and hilarious thing you’ll see this Fringe. Indulge the horror, indulge your inner clown, indulge the naive monster inside us all.

Let Frank be frank.

“ABSURDLY FUNNY, EXCRUCIATINGLY HUMAN” - THEATREVIEW 2022

“HOCKEY’S EMBODIMENT OF THE MONSTER IS SENSATIONAL” - ART MURMURS 2023

“Whangārei Fringe Tour Ready” win - Auckland Fringe 2022
“Best New Work” nomination - Whangārei Fringe 2022
“Most Promising Emerging Artist” nomination - NZ Fringe 2023
“Memorable Marketing” win - NZ Fringe 2023
“Melbourne Fringe Tour Ready” nomination - NZ Fringe 2023

  • Duration: 60 minutes

  • Event Accessibility: English no barrier

  • Age suitability: PG

  • Event warnings: Contains Sustained Bright Lights, Both Sudden And Sustained Loud Noises, Some Infrequent/Low Pressure Audience Interaction.

  • Festival Hub: Trades Hall - Old Council Chambers
    Cnr Lygon & Victoria Sts, Carlton, VIC, 3053

    Wheelchair Access

    Festival Hub: Trades Hall - Old Council Chambers 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, there is lift at the front of the building and our team will be able to guide you from there to the Loading Dock.

    Once you're in the Loading Dock you can head straight through to the Victoria Street Building and up the stairs on the right. On the first floor, Old Council Chambers is on to the right, on the eastern side of the hallway.

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

  • Full: $25.00

  • Hump Day Discount: $18.75

  • Concession: $18.00

  • Group 6+: $15.00

  • Extra Applause: $30.00

  • Blak Tix: $15.00

  • Member discounts available

    This event is eligible for 25% off full price Fringe Dweller tickets. Just add the tickets that you want then login at checkout and you'll get the cheapest tickets. If you're not a member yet, simply add a membership to your cart and you'll be able to access Fringe Dweller prices straight away.

"Absurdley funny, excrutiatingly human" - Theatreview

theatreview.org.nz

"Hockey's embodiment of the monster is sensational" - Art Murmurs

artmurmurs.nz

"An immediately relatable yet surprisingly profound microcosm of the human condition" - Theatreview

theatreview.org.nz

Sessions: In Person Events

A single $5.50 transaction fee applies to your booking.

Date Time Venue

Wednesday, 11 October 2023

10:00pm

Festival Hub: Trades Hall - Old Council Chambers

Hump Day
 Past Event

Thursday, 12 October 2023

10:00pm

Festival Hub: Trades Hall - Old Council Chambers

 Past Event

Friday, 13 October 2023

10:00pm

Festival Hub: Trades Hall - Old Council Chambers

 Past Event

Saturday, 14 October 2023

10:00pm

Festival Hub: Trades Hall - Old Council Chambers

 Past Event

Sunday, 15 October 2023

9:00pm

Festival Hub: Trades Hall - Old Council Chambers

 Past Event

You may also like…

  • LOVE/LOVE/LOVE/LOVE/LOVE

    Welcome to Romance: Tessa's POV.

    Presented by Tessa Redman
    Dates 04 - 08 Oct (60min)
    Venue Festival Hub: Trades Hall - Meeting Room
    more less
    A young woman looks into the camera with a dead-pan expression, sitting on a chair with aluminium fairy wings attached to her back. Her legs are stretched in front of her and her hands lay casually in her lap. She is wearing underwear, socks, and a singlet with a bra on top.
    Genre: Dance & Physical Theatre
    Artist Pick
    More Information
  • The Wedding

    A glorious evening of gothic horror and comedy, from this critically acclaimed theatre company.

    Created and Performed by A Fool's Company
    Dates 18 - 22 Oct (70min)
    Venue Cracked Actors Theatre (CAT)
    more less
    Here we see five characters posing in a dramatic way: The Groom, The Mother, The Father, The Maidservant and The Priest in the centre of the image, grouped together. The Mother has a constipated look on her face, the Groom is looking naively into the distance, the maidservant is knelt on the ground gasping at something off-camera, the Father is looking disgustedly at the Priest. The Priest is looking directly at the camera, dangling a metal incense holder towards us.
    Genre: Theatre
    Artist Pick
    More Information
  • Irago - 이라고 - Said so

    We welcome you to the realm of contemporary dance and sonic storytelling from Aotearoa, New Zealand.

    Presented by Jang Huddle
    Dates 12 - 14 Oct (60min)
    Venue Kensington Town Hall - Supper Room
    more less
    Women standing one arm outstretched and looking up wearing shorts and black top. With wave like image over the top of the women.
    Genre: Dance & Physical Theatre
    Artist Pick
    More Information
  • Michael News Now

    A hilarious, absurd and self-referential sketch comedy “news” show.

    Written and Performed by Michael Lanzer
    Dates 3 Oct - 22 Oct (20min)
    Venue Digital Fringe
    more less
    A newsreader poses to camera, looking serious with his arms crossed. He is in a television studio and there is a news backdrop.
    Genre: Comedy
    Past Event
    More Information
  • 3 Mad Rituals

    Hilarious, improvised comedy.

    Performed by The Improv Conspiracy
    Dates 05 - 21 Oct (90min)
    Venue The Improv Conspiracy
    more less
    A red background with a yellow pentagram sits behind six people sitting around a table involved in seance
    Genre: Comedy
    Past Event
    More Information
  • 2023 Annual HousingFirst Art Exhibition

    A visual celebration of the diverse voices & inspiring stories of residents of social housing.

    Created by Residents of Social Housing
    Dates 5 Oct - 22 Oct (Come and go as you please)
    Venues Digital Fringe, Carlisle Street Arts Space
    more less
    A young man observes two art pieces that sit atop a white box. The larger piece is over a metre high and is in a spiral structure that has been crocheted and hanging from it are round crocheted discs with ceramics pieces of phrases from life. Scattered around the base of the large piece is several small white and red ceramic pieces.
    Genre: Visual Arts & Film
    Past Event
    More Information
  • Dubious intent

    A poignant piece about the breaking of a - once thought - lifelong friendship.

    Written and Directed by Callum O’Mara
    Dates 19 - 22 Oct (45min)
    Venue Club Voltaire
    more less
    The character Jessie is dead centre, seated at a desk with piles of books in front of him. He looks intriguingly at the character Mike whilst holding a binder. Mike's right side is in the foreground, situated on the left.
    Genre: Theatre
    Past Event
    More Information
  • Delhi Buoy - A Slumdog Boganaire

    RAW Comedy Nat’l Runner-up Delhi Buoy’s journey from rags to mediocre wealth, Shantaram in Reverse.

    Performed by Delhi Buoy
    Dates 06 - 14 Oct (45min)
    Venue Elephant and Wheelbarrow
    more less
    A hilarious journey of a common man from the streets of New Delhi who dared to dream up a life across the seas. RAW comedy SA winner and RAW comedy Australia nationals runner-up Chetan Singh aka Delhi Buoy was so sick of answering the 'where you from?' question, that he changed his name to the answer. Come witness the story of his hilarious journey from rags to mediocre amount of wealth. It might not be a success story but its funny.
    Genre: Comedy
    Past Event
    More Information
  • Starfish The Redacted

    Dare to make art and they'll put you in a box.

    Written and Directed by Travis Cotton
    Dates 04 - 15 Oct (60min)
    Venue La Mama HQ
    more less
    A dark skied picture of a grey factory spouting rainbows out of its chimney.
    Genre: Theatre
    Past Event
    More Information
  • Sky Symphony

    Music, laser projection and water screens feature in this mysterious ceremony of the sky.

    Created by Shaun Rigney and LASERVISION
    Dates 11 - 15 Oct (Every 20 minutes)
    Venue Yarra Promenade
    more less
    A sepia toned image of a cloudscape
    Genre: Visual Arts & Film
    Past Event
    More Information
  • Completely Improvised Shakespeare

    Nominated: Best Comedy, Melbourne Fringe.

    Performed by Soothplayers
    Dates 04 - 08 Oct (60min)
    Venue Festival Hub: Trades Hall - Old Council Chambers
    more less
    Four actors pose theatrically.
    Genre: Comedy
    Past Event
    More Information
  • Clown Alley

    Experience a high energy celebration of clowning from this diverse theatre troupe.

    Produced by BAM ARTS INC.
    Dates 15 Oct (60min)
    Venue Festival Hub: Trades Hall - ETU Ballroom
    more less
    A group of artists dressed as clowns, smile with open arms showing enthusiastic body language.
    Genre: Circus
    Past Event
    More Information

    • Find similar shows

    See All Guides
  • Festival Hub Events
  • Theatre Events
  • Super Fringey
  • 48 Hour Flash Sale
  • Fringe Care Guide
  • Experimental Sounds Guide to Fringe
  • Pass Holder - Free Entry
  • Blak Tixs