Andrea Gibbs is... Starkers
Director: Renee Newman-Storen
The Garden Shed
Feb 16 - Mar 2

Perth comedian Andrea Gibbs takes on three uniquely Australian, oddly feminine and bizarrely confronting monologues written by Kate Mulvany, Luke Milton and Damon Lockwood, and not only makes them her own but vividly brings each of the three entirely different characters to unnerving life.

Beginning with 'Naked Ambition', here the protagonist fondly reminisces back to her childhood days of polystyrene eskies and when streaking was a regular event at Australian test matches. Wide eyed and na•ve in many ways, despite her meek outward appearance she plots her plans to join the ranks of these unsung Aussie sporting heroes.

For 'Nature's Pocket', Gibbs convincingly takes on the role of a tough talking butch prison inmate as she relays her tall tales of smuggling in contraband and escape attempts. As far 'stretched' as her stories become, one soon accepts her truths and the uneasy laughs follow. Bottle of gin in hand, 'Dora Green Decides To Bare Her Soul' unleashes an oversexed elderly widow as she reveals her newfound euphoric lease on life after a visit to the dentist and the sinful excitement of masturbation outside of marriage.

With all three roles, Gibbs easily slides into their varying, extreme personas and with a minimalist approach to both props and costuming this serves to accentuate her natural storytelling abilities. And with the dulcet tones of ABC announcer, Peter Holland, adding hilarious voice over sequences between each delivery, 'Starkers' is well worth checking out early during this Fringe Festival; because word of mouth and the prospect of a little offending rudeness may soon make this one of the hottest tickets in town.

Steve Jones