Artists explore love and the human condition

Five artists are coming together for performance showcase Revolver.
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Image: Performance poet Candy Royalle

Five performance artists are coming together to take Sydney audiences on a special journey, for one night only at the 2014 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

Taking part in Revolver will be queer performance poet Candy Royalle, who will present a selection of pieces exploring love, desire and the human condition. ‘Essentially I write poetry and perform that work for audiences around Australia and internationally. I write to connect with people who introduce ideas to what might be contrary to mainstream media,’ said Royalle.

‘This event is a great example of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras’ commitment to the arts, which is great. It’s not just about the parade and the parties, there’s so much more happening.’

‘I’m really looking forward to [working alongside] four powerful women getting to do what they do best. Being in that energy and in that space.’

The Revolver program features an incredible night of entertainment with something for everyone, including visual art, dance, poetry, magic and music. The line up of performers includes visual artist Karyn Driscoll, hip-hop performer Demi Sorono, magician and illusionist Cath Jamison, and singer-songwriter Heather Peace.

Royalle said that being queer is just one part of her total identity, but the opportunity to celebrate that part before audiences who can also relate is an amazing feeling. ‘That’s one of the greatest things. If I’m performing to a room of women, then there’s shared experiences that we all understand.’

‘I write about personal experiences to connect with people, individual experiences then become a shared and collective experience. The thing I most write about is the human condition. My work is extremely political, some would say some of my ideas are radical but that comes from a place a love.’

Royalle hopes that her message will leave her audience with expanded hearts and with some questions around empathy and compassion within our community. ‘Through our work I want to connect with love. When their hearts open I want to pose some questions about the lives we are living, and how we can better treat each other,’ she said. 

‘We are all united with this one particular thing but we are all uniquely different. I think Revolver will certainly draw that in with the range of performances, all strong independent women all with different skills and different styles and I think that definitely reflects the Mardi Gras theme for this year [of a kaleidoscope].’

Revolver will be presented at the Paddington RSL, Tuesday 25 February from 7pm to 10pm as apart of the 2014 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

For more information including ticket bookings visit the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras website.

Troy Nankervis
About the Author
Troy Nankervis is an ArtsHub journalist from Melbourne. Follow him on twitter @troynankervis