2025 Victorian Poetry Slam Champion and national Finalist, Dayna Fallon is bringing her debt solo theatre show to Melbourne Fringe this October. Turning invisible labour, female fury and the indignities of family life into a hilarious and honest performance. We got to chat with Dayna about the show:
Your upcoming show is called “The Manager is Me”, what’s one thing you’d call the manager over?
Whoever puts sweets and toys at toddler height at the checkout. I’ve said no seventeen times and I’m one metre from freedom. Then you put a five-dollar squishy and skittles between me and freedom. I’d like that person to come down and personally explain to my four-year-olds why we’re not buying it.
What celebrity would love this show?
Jennifer Lawrence. She has that funny, unfiltered, slightly unhinged energy that I love. I feel like she’d understand the gap between the woman you intended to be and the one eating someone else’s toast in the driveway. Jen if you are reading this, I will put you on the door.
How would you describe your style of comedy/performance to someone who’s never seen you before
It’s a blend of comedy, spoken word and theatre with the energy of a voice note from your funniest friend who has finally stopped saying she’s fine. It’s sharp, candid and sometimes ridiculous, with real tenderness for the women trying to be everything to everyone. I like making people laugh, then catching them off guard with something honest. Ideally, you’re recognising yourself and nudging the friend beside you. You come for the jokes and suddenly we’re having feelings. Sorry about that.
What was the initial inspiration to create this show?
It came from being overwhelmed by what we were going through as a family, and by the sheer absurdity of some of it. We’ve had a couple of horrific years, but even in the middle of it all, there’s still hilarity. There are mums at school drop-off fitting an entire emotional breakdown into a 30-second conversation, laughing through tears, then rushing off to work. I wanted to capture that and I wanted to connect with people who might recognise something of their own lives in it.
I also needed some free therapy. Although, having now funded a show, I can confirm therapy would have been cheaper.
Making art out of those years has been my way of making lemonade out of lemons. I couldn’t change what we’d been through, but I could make something from it that might help someone else feel less alone. And make them laugh.
How do you want audiences to feel after seeing your show?
Like they’ve had a proper laugh with a friend who’s said all the things they thought they weren’t allowed to say. I want them leaving lighter, feeling less alone and still laughing about a particular moment on the way home.
You can adore your family and occasionally hide from them in the driveway. I’d like us all to feel a little less guilty about that.
If you could perform this show anywhere, where would it be?
The Sydney Opera House. I performed there as a national finalist in the Australian Poetry Slam, and taking a whole show back would be incredible.
Do you have any pre-show rituals? If so, what are they?
I tell myself I’m excited, which is more helpful than telling myself I’m about to have a panic attack.
I remind myself that the audience wants to be there, and that I do too. Then I come back to: “Remember when you wanted what you currently have?”
That usually helps me stop worrying about everything that could go wrong long enough to enjoy the fact that I’m actually doing it.
Don’t miss The Manager Is Me at this year’s Melbourne Fringe. From the 8 – 17 October at The Motley Wherehaus, grab your tickets here.
