Beneath the Briefs
Forewarning, the future, has arrived, and she is fiendishly fabulous!
Well, they always said the future can be unexpected, but who would have known decades from now Australia would be the global super power, technologically advanced to the point of time travel.
Yes to reassure us that the future is not as grey and grim as we may fear the Wizards of Oz have harnessed the power of tornados and emeralds and sent messengers back to spread the word (among other things) on the starship Dorothy.
New for this year, Briefs: Close Encounters is the show of the summer and beyond, bringing burlesque, cabaret, and art that can only be attributed to one unique performance collective, multi-award winning, international sensations, The Briefs Factory.
Briefs transcends cultural barriers and invites all into a magical mothership, where time, gender and sexuality stand still to open your mind to possibility. Possibility, that under a national costume of flesh and feathers, and an anthem of glitter filled disco, we can all co-exist, in a fierce, funny and friendly world.
Established in 2008, Briefs started to be revealed in the darker side of Brisbane’s variety scene. In finding difficulties to find a welcoming place, Briefs created its own space to present new talent and revolutionise performance art that was considered to wicked, and queer for mainstream communities. From the underground scene a spaceship suddenly skyrocketed into the global consciousness, showing societies that sensuality, spectacle and show are not limited to rigid notions of identity.
Your seduction fuelled abduction experience is owed to the throbbing centre within Briefs, the tantalizing talents of the troop, known to you and I as the Briefs Boys.
Palpitating pheromones out of all species she meets, the mother of the ship, steering you through is Shivannah. Pollinating you with pizzazz, and penetrating you with power. Yes reader, prepare to be passive, Boss Brief will command your attention, and you had better give it her.
For those intimidated by a seven foot deity you will find balance with the lusty yet loveable Baby-faced Brief Boy. Inducing a reaction from you that can only be described as pulsating like a dolphins blowhole at the thought of a probing; this likeable lad, displaying multiple talents, has the audience question should one mother him, or daddy him. The future has a place for you whichever role you wish to apply in advance for.
Bringing you gallant grace with an urge to gyrate and grind, the Bearded Brief is the gentle giant with glistening glutes and a stomach gurgling glare. Girls and boys grip your groin muscles in your seat to prevent a ‘good gosh’ gush of confusion and chaos.
In order to reduce the theme park log flume soaking that could ensue from your nether regions, doses of comedy and humour pepper the performance. It is a relief to know that the future, aside from being sassy and salacious, is also funny and frivolous.
Although in current climes the two are not often interlinked, saucy and silly become seriously sexy in the future. One delightfully delicious Barmy Brief Boy combines comedy, magic and acrobatic ability. This dazzling dynamo makes it acceptable to giggle at daft whilst desiring the sex face of a squirrel monkey.
Sashaying heartily out from a role behind the scenes aboard the flight this year is the addition of a handsome Brit Brief Boy. Relief that geek chic has a hot and hypnotic hold in the future, hammering you hard with humour, horniness and a hint of horizontal hugging.
Working our way through the intergalactic stalls in our stable block of…beauties, (easy there with your word association reader); we present the Pegasus of the pack and take a tantalising trip through the skies with this Breath-taking Balancing Brief. This teasing treasure and his multiple talents remove you from reality; this is the part of the abduction where you lose minutes and question, ‘was I experimented on?’ Once grounded from this flight it’s not unusual to be asked politely from neighbouring passengers to return to the upright position and put your tray table away…I know I for one could be described as an easy flight in the presence of this Brief Boy.
If all you have encountered so far does not have you running to a UFO hotspot with your 'I want your peace' placard and 'Land here' painted on your forehead, you will surely be sizzled into submission by the captivating climax of my introductions, Las Vegas King of Burlesque (2011)’Captain Kidd’. What this award winning performer does not know about the presentation of the human anatomy, is not worth knowing in any era. The future tells us to be more in tune with ourselves, and accept all its sides of identity. Well, this chiselled creature will coax the carnal behaviour right outta ya, and charm you into desiring the different.
So fellow Kansasites, we must now disembark the tour of the mothership with glassy eyes and foofies frothing. Maybe you wish to question if anal probing becomes an Olympic sport down the line to start preparing the necessary athletic practice. Perhaps you are intrigued to know the details of 'Believe in Life After Breath', Cher's 30th Farewell Tour, performed in whole by the artists' fully transferred AI consciousness. Whatever your fantasy for the future, hopefully you’re whet, in appetite, to find out more, starting with Briefs.
As the starship Dorothy departs back on it's neon lit road to Oz the real message to take away, is not just the awe of an astounding show, but of knowing you belong. Many of us, despite our creeds, communities, or cultures, know the feeling of not fitting in or feeling unaccepted. Personally, I found it difficult to belong in many social scenes; not fitting the mould in this one, not welcomed in that space and so on. The message from the future is that difference, is celebrated, so express you.
In the multiple times over many years I have seen productions by The Briefs Factory, or attended Briefs: Clubs, (where the message is delivered deeper into your darker depths), the following has been consistent, you undoubtedly feel you are among friends. Likeminded does not mean 'like you', or finding those like you, it means accepting and loving others for accepting their inner alien. So whether you are from Planet S'crow, Tindromeda, Lionus or your just a plain girl, high as a kite, with a vivid imagination, link arms and strut along together, the journey will be less lonely and infinitely more exciting.
Forget preconceptions about the present, yourself or how you identify, cherish the collaboration of crazy, savour more stimulation of the senses, and crave the future cultural contagion that is, Briefs.
Aaron Rolfe
Learn more about the BriefsFactory, the Brief’s Boys and tour dates at www.briefsfactory.com
Twitter/Facebook/instagram: @BriefsFactory
[Cover Photo taken by Aitor Santomé, additional images taken by Aaron Rolfe, behind the scenes with The Briefs Factory, and Aitor Santomé at London Wonderground]