Smut, The Show cabaret review: Dollars and debauchery
Sex worker-led cabaret turns tipping into theatre with bold, no-apologies performances
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Billed as a show where sex work and stagecraft collide, Smut, The Show aims to platform the sex worker community in an adult show that is very much not for the easily offended. The collective, led by Juniper Fox, rotates roles such as hosting and stage management (props to the hardest working crew in the Fringe: there are a lot of fluids to wipe), with a changing cast dropping by for pole, strip and burlesque turns. On the way in, each audience member is handed a stack of fake dollars: our tipping pot, which can be easily topped up once inside. It all makes sense after an opening chat from this weekend’s emcee, Whisky Falls, who amiably explains the rules, including a clear explanation and expectation of consent boundaries, alongside a plea for less of your hollers and more of your dollars (Fox has pledged to convert the paper money into the real thing, so the more you tip, the more each individual performer receives).
Then we’re off to the races, as a cast including Rhea, Vixen, the hilarious Ugliest Hottie, Azula and Kitty Obsidian with Winter Greene perform. They have not come to play: expect full nudity and absolutely no fucks given as these performers have no interest in diluting the power of their performance for a PG-rating. They’re all at the top of their game too, whether it’s Azula’s stunning pole salsa, Ugliest Hottie’s ‘what of it’ energy or Kitty Obsidian and Winter Green’s red-hot duet. Each plays their part in whipping the crowd up into a frenzy (no mean feat in a half-empty dome) and the tips rain down. While Whisky Falls’ crowd-work could do with a little more polish and practice, there’s no doubting the raw, unapologetic energy behind this show, or the undoubted skill each performer brings to the stage.
Smut, The Show continues at the Bunker at Fool’s Paradise until March 21.