Petra Elliott is a name many in Melbourne will already know, feisty red head, and lady about town, she is musical powerhouse with bucket loads of charisma and a voice that in itself is something to behold. Powerful parodies paired with cheeky covers and some twisted interpretations of pop, blues and funk, Petrasexual is a saucy cabaret that looks at feminism, equality and fantasy and many more issues that just get in the way of people having a mutually consensual good time. Ahead of her season at Melbourne’s much loved institution The Butterfly Club, Petra Elliot spoke with TAGG about sex, life and cabaret
What’s your background, how did you come be creating cabaret, and why?
My uncle initially encouraged my love of music, teaching me guitar and harmonies with songs like Hotel California, Sweet Home Alabama and other classics. In high school we would gather at lunchtimes and after school to sing songs by the Doug Anthony All Stars and I loved how naughty and clever they were. I’ve always enjoyed comedy in music, and that has led to creating parodies such as Parcel Face (Lady Gaga meets online shopping) and The 12 Doctors of Christmas (a Doctor Who inspired Christmas carol).
I then completed a Bachelor’s degree in a dedicated acting course, and from there moved into drama, musical theatre, puppetry and improvisation. I’ve also developed a presentational style of performance, particularly in co-hosting our live podcast, Splendid Chaps. Even when singing straight covers or originals, I fall back on the acting skills in my performance to emote the story within the lyrics.
So, combining all these skills into a cabaret show seemed like a natural progression – I feel like I am displaying the best of me.
Tell us what you are exploring, what subjects, concepts or feeling have propelled you to create Petrasexual?
A pun like Petrasexual, was too good to pass up! It’s a fun narrative of my own journey in discovering my sexuality (as a cis, heterosexual woman) and the laughs and tears I’ve had along the way. But there are of course some broader, more serious issues that have added to that experience. The show looks at the pressure put on people by society when it comes to expressing sexual identity and gender.
On New Years’ Eve of 2014, there was a violent crime in Sydney – a young man was punched in the head and subsequently died. The event was widely reported and led to a change in social attitude and behaviour, with lock-out laws and altering language from ‘king-hit’ to coward punch. Yet on the same night, the violent rape of a woman on a beach was barely reported, and the language used by the police officer in addressing the media reiterated that her actions (walking alone at night) were what caused the tragic event. This (and many other reports) showed to me a stark contrast in the way society views sexual assault on females. The victim blaming mentality in the media and justice system is rife, and I wanted to address that.
On the other hand, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to know many people who are gay, lesbian, bi, and trans. Whether it’s celebrating with them as they ‘come out’, have completed their transition, or receive a corrected birth certificate, being part of that journey with them has been an amazing honour. I wanted this joy to be part of my show (beyond my cis heterosexual female perspective) and to give my support for the ongoing discussion around marriage equality and gender diversity.
Ultimately, Petrasexual is about encouraging equality and compassion in both the bedroom and in society.
Musically, where have you drawn inspiration from, and what should audiences expect?
I wanted to include songs that are wickedly saucy and fun, but that also progress the narrative and themes of the show. Songs that people can enjoy on face value, but lyrically punch home the point of the piece. There are so many different styles including jazz, blues, funk, RnB, pop and musical theatre – and even then some of these we have genre flipped.
Adam Rudegeair was co-musical director on the original show and has returned again for this season. He’s an exceptional pianist with a funk and New Orleans piano style and a quirky sense of humour. Ben Christiansen has joined us this season and rounds out the trio on double bass. He’s a fabulous player and just instantly gets the groove and what I was trying to achieve with each song. With both lads offering harmonies, the musical performance has a true cabaret flair.
Lets talk about sex, and sexuality, what’s your stance, and how our you communicating this through performance?
The main message in the show around sex is acceptance and respect. Not everything in life is going to be your cup of tea, but that doesn’t make it wrong. While I have a bit of a laugh at some of the ‘sex fails’ I’ve encountered in my time, it’s also a celebration of coming to accept what I do and don’t enjoy as my own unique and perfectly acceptable brand of sexuality – and the reassurance that everyone has their own thing going on, too. How delicious is it when you come across a partner who is sexually aligned with you?! As long as two (or three, or four) people are consenting, what you do in the bedroom (or the kitchen, whatevs!) really doesn’t have to effect anyone else. It seems so simple, yet as a society we have a long way to go in acceptance of diversity, and not just in the bedroom, but more broadly too.
Is cabaret still relevant, and why/how?
Cabaret is still incredibly relevant. It has such an amazing history in performance, and I love that it seems to be having a resurgence along with other classic performance styles such as Burlesque and Vaudeville. Perhaps it’s because the amazing work of cabaret artists can be more easily discovered through YouTube or sharing on social media, whereas prior to this people had to make an active choice to go see a cabaret, possibly without really understanding what it was.
For me I find cabaret such an enjoyable art form. The music stirs emotions that enhance the narrative and themes of the piece. Even where the show focuses on issues that are quite heavy, people still feel they have been entertained and may be more accepting of the underlying message. It’s a fantastic medium for political and social commentary, without the audience feeling like they are being ‘preached at’. Plus, it’s just damn fun!
What do you hope audience take away from your show?
I wrote Petrasexual to be entertaining, thought provoking, and empowering. By addressing more serious issues with catchy tunes, it’s my hope that those songs later act as a reminder of these themes, and the positive action that individuals can take to change the way society views or deals with these issues. My reverse strip tease to Blurred Lines is designed to encourage people to look beyond the sexy image they see, and stop and listen to what the person is actually saying. It’s to inspire people to seek an enthusiastic ‘yes!’ before getting their sexy on, or to reconsider reactions to the way victims of sexual assault are portrayed in the media.
After the first season of Petrasexual, I received such amazing feedback. People walked away after the show feeling empowered about their sexuality and the choices they made. One woman came to a show after a recent divorce, feeling quite low about herself and femininity. She loved the show so much that she returned to see it a second time. She felt so uplifted and full of confidence after seeing Petrasexual, she became open to a new relationship that presented itself soon after. I love that the audiences leave feeling supported and comfortable about themselves, whatever is happening in their life.
Petrasexual opens on Wednesday the 2nd of November, for a limited season, for more information click here
